Venice, Italy is pure majesty-- the tiny waterfront town is an exquisite series of 118 small islands, all woven together with charming bridges and calming canals.
It's no wonder everybody wants to copy Venice.
Allow us to rate the Fake Venices of the world using our highly scientific Fake Venice Authenticity Index.
The Venetian in Las Vegas, Nevada
Score on the Fake Venice Authenticity Index: 7
At the most well-known of Fake Venices, you can ride in a gondola and shop in Saint Mark's Square, just like in real Venice. The hotel gets docked points, however, for the way it slapped modern escalators onto its rendition of the famous Rialto Bridge. And since when is Saint Mark's Campanile (that famous Venice clock tower) surrounded by palm trees? 
The Venetian Macao in Macao, China
Score on the Fake Venice Authenticity Index: 9.5
China's installation of The Venetian hotel is a bit more authentic. The campanile sits near the water, similar to the one in real Venice. They've got a nice, cobblestoned outdoor mall area that is reminiscent (if ever so slightly) of the streets in actual Venice. Gondola rides are just the icing on the Venetian cake. The casino in this Fake Venice is a maze of marble tiles and opulent frescoes, a nod to the Rococo style of real Venice's grander buildings. 
Everland Resort in Yongin, South Korea
Score on the Fake Venice Authenticity Index: 2
We'll give this Korean theme park some points for the clock tower, even though it's significantly squattier than the one in the real Saint Mark's Square. But the way this tower looms next to a Taj Mahal-ish structure throws off its Venice vibe, and hence Everland is not a very convincing Fake Venice. Don't write Everland off your list though-- this park is a delightful smorgasbord of rides, exhibits, penguins dressed as Santa, and holographic "Gangnam Style" concerts.
Venice Water Town near Hangzhou, China
Score on the Fake Venice Authenticity Index: 5
China has a habit of dressing up its neighborhoods to resemble European towns. Venice Water Town is one of those neighborhoods. Residents here can live on a canal near stone-covered streets that aren't crawling with Vegas tourists, and that's is pretty authentic. Also unlike Vegas, this Fake Venice even has its own open-air version of Saint Mark's Square. The basketball court and giant Chinese signage, however, make things less believable. 
For more of Fake Venice and other imposter neighborhoods like it, check out Bianca Bosker's book "Original Copies: Architectural Mimicry in Contemporary China."
Related
Before You Go
