Venice, Italy

Built by people trying to escape the molesting Goths, and Vandals and Mongols (Oh, my!) who were constantly sacking a defeated Rome, Venice was created by sheer will and sweat from over 100 small islands in the Venetian Lagoon. Venice rose from the sea to dominate the Mediterranean from the 9th until the 15th centuries. As a city state it became a world center of finance under the Doge's. In decline it was possessed by Austria and then Italy. These days the population of the city is far outnumbered by waves of tourists coming to see the ornate architecture, the legendary canals navigated by singing gondoliers, and the former home of the real Casanova in this land known as Serenissima-the most serene, capturing the magic light at sunset over the Queen of the Adriatic. Relax and enjoy the beauty of Venice.