学文网Canals come in all sorts and sizes， from waterways that connect oceans to small waterways within cities. These cities are often so deeply identified with Venice that people are tempted to compare them with this famous city. In fact， cities all over the world which are known for their canals and waterways have a tendency to be called “the Venice of” their part of the world. But these cities have a charm and history of their own and are definitely worth a visit.
运河类型各异，规模不等，大到连通大洋，小到仅限一城。这些水城往往被认为与威尼斯太过相似，人们禁不住将它们与威尼斯这座名城相比。事实上，世界各地凡因运河和河道而扬名的城市往往都被冠以“某某地的威尼斯”之名。不过，这些城市各有各的魅力和历史，绝对值得一游。
Canals of Alappuzha
Alappuzha （also known as Alleppey）， “the Venice of the East”， is an ancient and beautiful place in India full of canals. Alappuzha is connected to the famous Kerala backwaters and visitors can rent a houseboat to explore the backwaters for one or several days. The famous Snake Boat Race， where teams of rowers compete for the Nehru Trophy can also be attended.
阿拉普扎运河
印度的阿拉普扎（又称阿勒比）被誉为“东方威尼斯”，是一个古老而又美丽的城市。阿拉普扎运河遍布，直通著名的喀拉拉邦回水区。游客可以租一艘可居住的游船，来个回水区一日游或多日游，还可以参加当地著名的蛇船比赛，该比赛中有一队一队的划船手争夺“尼赫鲁奖杯”。
Suzhou Canals
Often called “the Venice of China”， Suzhou is located in Eastern China on the lower Yangtze River. Founded in the 5th century BC， Suzhou is renowned for its charming waterways， its intricate gardens and historic stone bridges. It’s also famous for its silk trade and for its proximity to the Grand Canal， one of the largest waterway trade routes in the world.
苏州运河
苏州位于中国东部长江下游地区，素有“中国威尼斯”之称。苏州城始建于公元前5世纪，以其美丽多姿的河道、精致典雅的园林和历史悠久的石桥闻名于世。此外，苏州丝绸贸易繁盛，又邻近京杭大运河（世界最大的水路商贸通道之一），这也是该城市有名的原因。
Bangkok Klongs
“Klong” is Thai for canal. Historically， people used klongs throughout Thailand for transportation and commerce， earning Bangkok the nickname， “the Venice of the East”. Today， most klongs have been filled in for use as streets. But you can still visit a tourist version of a traditional floating market on the Klong Damnoen Saduak in the Ratchaburi province or take a boat through central Bangkok on the Khlong Saen Saeb to avoid city traffic.
曼谷库隆
泰语“库隆”即指“运河”。过去，泰国人在遍布全国的运河上完成运输和商贸活动，为曼谷赢得了“东方威尼斯”的别称。今天，泰国大多数运河已被填埋，用作街道。不过，你仍然可以泛舟泰国叻丕府的喃伦沙律运河，造访专供游人参观的传统水上市场，或者在塞萨运河上乘船穿过曼谷中心城区，以避开城市车流。
Panama Canal
The man-made 77.1 km Panama Canal changed the course of shipping and travel by connecting the Atlantic and Pacific oceans across a narrow strip of land in Panama. Completed in 1914， the canal enables ships to pass through a series of locks to get from one side to the other and eliminates the need for ships to take the much longer and dangerous route around the tip of South America. Today more than 14，000 ships pass the Panama Canal every year.
巴拿马运河
巴拿马运河是一条人工开凿的运河，全长77.1千米。巴拿马运河横穿狭窄的巴拿马地峡，连通大西洋和太平洋，改变了水上航运路线和人们的旅行路线。巴拿马运河于1914年竣工，它使船舶可通过一系列闸门从一个大洋驶入另一个大洋，不必再耗费更长的时间冒险绕到南美洲的南端。目前，每年航行经过巴拿马运河的船舶有1.4万多艘。
Canals of Hoi An
This fishing-village-turned-tourist-hotspot is situated on the coast of the South China Sea in Vietnam. Hoi An has been an international port from the 16th century although the serious shipping business has long since moved to the city of Da Nang. The heart of the city is still the Old Town， full of winding lanes and Chinese-styled shophouses. It is sometimes called “the Venice of Vietnam” because of the narrow canals that cut through part of the town.
会安运河
越南的会安市位于中国南海之滨，原本只是一个渔村，后来成为一处旅游胜地。从16世纪起，会安就一直是越南的国际港口，虽然重要的航运活动早已转移到越南另一城市岘港。会安的中心地带仍然是古镇区，这里小巷盘曲错杂，中式商铺林立。因为部分城区有条条狭窄的运河流过，会安有时被称为“越南的威尼斯”。
Canals of Bruges
Bruges is one of the best preserved medieval cities in Europe and Belgium’s most popular destination. Because of its canals Bruges is often called “the Venice of the North”. In the Middle Ages the “Reie” river was turned into a network of canals that enabled traders to bring their products to the large water halls at the Markt. Nowadays a boat ride on these famous canals provides a great way to see some of Bruges most beautiful sites.
布鲁日运河
布鲁日是欧洲保存最完好的中世纪古城，也是比利时最热门的旅游去处。布鲁日因其运河众多，历来有“北方威尼斯”之称。中世纪时期，流经布鲁日的雷耶河已经发展成为一套运河体系，商人可以通过运河将产品运送到市集广场的大型水上仓库。如今，想要饱览布鲁日最美的几处景点，绝佳的方式就是乘船沿着那些著名的运河参观。
Canals of Amsterdam
Another “the Venice of the North”， Amsterdam began building its famous canals in the 17th century during the Dutch Golden Age. The three main canals， Herengracht， Prinsengracht， and Keizersgracht， form concentric belts around the city. Today there are over 100 km of canals and 1500 bridges. Alongside the main canals are 1550 monumental buildings.
阿姆斯特丹运河
阿姆斯特丹亦有“北方威尼斯”之称。阿姆斯特丹的运河闻名遐迩，开凿时间始于17世纪荷兰黄金时代。绅士运河、王子运河和国王运河是阿姆斯特丹的三条主要运河，它们呈同心圆环状围绕着这座城市。阿姆斯特丹现有运河总长一百多公里，桥梁1500余座，三大运河沿岸建有1550座宏伟建筑。
Canals of Venice
Referred to as “the City of Water”， Venice is the crown jewel of water cities. Romantic gondolas and Italian architecture along the Grand Canal helped it earn this status. Stitched together with over 150 canals that have become central to its character， Venice has decayed since its heyday and has more tourists than residents， but the romantic charm remains. Hop on a vaporetto if a gondola is too slow―but don’t try to hail a cab unless it’s a water taxi―because there still aren’t any cars in Venice.
威尼斯运河
常被称作“水上之都”的威尼斯是水城之冠，这一美誉得益于富有风情的贡多拉和威尼斯大运河两岸的意式建筑。威尼斯的150多条运河相互交织，构成这座城市的主要特征。威尼斯曾经盛极一时，现在已经衰败，游客比居民都要多，但其浪漫风韵犹存。要是觉得贡多拉速度太慢，可以改乘汽艇，不过别试着叫出租车（除非是水上巴士），因为威尼斯至今仍然没有一辆汽车。