Venice has no roads, no cars and no way of seeing it quickly. St Mark's Square, the Doge's Palace and the Grand Canal are the obvious start, but the real city is in the quieter districts of Cannaregio, Dorsoduro and Castello, where laundry hangs across the canals and the only sound is footsteps and water. Get up early: by 10am the main lanes are full of day trippers.
Plan around the water. A vaporetto (water bus) along the Grand Canal is the best-value sightseeing in the city, a gondola ride is an expensive indulgence worth doing once, and the islands of Murano, Burano and Torcello are a half-day trip by boat. Eat at the bars and bacari away from the main squares, where small bites called cicchetti and a small glass of wine cost a fraction of a restaurant meal.
Venice is fragile. Day visitors may pay an access fee on selected dates, large groups are limited in some areas, and during autumn and winter exceptional high tides (acqua alta) can flood the lowest streets. Check the rules before you go.
- April to June and September to October for pleasant weather and open attractions. July and August are hot, humid and crowded; winter is atmospheric and quiet but damp, with occasional high water.
- Two days is enough for the main sights and the islands; three lets you slow down.
- Almost everything is walkable, and you will cross dozens of bridges with steps, so travel light. Vaporetti serve the Grand Canal and the islands; a day or multi-day pass is good value. Gondolas are a splurge, and traghetti (shared gondola ferries) cross the Grand Canal very cheaply.
