the most powerful like a grand boulevard, its grand canal winds through a city lined with once mighty palazzosan intoxicating mix of sights and experiences you'll never forget. in this second of two episodes, we venture beyond the blockbuster main sights. we'll join a friend with a fast boat to explore the lagoon and discover village venice, see traditional artisans blow it big time, join locals in the market, get to know the leading venetian painters, and follow the superpower's decline into the decadence of its hedonistic 18th century. in the north of italy, at the head of the adriatic sea, venice sits in a vast lagoon, connected to the mainland by a causeway. along with the main island, we'll visit three other islands -- torcello, murano, and burano. venice was born in mud like this. after the fall of rome, farmers on the mainland, sick and tired of being overrun by barbarians, moved out into this lagoon, hoping the barbarians didn't like water. from that humble beginning was born one of europe's great cities. and by the 13th century, venice had become the economic and military superpower o