IT IS said that Venice is sinking because of rising sea levels. Walking around the city, it seems in more imminent danger of sinking under the weight of its 25m annual visitors. With a permanent population of just 56,000, the city is given over to tourism.A victim of its own popularity, Venice can feel overrun. Crowds file through museums exhibiting the great Renaissance painters — Veronese, Titian, Bellini and Tintoretto. They push and shove onto the vaporettos (water buses), where they are charged far higher fares than the locals. They eat in overpriced restaurants that churn out pizza, pasta, fish, chicken, steak as per the patter of the men employed to lure tourists into rows of identical eateries.Those seeking a more authentic experience of La Serenissima (the serene city) need to explore the narrow calle and alleyways in neighbourhoods that are more residential than filled with “sights”. As for eating, some of the most satisfying food is served in small restaurants or osterie ...
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