Another way to use Venice that I like is just OCC tourism.
Since you don't bother with making settlers, your capital becomes very big very fast and your early science is competitive with the AI so you get to attempt a few key wonders like temple of artemis, collossus and hanging gardens.
Your mass gold generation also allows you to never build a single building except wonders. What I do is simply borrow money from the AI then buy cargo ships. Send those for money, borrow more money from the AI and buy more cargo ships.
This basically gets you all your cargo ships and buildings instantly for free and your capital can just wonder-spam.
You will have RAs with every AI easily and can usually buy all the CS decently early.
It is somewhat weak in the late game though but it's fun to do.
Since you don't bother with making settlers, your capital becomes very big very fast and your early science is competitive with the AI so you get to attempt a few key wonders like temple of artemis, collossus and hanging gardens.
Your mass gold generation also allows you to never build a single building except wonders. What I do is simply borrow money from the AI then buy cargo ships. Send those for money, borrow more money from the AI and buy more cargo ships.
This basically gets you all your cargo ships and buildings instantly for free and your capital can just wonder-spam.
You will have RAs with every AI easily and can usually buy all the CS decently early.
It is somewhat weak in the late game though but it's fun to do.