Venice is a city located in northeast Italy along the Adriatic Sea. It has a population of around 270,098 people and its economy is mainly based on tourism, glass production, and lace making. Some of Venice's most famous landmarks include St. Mark's Basilica, the Rialto Bridge, and the Grand Canal. The city is also known for its carnival celebrations, gondola rides, and architecture that reflects its history as a powerful maritime republic.

1. Escola Básica 2,3 de Briteiros Janeiro 2011 MY DREAM TOWN

2. AREA: 1,178 square kilometres / 458 square miles LOCATION: Venice is the northeast coast of Italy. It is protected from the Adriatic Sea by a strip of land called the Lido RIVER: The Grand Canal is a canal in Venice, Italy. It forms one of the major water-traffic corridors in the city. Public transport is provided by water buses and private water taxis, and many tourists explore the canal by gondola. BORDER TOWNS: Gorizia is a town and comune in northeastern Italy, in the autonomous region of Friuli Venezia Giulia. It is located at the foot of the Julian Alps, bordering Slovenia. POPULATION: about 270,098 ETHNIC GROUPS: Russians 79.8%, Tatars 3.8%, Ukrainians 2%, Bashkirs 1.2%, Chuvashes 1.1% Venice MY DREAM TOWN

3. GEOGRAPHICAL ASPECTS The city is divided into six areas or "sestiere". These are Cannaregio, San Polo, Dorsoduro (including the Giudecca and Isola Sacca Fisola), Santa Croce, San Marco (including San Giorgio Maggiore) and Castello (including San Pietro di Castello and Sant'Elena). Each sestiere was administered by a procurator and his staff. ECONOMY Venice's economy has changed throughout history. In the Middle-Ages and the Renaissance, Venice was a major centre for commerce and trade, as it controlled a vast sea-empire, and became an extremely wealthy European city, a leader in political and economic affairs and a centre for trade and commerce. This all changed by the 17th century, when Venice's trade empire was taken over by other countries such as Portugal, and its naval importance was reduced. In the 18th century, then, it became a major agricultural and industrial exporter. The 18th century's biggest industrial complex was the Venice Arsenal, and the Italian Army still uses it today (even though some space has been used for major theatrical and cultural productions, and beautiful spaces for art). Today, Venice's economy is mainly based on tourism, shipbuilding (mainly done in the neighbouring cities of Mestre and Porto Marghera), services, trade and industrial exports. Murano glass production in Murano and lace production in Burano are also highly important to the economy. COAT OF ARMS/SYMBOLOGY MY DREAM TOWN

4. CLIMATE According to the Köppen climate classification, Venice has a Humid subtropical climate ( Cfa ), with cool winters and very warm summers. The 24-hour average in January is 2.5 °C (36.5 °F), and for July this figure is 22.7 °C (72.9 °F). Precipitation is spread relatively evenly throughout the year, and averages 801 millimetres (31.5 in). MY DREAM TOWN Climate data for Venice (1961-1990) Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year Average high °C (°F) 5.8 (42.4) 8.2 (46.8) 12.0 (53.6) 16.3 (61.3) 21.2 (70.2) 24.8 (76.6) 27.5 (81.5) 27.0 (80.6) 23.6 (74.5) 18.1 (64.6) 11.5 (52.7) 6.7 (44.1) 16.9 (62.4) Average low °C (°F) -0.9 (30.4) 0.7 (33.3) 3.8 (38.8) 7.9 (46.2) 12.3 (54.1) 15.9 (60.6) 17.8 (64) 17.3 (63.1) 14.2 (57.6) 9.4 (48.9) 4.2 (39.6) 0.0 (32) 8.6 (47.5) Precipitation mm (inches) 58.1 (2.287) 54.2 (2.134) 57.1 (2.248) 64.3 (2.531) 68.7 (2.705) 76.4 (3.008) 63.1 (2.484) 83.1 (3.272) 66.0 (2.598) 69.0 (2.717) 87.3 (3.437) 53.7 (2.114) 801 (31.54) % Humidity 81 77 75 75 73 74 71 72 75 77 79 81 75.8 Avg. precipitation days 6.7 6.2 6.6 8.2 8.3 8.9 5.7 6.7 5.4 6 7.7 6.4 82.8 Sunshine hours 80.6 107.4 142.6 174.0 229.4 243.0 288.3 257.3 198.0 151.9 87.0 77.5 2,037

5. GASTRONOMY Venetian cuisine is characterized by seafood, but also includes garden products from the islands of the lagoon, rice from the mainland, game, and polenta. Venice combines local traditions with influences that are distant from millennial business contacts. These include sarde in saor , sardines marinated in order to preserve them for long voyages; risi e bisi , rice and peas; fegato alla veneziana , Venetian-style liver; risotto with cuttlefish, blackened from the ink; cicchetti , refined and delicious tidbits (akin to tapas ); antipasti , appetizers; and prosecco , an effervescent, mildly sweet wine. In addition, Venice is famous for bisàto (marinated eel), for the golden, oval-shaped cookies called baicoli, and for different types of sweets such as: pan del pescatore (bread of the fisherman); cookies with almonds and pistachio nuts; cookies with fried Venetian cream or the bussolai (butter biscuits and shortbread made in the shape of an "S" or ring) from the island of Burano; the crostoli also known as the chatter, lies, or galani ; the fregolotta (a crumbly cake with almonds); milk pudding called rosada ; and cookies of yellow semolina called zaléti . MY DREAM TOWN

6. TRADITIONS AND CUSTOMS Carnival , or Carnevale , is Venice's answer to Mardi Gras and Fasching. For eight days before Lent each winter, tourists flood the city for an orgy of pageants, commedia dell'arte , concerts, balls, and masked self-display until Shrove Tuesday signals an end to the party. Carnevale isn't just a Venetian tradition; similar festivities occur throughout much of the Roman Catholic world, including other cities in Italy. The term "carnevale" comes from the Latin for "farewell to meat" and suggests a good-bye party for the steaks and stews that Catholics traditionally gave up during the weeks of fasting before Easter. The masquerade aspect of Carnival is even older: the Romans celebrated winter with a fertility festival where masks were worn by citizens and slaves alike. MY DREAM TOWN

7. SIGHTSEEING Monuments The Church of Santa Maria della Salute is a case in point. In October of 1630, after nearly a third of Venice's 150,000 citizens had been killed by plague, the Venetian Senate made an offer to God: "Stop the plague, and we'll build a church to honor the Virgin Mary." God came through, or maybe the onset of cooler weather reduced the population of plague-ridden fleas. Whatever the reason, the plague was stopped in its tracks. The Venetian authorities honored their promise by giving the Virgin a prime chunk of real estate near the tip of Dorsoduro, where the Grand Canal merged with St. Mark's Basin. MY DREAM TOWN

8. SIGHTSEEING Monuments St. Mark's Basilica is the leading tourist attraction in Venice after the Piazza San Marco, and for good reason: It's a riot of Byzantine architecture, with spectacular gold mosaics and enough plundered sculptures. The Basilica was constructed as a home for the bones of St. Mark the Evangelist, whose remains were stolen from Alexandria, Egypt MY DREAM TOWN

9. SIGHTSEEING The Rialto Bridge is one of the four bridges spanning the Grand Canal in Venice, Italy. It is the oldest bridge across the canal MY DREAM TOWN

10. SIGHTSEEING Gallivanting by gondola in Venice Fact is, a gondola ride is like a hansom cab ride in New York City: It can be a delightful experience, but only if you're able to forget the price and focus on the experience. MY DREAM TOWN

11. SHOPS AND FACILITIES Shops: Shopping centre, Sweetshops, Bookshops. Facilities : Hospital, Cinema, Theatre, Post office, Police station, Museum, restaurant, bank, petrol station. MY DREAM TOWN