Writer Polly Coles reads So Near to Venice, the last of her essays about some of the ways in which Venetians and others have adapted to live in 21st-century Venice. Moving to Venice with her family for several years gave her a resident's view of a city she loves and despairs of in equal measure. Once the most cosmopolitan city in Europe, nowadays it seems little more than a stage-set for the tourist industry. But Venice will always be more than the most idealized city in the world.

In this edition, Polly looks at the invisible residents of Venice who service the millions of tourists who descend on the city each year.

Written and performed by Polly Coles