Nothing is firmly rooted in Venice. As such, it is a city that lends itself to a great deal of missteps and wrong turns. Any traveller who has been there will tell you that finding any particular destination can be a great struggle, and not simply because the locals are apt to wave their hands about in a cheerful, vague way whenever you ask them for directions.
Unlike every other city in the world, where streets, if not always cleanly laid out and labelled are at least land based, walkways in Venice are forever being cut off by canals, or flooded over, forcing you on routes you had never anticipated. In fact, the streets create such a great labyrinth that you can set out attempting to go one place and end up in another altogether. The place you end up in - perhaps a modern coffee shop when you are expecting a decaying villa, or else a historical landmark where you are expecting new shops - can instantly offer you an entirely different perspective on the city. It is little wonder then, that in such a labyrinth, where everything seems hidden away and unexpected surprises confront visitors at every turn, Venice lends itself to so much fascination.