Venice

From the look of it, you’d think Venice spent all its time primping.

Bask in the glory of Grand Canal palaces, but make no mistake: this city’s a powerhouse. Venice is an engineering marvel and Venetians have flooded the world with voluptuous Venetian-red paintings and wines, music, Marco Polo spice-route flavours, and bohemian-chic fashion. And they’re not done yet.

With the world’s most artistic masterpieces per square kilometre, you’d think the city would take it easy, maybe rest on its laurels. But Venice refuses to retire from the inspiration business. In  narrow calli (alleyways), you’ll glimpse artisans hammering out shoes crested like lagoon birds, cooks whipping up five-star dishes on single-burner hotplates, and musicians lugging 18th-century cellos to riveting baroque concerts.

All of this makes it a wonderful event location! Perfect venues, wonderful restaurants and great hotel properties will ensure the success of any program!

Even in the foot-stomping chill of January, Venice has its admirers. The upside is that you’ll keep fascinating company here. More accessible than ever and surprisingly affordable given its singularity, Venice remains a self-selecting city: it takes a certain imagination to forgo the convenience of cars and highways for slow boats and crooked calli. Sculptorsharpsichordists, and dreamers passing as accountants might end up bumping elbows over heaping plates of risotto along scuffed wooden tables in authentic osterie (pub-restaurants).