The Venetian opened in 1999 on the site of the demolished Sands and went all-in on a Venice theme: indoor canals with singing gondoliers, a recreated St Mark's Square under a painted ceiling, hand-painted frescoes, and a replica of the Rialto Bridge. The Grand Canal Shoppes mall connects directly through the canal-side passages, all bathed in artificial dusk light.
The complex includes the Venetian Tower and the adjacent Palazzo, sharing one of the largest hotel footprints on the Strip with more than 7,000 suites. Even if you do not stay or gamble here, walk through to see how convincingly artificial Vegas can be — the ceiling sky alone is worth the detour. Free Doge's Palace tours run on selected days.