Venice is a city built on water, where streets are canals and the only traffic is boats gliding past faded palazzi. Cross the Grand Canal on a vaporetto, watch light ripple across Byzantine mosaics, and let the maze of alleys pull you far from the crowds. Every wrong turn leads somewhere quietly beautiful.
Beyond the postcard of San Marco lies a working city of cicchetti bars, artisan workshops and lagoon islands trailing off into the mist. Come for the Basilica, stay for the ombra at a canalside bacaro as gondolas drift by at dusk.
Start early at Piazza San Marco before the crowds: tour the golden mosaics of St Mark's Basilica and the opulent Doge's Palace, then climb the Campanile for lagoon views. Wander north through the alleys to the Rialto Bridge and its market, ending the day with an ombra on the canal.
Ride Line 1 down the Grand Canal, then dive into Dorsoduro for the Gallerie dell'Accademia and the modern art of the Peggy Guggenheim Collection. Catch the sunset from the Zattere, then crawl the bacari of Campo Santa Margherita for cicchetti and spritz.
Take Line 12 out to the lagoon: watch glassblowers at work in Murano, photograph the rainbow houses and lace shops of Burano, and end on serene Torcello with its ancient mosaic-filled cathedral. Back in the city for a final seafood dinner.
Venice's Byzantine cathedral glitters with over 8,000 square metres of golden mosaics beneath five great eastern-style domes. Go early or book a timed slot, and pay the small fee to see the jewel-encrusted Pala d'Oro altarpiece.
The pink-and-white Gothic seat of Venice's rulers, hung with vast Tintoretto canvases and lined with gilded council chambers. Cross the enclosed Bridge of Sighs to the old prisons, or book the Secret Itineraries tour of its hidden passages.
The oldest and grandest bridge over the Grand Canal, lined with little shops and framing the classic Venetian view. Come at dawn to the adjoining Rialto fish and produce market, trading on this spot since 1097.
The city's watery main street curves for nearly four kilometres past a parade of palazzi, best seen from the deck of Line 1. Grab a spot at the front for the price of a bus ticket and glide past centuries of architecture.
Ride the vaporetto across the lagoon to Murano, world-famous for its glassblowing furnaces, and Burano, a fishing village of vividly painted houses and lace-making tradition. Each island is a half-day of colour away from the crowds.
Venice's beloved ritual of small bites and small wines, taken standing at a bacaro counter. Follow the locals from bar to bar around Cannaregio and Rialto, ombra in hand — the tastiest, cheapest way to eat in the city.
The ceremonial heart, wrapped around Piazza San Marco with the Basilica, Campanile and Doge's Palace. Dazzling by day and magical once the day-trippers leave, but expect the highest prices in the city.
Venice's artsy, student-flavoured quarter, home to the Accademia and Peggy Guggenheim collections. The sunny Zattere promenade and lively Campo Santa Margherita make it the best base for aperitivo and evenings out.
A lived-in northern sestiere running from the train station along the Strada Nuova, with the historic Jewish Ghetto and canal-lined fondamente packed with bacari. Local, unpretentious and great for a cicchetti crawl.
The largest and most residential sestiere, stretching east past the Arsenale to leafy public gardens. Laundry strung across quiet calli and few tourists make it feel like the real Venice.
Small bites eaten standing at a bacaro (wine bar) with a glass of wine, or ombra. Bar-hop from counter to counter sampling crostini, meatballs and marinated seafood — it's Venice's answer to tapas.
One of the city's oldest recipes: fried sardines marinated with sweet onions, raisins and pine nuts for a sweet-sour tang. A staple of any cicchetti spread.
Creamy risotto stained jet-black with cuttlefish ink, rich with the taste of the sea. A true Venetian signature — order it and don't worry about your teeth.
Salt cod whipped into an airy, garlicky cream and heaped onto grilled polenta or crostini. Deceptively simple and utterly addictive.
Spring (April to June) and early autumn (September to October) bring mild weather and softer light without the peak-summer swelter. July and August are hot and packed; November and December are quiet but carry a higher chance of acqua alta (high water). February's Carnival is spectacular but books out fast.
There are no cars — you walk or take the water. ACTV vaporetti (water buses) ply the Grand Canal and lagoon; a 24, 48 or 72-hour pass quickly beats single €9.50 tickets. Line 1 is the scenic slow boat down the Grand Canal, while Line 12 from Fondamente Nove serves the islands of Murano, Burano and Torcello.
A realistic daily budget per person, in three styles.
Venice can be quite expensive, especially in peak seasons.
