The 9 essential things to do in Venice

On St Mark's Square, St Mark's Basilica blends Byzantine architecture with Venetian influences, recognisable by its five domes and richly ornate façade. The first church, raised in the 9th century to house the relics of St Mark brought from Alexandria, gave way to the present building consecrated in 1094. Inside, golden mosaics cover the vaults and domes, while the Pala d'Oro, a gold altarpiece set with precious stones, adorns the high altar. Entry to the church is ticketed; the treasury, the loggia and its Horses of St Mark are visited separately.

The heart of Venice, St Mark's Square gathers around it the basilica and its domes, the campanile with its view over the city, the Doge's Palace and the Clock Tower with its astronomical clock. Historic cafés such as Florian, among the oldest in Europe, line the square and have hosted Venetian social life for centuries. Prone to acqua alta, it is then covered with raised walkways. Early morning or evening, once the crowds thin, it regains its full sweep.

A masterpiece of Venetian Gothic, the Doge's Palace was for centuries the seat of the government of the Republic of Venice. Behind its filigree arcades, the Grand Council Chamber astonishes with its scale and with Tintoretto's "Paradise". The Bridge of Sighs links the palace to the old prisons, which a route lets you cross, revealing cells and corridors. The "Secret Itineraries" tour also opens the hidden offices and interrogation rooms of the Venetian administration.

Spanning the Grand Canal, the Rialto Bridge links the San Marco and San Polo districts. The present stone bridge, completed in the late 16th century, replaced earlier wooden structures and carries two rows of shops beneath its arcades. From its crown, the view opens onto the coming and going of gondolas and vaporettos. Right nearby, on the San Polo side, the Rialto market enlivens the mornings. It's one of the busiest spots in the city: early morning or evening, you enjoy it more calmly.

The lagoon holds several islands easily reached by vaporetto. Murano is known for its glassworks, where you can watch the glassblowers at work; Burano charms with its brightly coloured houses and its lace-making tradition; Torcello, wilder, keeps the cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta and its mosaics. The Lido, for its part, lines up beaches and hosts the film festival. A half-day to a day is enough to string two or three together and shift mood from the centre.

The gondola remains the most iconic way to see Venice from the water. Gliding along the narrow canals, you skim the palace façades and pass under bridges otherwise out of reach, where the vaporettos don't go. The gondolier rows the boat, and routes often slip away from the busiest stretches toward quieter canals. It's a ride, not transport: you take it for the experience and the view, by day or at dusk.

Venice has a long musical tradition, and taking in a performance extends the visit into the evening. La Fenice, one of Europe's great opera houses rebuilt after the 1996 fire, stages operas and concerts in a richly decorated hall; by day it can be toured with an audioguide. Historic churches also host Baroque concerts, often around Vivaldi, a son of the city. Seats, especially at La Fenice, go fast: it's best to book ahead.

Beyond the major sites, Venice is best savoured by losing yourself in the maze of its alleys, or "calli". Away from the tourist axes, you come across discreet churches, artisan workshops, quiet little campi and bridges to pause on. The lapping water, the weathered façades and the vaulted passages make up the city's atmosphere, especially early morning or evening. Getting lost is part of the experience: yellow "Per Rialto" and "Per San Marco" signs help you find your way back.

Venetian cooking revolves around the lagoon and the Adriatic. The speciality to try: cicchetti, small bites (cod mantecato, sarde in saor, meatballs, crostini) eaten standing in a bacaro with a spritz or an "ombra" of wine. At the table, seafood takes over — spaghetti alle vongole, fish risotto — and for dessert, local pastries such as zaeti. The best spots tuck around the Rialto market, away from the tourist-menu terraces of San Marco.