Venice: The Wild Story of the Floating City That Shouldn’t Exist

Venice sits in northern Italy—right on the water. A city with no roads, just endless canals, and it’s somehow stood for a thousand years, stubbornly refusing to fall into the sea. I got to see it up close, and honestly, it’s sort of unreal.

Key Takeaways

• Venice is built entirely on water, with its foundations made of wooden piles.
• The city has survived more than a thousand years thanks to smart engineering and tradition.
• Daily life means boats instead of cars, bridges everywhere, and food by the canal.
• Venice faces real problems: housing, flooding, and the challenge of keeping the city clean.

First Impression: A City That Floats

Arriving in Venice is nothing like showing up anywhere else. You leave your car somewhere far away—the city just doesn’t do roads or garages. Early in the morning, the whole place is already moving: people get on and off boats, stopping at floating ‘stations’ instead of bus stops. No cars, just water taxis, delivery boats, and the occasional clunky garbage boat cleaning up after tourists.

Most locals don’t own cars—they own boats. Whole families get around by boat, crossing canals, or just walking the maze of narrow streets. The bridges tie everything together, all 400-plus of them, crossing 176 canals. Rialto Bridge—the oldest and most popular—dates back to the 1500s. The longest, Liberty Bridge, connects historic Venice to the mainland.

Life as a Venetian

Venice is more than a postcard. It’s got banks, cafes (the world’s oldest is still open in the main square after three centuries), restaurants right next to the water. You can order an espresso, stand and sip it, or sit by a canal watching gondolas pass. Most homes aren’t lived in full-time anymore; locals are moving out, making space for short-term rentals. Ask any Venetian kid how they get to school—it’s a combo of bridges, walks, and sometimes, jumping in a boat.

How Did They Even Build This Place?

Back in the fifth century, people fled invading tribes and the crumbling Roman Empire. They ran to the marshes—no solid ground, just mud and water. To make Venice, they drove millions of tree trunks (most from Croatia) about five metres into the mud until they hit hard ground. On top, they stacked more wood, then a special waterproof stone—everything still standing today.

The trick? The wood is always underwater, never drying out, turning rock-hard over time. Venice hasn’t sunk (yet) because its wooden bones have lasted centuries.

Water Everywhere: What About Clean Water?

Venice is totally surrounded by salty lagoon water, but you can’t drink that. So people got creative—under every big square, they dug huge clay-lined tanks. Rainwater would flow in, filtered through sand and gravel, making it (sort of) drinkable. Hundreds of wells kept the city going through history. These days, modern water flows through underground pipes, but those old wells are still dotted around, a reminder of how people used to live.

Sewers and Smelly Canals

If you think about it, a city on water must have tricky plumbing. Venice has almost no big sewer system. For centuries, sewage drained straight into the canals. Twice a day, the tide washes things out—good on most days, a bit rough in hot summers. Newer buildings sometimes have holding tanks for wastewater, but most of Venice just lets the canals do the flushing.

A running joke: the canals can smell, especially on a muggy day. And no, the water isn’t for swimming.

Floods: Venice’s Constant Battle

Venice fights floods all the time. When high water comes, raised platforms appear so people can wade across the city. In 2019, the worst flood in years left the main square underwater by two metres. There’s a big system—those yellow barriers you see in photos—that’s meant to keep water out in emergencies, but it’s not perfect.

Who Actually Lives Here?

You don’t get many cars. Everyone’s getting around by foot or boat. Every house has an entrance on land and another on the canal. Big palazzos on the main waterways are for the wealthy; most folks live deeper in. A lot of places are now art galleries or rented to visitors. Locals are proud—they keep things tidy and teach their kids not to litter (unlike the tourists who sometimes do).

Venice Today—And Tomorrow

Venice survives thanks to its hidden forest of waterlogged wood, clever planning, and the people who love it. The big question is what the future holds, with rising seas, more floods, and fewer locals.

One thing’s certain: Venice carries on, looking more unreal every year, its bridges packed with people taking one more picture of a city that shouldn’t exist, but somehow still does.