Area Guide - Venice
Property for sale in Venice
The Veneto is one of the richest regions in Italy with stunning scenery. It is crossed by the rivers Po, Brenta, Adige and the Piave (the sacred river) and lies between the Adriatic sea and the Alps. The Veneto region, covers 18.391 sq km with a population of 4.577.999 (249 habitants per sq km), with the city of Venice the most well known of the region. Venice is divided into six districts: Dorsoduro, San Polo, Canareggio, Castello, Santa Croce and San Marco, which are full of piazze and campi, churches and palaces, bridges and canals.
Climate
The temperatures in Venice and the Veneto are moderate, ranging from-5° in the winter to + 33° in the summer. Average rainfall between 2000-2006 came to 134,8mm.
History of the area
The Veneto is famous for many historical sites and towns such as Venice, Aquileia, Verona, Vicenza, Treviso, Cortina d'Ampezzo and Burano. The watery city of Venice is the most well known of the Veneto and those seeking to purchase a property in Venice are drawn by the mystique and beauty of this city that sits on the water.
Significant figures that were either born or lived in Venice and the surrounding area include: Giorgione, Titian, Tintoretto, Canaletto, Bellini, Palladio, Longhena, Vivaldi, Byron, Smith, Ezra Pound, Emilio Vedova, Ciardi, De Pisis and Marco Polo.
Culture
The Venetians are very proud of their rich culture and they boast many beautiful churches, museums, galleries and Palazzo’s, among these: Venice Biennale Architecture, Venice Biennale Art, Venice Biennale music, Venice film festival, Academy gallery, Peggy Guggenheim museum, Museo Correr, Doges Palace, the Fenice opera house, Palazzo Grassi.
Unique points
Venice itself is famous for its refined and colourful Venetian glass, which has been skilfully made on the Island of Murano since the 13th century.
Like many Italian cities Venice plays host to festivals, the most celebrated being the 'Carnevale', which goes on for eight days before Lent each winter. During the Carnevale the city is bursting and buzzing with concerts, commedia dell'arte, balls and masked displays until Shrove Tuesday, which marks the end of the festivities.
Venice also hosts its famous 'Biennale', a modern art exposition and the Venice International Film Festival, which attracts many movie stars to the Lido every September.
The Veneto region is well known for its vast array of wines, which include Valpolicella, Amarone, Tocai, Merlot, Cabernet, Soave and Teroldego. Conegliano a charming town in the province of Treviso approximately 30 minutes from Venice has famous wine institutes and is famous for its prosecco which has been cultivated in these hills for over two centuries. Grappa a uniquely Italian grape based promace brandy, which originated in the Northern Italian town of Bassano del Grappa is very popular and served as a "digestivo".
Types of property available
There are many Veneto villas (which date from the 15th to 19th centuries) and restoration projects available. The majority of the beautiful Veneto villas were designed by the Renaissance architect Andrea Palladio and were rural residences for the noble during the Republic boasting elegant gardens.
Property in Venice is very sought after and there is a great variety of properties ranging from apartments, both new and old (many of which can be found on the Giudecca, which is the up and coming long island to the south of Venice) to Palazzos (with the Piano nobile being the most popular for those with a bigger budget).
Owning a property in Venice is a great investment with excellent rental opportunities as well as superb links to the coast and ski resorts.
Market Comment
60% of the market is made up of international buyers with the remaining 40% comprising Venetians and other Italians. Many who previously rented in Venice have sought to buy as more property has come onto the market.
Access
Marco Polo International airport named after the Venetian traveler Marco Polo offers many long-haul flights. It is connected to the Venice-Mestre railway station and the Venice-Piazzale Roma bus terminal. It is also reached by water taxi from St Marks square.
The motorway (A4) has a direct link to Torino, Milan and Trieste. And the A27 has a direct link to Belluno, Bologna, Florence and Rome.
Once in Venice - Most Venetians travel by motorised waterbuses otherwise known as 'vaporetti' or 'traghetti' (foot passenger ferries), which cross the canal at points which have no bridges. There are also many private boats available.