The incredible European city named the world's most beautiful

The long list of the most stunning cities around the world have been whittled down to a shortlist of just four, with one seaside city named the most picturesque on the planet. Exquisite Coasts has named Venice the most beautiful city with Cape Town coming in second, Rio de Janeiro third and Sydney clinching the fourth spot.

The experts said: "All the other cities have spectacular natural scenery. Venice doesn't have that but more than makes up for it with bucket-loads of charm and enchantment. "The beauty may be man-made but make no mistake this is a gorgeous city. Travel down the Grand Canal by gondola or spend a night or two at the Hotel Danieli and you'll know what I mean."

Despite water levels sometimes rising to flood lower levels of the city -Venice may just be worth the risk. For a nighttime spectacle, head to St Mark's Square when the Basilica reflects onto the piazza, providing two images of one of the most beautiful churches in the world.

The Baglioni Hotel Luna is just a stone's throw from St Mark's, and you can travel from the airport by water taxi. This area is where the Venice Lagoon turns into the Grand Canal.

There are a maze of backstreets and tiny squares that make up the area of San Marco. From here you can find Teatro La Fenice, one of the most famous opera houses in the world. The building's interior is an exact replica of the building that burned down in 1996 and reopened in 2003.

Venice also boats an array of famous bridges, with one including the Rialto Bridge, the oldest and most famous, spanning the Grand Canal. It is considered an engineering feat considering it was constructed in 1590. The single-arch stone bridge was built to connect the Rialto, the main financial centre, and is one of the city's top landmarks. Incredibly it is still supported by the 12,000 wooden pilings that were used in its original construction.

For shoppers, this should also be on your list. At the foot of the bridge is Fondaco Dei Tedeschi, where there is a luxury department store with a stunning view of the expanse of the Grand Canal.

There is also a Jewish Cemetery which dates back to 1389 with tilting tombstones and wild looking paths. The Chiesa di San Nicolò, one of the earliest churches in Venice, is fit with a 15th-century clock. Hotel Danieli, recommended by Exquisiste coasts comes in at a whopping £861 per night however it may be worth it for its beautiful views over the water that you can enjoy over the breakfasts, included in the price of your stay.

The traditional Italian interiors will have you feeling like you've stepped back in time and are enjoying a life of leisure as a Venetian in the 18th century.