Venice

Venice, view of the Ca’ Pesaro Museum on the Grand Canal. Photo © Riccardo Bianchini / Inexhibit.

OK, Venice is a museum in itself. But it is also one of the most lively cultural hotspots in the world, with outstanding museums and exhibitions. From the Venice Biennale to the Doge’s palace, from Venetian hand-blown glass to the many art masterpieces on show in fascinating historical palaces, Venice has all a curious traveler looks for.
Yet, its uniqueness makes Venice a city that requires the traveler to adapt to its peculiarities. For example, there are only two ways to move from one point to another: on foot or by water bus (which the locals call Vaporetto). Since the water bus single-ride ticket is very expensive, we suggest you buy a daily pass to save some money, if you plan to stay in Venice for more than one day. If, otherwise, you’d prefer to move on foot, take with you comfortable shoes, Venice’s historic center is relatively small but plenty of steep footbridges, indeed.
If you are booking a hotel in Venice, be careful with the address. Apart from a few exceptions such as via Garibaldi and piazza San Marco, in central Venice there is no such thing as vie (streets) and piazze, there are calli, salizade, or fondamente (streets) and campi or corti (squares) instead. If your hotel is located on a “via” or a “piazza” it is probably situated in Mestre or on the Lido island, which is not a bad thing per se but you have to be aware you’ll not stay in the historical center.
Another suggestion is to also visit the less-famous districts of the city, such as the eastern part of Dorsoduro with the Peggy Guggenheim Collection, and Castello where the Venice Biennale (of Art or Architecture) takes place each year from late April to late November.
Finally, it is worth mentioning that Venice is surrounded by hundreds of fascinating islands. Some of them, such as Murano and (even more) Burano, really deserve a visit; though about half a day is required to visit the latter from central Venice.