Venice news stories on Newser

Venice Sinking Again, Slowly

Kevin Spak — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 13:28:40 CDT

Venice is sinking once again, according to new satellite readings. The famous canal-ridden city sank significantly last century thanks to underground water extraction, but once that practice stopped, data from the early 2000s indicated that the city had stabilized. But now a team of US and Italian researchers has concluded...

Venice: Cruise Ships Are Killing Us

Mark Russell — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 06:18:05 CST

Fragile, waterlogged Venice has long been unhappy with the onslaught of ever-larger cruise ships that inundate its picturesque port. But the wreck of the Costa Concordia has sent fears soaring, and many in the city are calling for regulations to cut down on the 650 cruise ships that come to...

Venice Tourists to Pay Tax to Save City

Sarah Whitmire — Sat, 30 Jul 2011 09:03:24 CDT

Vacationing in Venice is about to get a wee bit pricier. In a bid to save the slowly sinking city, Venice will next month start levying a tourist tax. Those lucky enough to stay in a five-star hotel will see a nightly per-person charge of nearly $6.50 added to...

Venice Bans Racy Julianne Moore Billboard

Mary Papenfuss — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 03:56:16 CDT

Actress Julianne Moore's suggestive photo for Bulgari is more peek-a-boo than bold, but it's still too risqué for Venice, which has barred the nudie billboard from St. Mark's Place. Moore's secrets are tucked away behind a roomy Bulgari bag and squishy lions cubs, but it's nevertheless inappropriate, ruled the town's...

Angelina Makes Up With Dad in Venice

Emily Rauhala — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 10:57:00 CST

The Jolie-Pitt clan just keeps growing: The family has been spotted with Angelina's father, Jon Voight, publicly signaling an end to their long-running feud. The duo, along with Brad Pitt and two of the couple's kids, were seen taking a water taxi ride in Venice yesterday. Pitt, who is known...

Venice Struggles to Stay Afloat

Nick McMaster — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 16:26:42 CDT

Not only is Venice sinking, but the $6-billion floodgates designed to protect it may not do the job, NPR reports. Critics say that the 78 half-built mobile gates, designed to block off seawater when it rises, may fail to fend off sea levels heightened by climate change. And even if...

Venice's First Lady Gondolier Makes a Splash

Rob Quinn — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 05:17:00 CDT

A 23-year-old mother of two has overcome a grueling entrance exam and 900 years of taboos to become the first female gondolier in Venetian history, the Los Angeles Times reports. Giorgia Boscolo's entry into the profession has caused waves among the city's close-knit fraternity of gondoliers, with some fearing she...

World's Most Legendary Bars

Will McCahill — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 01:46:53 CDT

Even the most enjoyable vacation can leave you in need of a drink, and bars make great, offbeat places to learn about the history of your destination. The staff of VirtualTourist.com shares its favorite legendary watering holes with Reuters: Harry’s Bar, Venice: Famed Hemingway haunt claims to have invented...

'Vampire' Unearthed in Venice

Rob Quinn — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 02:04:40 CDT

Italian archeologists have discovered evidence of an ancient vampire-slaying ritual in a 16th-century plague pit near Venice, the AP reports. A female skeleton was unearthed with a brick wedged between her jaws, in what experts believe was an attempt by superstitious gravediggers to stop the corpse from eating through its...