Well the famous quote is actually “You may have the universe if I may have Italy”, by italian composer Giuseppe Verdi.
But we thought we’d narrow it down just a bit and go with only Venice. One Frommer’s guide describes Venice as “…a preposterous monument to both the folly and the obstinacy of humankind. It shouldn’t exist, but it does much to the delight of thousands of tourists, gondoliers, lace makers, hoteliers, restaurateurs and glass blowers.” What’s not to love about where Folly Streets and Obstinacy Streets intersect?
Centuries ago, barbarians roamed around Europe, looting, pillaging and making life miserable for the common man. To escape, Venetians moved off the mainland and out to a flotilla of fairly uninhabitable islands in the middle of a lagoon. There they simply proceeded to create the world’s most beautiful and unusual city.
Pictures are worth a thousand words.
