In Hangzhou, gondolas glide through the man-made canals of Venice Water Town, which boasts its own Piazza San Marco and Doge's Palace.

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Canaletto was most famous for his depictions of the lavish celebrations along the canals of his native Venice, and found a similarly festive subject during his stay in Britain.

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Petersburg is also sometimes called the Venice of the North because of the canals that crisscross the city.

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General Ulysses Grant certainly misspoke when he opined Venice would be a great place if they only drained their canals.

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