Venice Accommodation

Rialto bridge , Venice It is one of the most famous of Italy's sights but the footsteps of the 20 million tourists who tramp through Venice each year have taken a heavy toll on the 400-year-old Rialto Bridge. Salvation is now at hand for the crumbling structure, with the Italian founder of the Diesel clothing brand reportedly agreeing to restore the 16th century bridge. The sponsorship deal is expected to be announced in the next few days, according to Corriere della Sera newspaper. The offer by Renzo Rosso, 55, comes a few months after a millionaire shoe tycoon, Diego Della Valle, signed an accord to pay for the £22 million pound clean-up of another world famous monument, the Colosseum in Rome, where gladiators once did battle. Mr Rosso, one of Italy's wealthiest and successful businessmen, was nominated Entrepreneur of the Year by Ernst and Young in 1997 and Man of the Year by GQ in 2005. The Ponte Rialto, which was completed in 1591, is the oldest of four bri

Tourists visiting Venice are to be hit with a hotel tax from next month, as the Italian city tries to earn money to "save the city" from rising sea levels. Visitors staying in five-star hotels will see 4.50 euros (£4) added to their bill from Aug 24, while those staying in less luxurious accommodation will pay according to a sliding scale of fees as the city edges closer to the long-vaunted idea of an entrance fee. Venice council hopes the tax will raise millions of pounds for the urgent maintenance of the city, which is slowly sinking into the mud and is threatened by rising sea levels and more frequent winter storms. "The fundamental objective is to secure from tourists who visit and love Venice a contribution to sustain a city that is unique, extremely precious but also extremely fragile," said Sandro Simionato, the deputy mayor. Venice risks being swamped by tourists – the city's population recently dipped beneath 60,000 and it is invaded by the same number

- Aprire le nostre case per un’accoglienza davvero personalizzata, una soluzione fortemente apprezzata anche in Valle d’Aosta. Offrire ospitalità nella propria casa: questa è la filosofia che sta alla base del Bed&Breakfast, una formula di ospitalità originaria del Nord Europa, ma che sempre più sta prendendo piede nel nostro Paese, favorita dalla naturale propensione all’accoglienza degli italiani e dalle varie legislazioni regionali che dovrebbero facilitare la prolificazione di queste strutture. Chi per arrotondare le entrate familiari, chi per fare conoscenza e stare a contatto con la gente: sono ormai migliaia le famiglie in Italia che destinano le stanze non utilizzate delle loro abitazioni all’ospitalità dei turisti. Tra l’altro la formula piace anche ai viaggiatori, perché negli ultimi anni le notti trascorse nei B&B italiani sono in continuo aumento. Anche in Valle d’Aosta questa pratica si sta affermando sempre più: in regione i B&B sono già 118 e nell’ultimo anno