Towers

For a city built on water, it's not surprising that Venice has more leaning towers than Pisa, or that many have simply collapsed over the centuries (including the mighty Campanile di San Marco, which tumbled down so gently that the only casualty was the keeper's cat). Human casualties in this once densest of cities were not uncommon.

Today the authorities keep a very close eye on the tilters: San Giorgio dei Greci, Santo Stefano, and San Pietro di Castello as well as San Pietro Martire on Murano and San Martino on Burano.

Recently the campanile of the Basilica di Santa Maria Assunta on Torcello has been restored, offering views (when it’s open) as unique as the other towers you can climb: St Mark's (rebuilt) bellower, San Giorgio Maggiore and the Torre dell'Orologio.

And if you love a view, you can now go up to Palazzo Pisani’s roof terrace, the highest in Venice.