Veneto is a region in the north-east of Italy. It has a small border with Austria as well as borders with the Italian regions of Emilia Romangna, Trentino-Alto Adige, Lombardy and Friuli-Venezia-Giulia. It also has a coastline on the Adriatic Sea.

Visitors flock to Veneto to sample the magic of the floating city of Venice, surely Europe's most romantic, unique and mysterious destination. It may be packed with visitors, but somehow they all seem to disappear when you find yourself in your own watery world of alleyways and little bridges with canals slipping under them or you walk across St Mark's Square on an autumn morning with the ground all swathed in mist. If you head away from the very centre of Venice, you soon find yourself in a far more down-to-earth, but no less interesting place.

Veneto however has a treasure trove of other cultural destinations - Padua, Verona, Vicenza and Treviso, all of them oozing with Venetian elegance and charm and you could spend several days in each one, so it's wise plan your trip accordingly. The cultural aside, Veneto also has mountains in the north, namely the Alps and the Dolomites. There is hiking here and great skiing here in resorts such as Cortina and Marmolade Gletscher. The south-eastern portion of Lake Garda is also in Veneto. There are also a few coastal resorts such as Choggia, Sottomarina and the Venice Lido, although this is not generally an area that people come to primarily for the beach.

When visiting Venice, most people choose to stay in a hotel in the centre. These range from fabulous palazzos (with fabulous prices!) to adequate small establishments. One of the key things is to have a room overlooking a canal rather than a courtyard. You can spend many an hour in the sanctuary of your room just gazing at the boats going by, either ferrying visitors or getting on with the day-to-day jobs which all have to be done by boat, such as delivering goods and repairing walls. It is also possible to find apartment rentals and even villas here and local bed and breakfast is a good alternative to hotels. Away from Venice, you will find villas and apartments to let. There are ski chalets and apartments in the mountains if you are looking for ski accommodation. In the countryside there is a choice of agriturismos, rural houses, farmhouses and cottages to hire.