Venice has long attracted many tourists with its narrow streets and picturesque canals. But in the world there are other, no less attractive cities on the water, most of which remain in the shadow of the popularity of the Italian city.
Below are the seven cities that are located on the water and are worthy analogues of Venice.
1
Bruges - Northern Venice
With its center and picturesque canals that retained its original medieval charm, the Belgian city of Bruges quite rightly earned the name “Northern Venice”. There are no colorful gondolas, but tourists can order a canal tour on small snow-white boats and get no less vivid impressions of traveling by water than in the Italian city. Of particular interest is a boat trip at sunset, when in the rays of the setting sun the red-brick houses along the canals seem gilded.
Comparison of this city of Belgium with Venice seems most appropriate when traveling along the canals of Rosenhoedkai and Gröne Rey. Here you can admire the ancient architecture created in the period from the 12th to the 15th centuries, when Bruges was an important trading center for the Hanseatic League and merchants from all over Europe crossed it. As in the old days, the city is popular among travelers, only now they are more interested in walking along the canals and the price of beer, rather than trade and the cost of a bale of wool.
2
Udaipur - “Indian Venice”
Udaipur, often surrounded by the picturesque Aravalli hills in Rajasthan, is often compared to Venice because of the many lakes that provide the city with water for drinking and irrigation of fields. If the Italian city on the water is famous for its annual carnival, then Udaipur can compete with it with its traditional fairs and festivals, which are held throughout the year. Here, each holiday is brighter and more interesting than the previous one. Some of the most popular events include the Gangaur, Mevara and Shilpgram festival.
To appreciate the similarities with Venice, you should go on a tour of Lake Pichola. There are four islands on which majestic ancient palaces rise. The most impressive attraction of the lake is the Lake Palace - a vivid example of the Mughal architecture, which now houses a luxury hotel.
3
Recife - “Brazilian Venice”
Founded in the 16th century by the Portuguese, and subsequently occupied by the Dutch, Recife is one of the most important cities in northeast Brazil. This is an important shopping and tourist center with long sandy beaches and beautiful architecture.
The city is located on the Atlantic coast, on two islands at the mouth of the Capibaribe and Beberibe rivers. The promenade, which is a bit like a gondola pier near St. Mark's Square, makes it an analogue of Venice. Fruits and vegetables, which are offered in the busy markets here, are more exotic than in Italian Venice, and nature is warm, so you can relax here in T-shirts and shorts.
4
Suzhou - "East Venice"
Situated about 99 km northwest of Shanghai, Suzhou is the largest economic center of China, with more than 4 million people. Located in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River, the city has been an important trading center since the Han Dynasty.
Through the historical center of modern Suzhou, a network of water channels has been laid that adorn stone bridges, beautiful pagodas and picturesque gardens. Thanks to such unique landscapes, the city was among UNESCO sites and deservedly acquired the poetic name “Venice of the East”. It is worth noting that such a comparison was first made by Marco Polo - one of the most famous travelers, originally from Italian Venice.
5
Nan Madol - Venice in the Pacific
Being part of the Federated States of Micronesia, the ancient city of Nan Madol is a chain of megalithic structures erected on the archipelago of 92 artificially created islands that are interconnected by a network of canals. The local settlements were abandoned by people more than 500 years ago, but the glory of the "Pacific Venice" is still preserved in this city.
The buildings in Nan Madol were constructed from basalt blocks of volcanic origin, laid like wooden log cabins. The walls of such structures reach a height of up to 15 m, and their thickness is about 5 m. There are royal tombs in the city. According to legend, this is a cursed place whose unbreakable peace was broken in 1907. They say that the remains of giants were discovered in the tombs, whose growth reached three meters, and the discoverer of these sarcophagi died that night.
6
Birmingham - “British Venice”
Its inhabitants began to compare this city of Great Britain with Venice, thus wishing to attract more tourists here. The assertion that Birmingham is the British analogue of the Italian city on the water arose due to the fact that in both places there are water channels. Moreover, locals claim that there are still more of them in Birmingham. The total length of the canals of this city is approximately 56 km, while in real Venice - only 41 km.
Multi-colored canoes moving along the water channels of Birmingham impress no less than the Venetian gondolas. Having a rest in the evening in one of the bars in the center of Birmingham, it is easy to imagine that you are sitting somewhere in a similar drinking establishment on St. Mark's Square.
7
Howl-Howl - “Australian Venice”
Voi Voi is a small coastal city located north of Sydney, which gained particular fame thanks to the writer Spike Milligan. His family moved there in the 1950s, and he described this city as “the largest above-ground cemetery in the world,” despite having lived part of his life in it and wrote three books there.
Surrounded by water canals, a national park and long sandy beaches, Howl Howl is a great place for a day trip from Sydney. Here you can go fishing and for a beach holiday on Ettalong Beach. Since 1936, locals have positioned their city as the “Venice of Australia”, although in reality this is not an exact comparison.
Finally
This ended our list of cities, which can be called analogues of Italian Venice, although this, of course, is a rather controversial statement. Each of these cities has its own history, its own unique charm and charm. The same can be said of Venice itself.
Posted by skywriter13