It is in Venice, Italy, where the marriage of stone and water, in the form of bridges and canals, creates a dreamscape - a city that floats on the lagoon, a real-world echo of an ethereal vision. Each brick of its elegant façades mirrors in the labyrinth of waterways, narrating stories of time. Understandably, this serenely beautiful city has inspired countless attempts at imitation. And while one might argue that the authentic charm of Venice is a jewel that remains uncopied, it's undeniable that some replicas have won the world over in their own right. Let's delve into these delightful attempts to recapture Venice's magic.

Photo: pxfuel.com

Las Vegas, the city of endless nights and heady dreams in the USA, offers us our first Venetian facsimile. It's called the Venetian Tower. Along with its sibling, The Palazzo Tower, it forms the heart of the colossal Venetian Resort, boasting a staggering total of 7,000-plus rooms. The Venetian pulls no punches in recreating the grandeur of Venice: it invites you to marvel at the fresco-dappled lobby ceiling, to shop till you drop in the recreation of Saint Mark's Square. And, of course, you can lose yourself in the grandeur of Venice's iconic architectural delights - Saint Mark's clock tower, the Rialto Bridge, and the Doge's Palace. Amid this surreal landscape, you can partake in a gondola ride on man-made canals, and immerse yourself in the serenades of gondoliers, just as you would in the real Venice.

Onward now to Asia. Macao, China, houses the next Venetian homage, aptly named The Venetian Macao Resort Hotel. Enveloping an imposing 3,000 rooms within its 40 floors, and boasting a staggering 550,000 square feet of gaming space, the Venetian Macao has etched its name as the most enormous single-structure hotel building in Asia and the home of the world's second-largest casino. The thematic influence of Venice is evident, with the same romantic alleys and waterways inspiring the decor. Don't miss the artificial sky painted across the ceiling, lending an air of dreamy charm. The establishment's pièce de résistance is the casino, a visual feast filled with marble tiles and frescoes evocative of Venice's most prized architectural wonders. And what Venetian mimicry would be complete without gondola rides?

Photo: unsplash.com/harika1017

Our final stop takes us to Dalian, China, home to an open-air reproduction of Venice, endearingly termed "Little Venice" or “East Montage.” In contrast to our previous examples, this Venice isn't tucked away within a building. It flourishes under the open sky. A project initiated in 2011, it saw a cohort of French architects armed with a lavish USD $725 million budget bringing a slice of Italy to China.

This man-made wonder extends over 4 kilometers of canals and features more than 200 European-style structures mimicking the architectural marvels and artwork of Venice. As is de rigueur for any Venetian-inspired place, traditional gondolas and gondoliers donning authentic Venetian attire are never far from view. Little Venice also serves up a taste of Western cuisine in its quaint cafés.