I spent one month in Italy with my aunt and her husband 1986. They lived in Milano, which is a spectacular and trendy city.

We visited Venice on our way to Finland. It was July and it was hot.

ps. to enlarge the photos, click on them 🙂

Our day in Venice was full of walking around and enjoying the many fantastic sites, historic bridges and exotic canals – something you do not find anywhere else in the world.

Venice is a city in northeastern Italy sited on a group of 118 small islands separated by canals and linked by bridges. The town is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks.

The city in its entirety is listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

Did you know that Venice has played an important role in the history of symphonic and operatic music, and it is the birthplace of Antonio Vivaldi.

Ponte di Rialto is one of the most famous bridges in Venice.

We did not spend the night in Venice. If I could stay the night, I would choose for example Boutique Hotel Venice Liassidi Palace.

Many famous people visit Venice each year. In 2013 the Hollywood stars Sandra Bullock and George Clooney were photographed on the first day of the Venice Film Festival 2013.

I recommend to take a tour along the canals. It is a great way to view the city.

Then, of course, you must do some shopping, sit in cafeterias and watch people. The Italian way.

There were so many awesome streets and alleys, prepare to walk for many hours. There are so many neat shops, cathedrals, restaurants…

My aunt, her husband and I had to be at the Dolomites the next day. So instead of checking in at a hotel we drove north.

The Dolomites were declared an UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2009.

The site of the Dolomites comprises a mountain range in the northern Italian Alps, numbering 18 peaks which rise to above 3,000 metres and cover 141,903 ha. It features some of the most beautiful mountain landscapes anywhere, with vertical walls, sheer cliffs and a high density of narrow, deep and long valleys.

My aunt’s husband is a photographer. He got some amazing pictures of the Dolomites and the surroundings. A nice gasthaus offered the visitors some fabulous views of the mountains.

I can warmly recommend both Venice and the area around the Dolomites. Go and see them both!