Venice

Holidays by Destination Europe Italy Venice 

Venice is a city children will almost certainly know at least by reputation. The idea of a place where canals replace streets appeals to the faint anarchy lurking in most small people. Once there, for those who find the slowly sinking palazzi and churches less than enchanting, the multiple boats - bus boats, rubbish boats, taxi boats, Macdonalds delivery boats and even crane boats ? plus gondolas - all make for the closest to contentment you can expect in a certain type of small child. Fishing boats, police boats and, if you are lucky, waterborne fire engines, all add to the entertainment.

You don't have to make much effort to see the culture - the city wears it on its sleeve. That means that unless the weather is bad, you don't have to go to the hassle and expense of visiting interiors.

As you go you could indulge in infinitesimal doses of facts: that the first package tours were arranged here - for pilgrims and then crusaders en route to Jerusalem, that the word sequins derives from the Zecchini minted here; that the words ghetto, arsenal and ciao all originate in the city; or that this was Marco Polo's home town. Take a good guide book and you'll dig out more.

It is a rather expensive city, particularly if you go when the weather is at its best. Not least, it is standard practice for children over 4 years to be charged full adult price on anything from vaporetto tickets to museum entrance ? and some even charge under 4s. However, while following a few tips here on reducing costs if you wish, it's worth bearing in mind that a visit here really is a treat.

Although heaving during the day in the main tourist spots, most visitors leave by dusk, leaving those who stay with a little more a sense of a real place than a grown ups' theme park.

And you don't have to worry about evening disturbance. Even in summer Venice closes down much earlier than most Italian centres - old-fashioned even in its bedtimes.