Immersive Venice Experience

When you first arrive, you might be jetlagged, so spend an evening or even an entire day getting your bearings and exploring the city! (Make sure to bring comfortable walking shoes; there are no cars allowed, so taking a taxi back to your hotel isn’t an option!) Venice might seem small, but if you have a whole week there, you might start to feel like you know your way around without consulting a map by the very end. Hundreds of bridges (a total of 435 to be precise) cross the lagoons that connect the high-walled, winding alleyways of this medieval city. Let yourself get lost and found again — or if you prefer a more structured experience, book a guided walking tour with an expert on the city’s history or architecture. If your exploration takes you to the Jewish Ghetto, stop in to the museum to learn about the five different synagogues that served the different ethnic groups that made up the community (and take a tour to see the synagogue interiors).

Experiences abound for foodies in Venice. Take a pasta-making class (sometimes offered in the home of a local host for added cultural insight) or sample various baked goods in an early-morning pastry and espresso tour. When it’s time for happy hour, meet up with a tour guide who can introduce you to cicchetti (the characteristic “small bites” Venetians grab on their way home after work) with several stops at bacari (the establishments that serve these appetizers). Don’t miss a visit to the Rialto Market; you’ll want to observe all the varieties of seafood, meats, fruits and vegetables (and Venetians shopping for them!) even if you aren’t buying anything yourself. Early morning is the best time.

If you love history or art, Venice has plenty of both. The Doge’s Palace and St. Mark’s Basilica are essential (purchase tickets in advance and ask if your travel advisor can connect you with a tour that enters before opening hours, so you’ll have the place to yourself). Museo Correr outlines the city’s history in fascinating detail. Among several fabulous art museums, the Peggy Guggenheim Collection is a standout, with pieces by Picasso, Dali, Pollock and Kandinsky — and a colorful story about the museum’s namesake, whose former home houses the museum.

Because you’re staying for a whole week, you’ll have plenty of time to observe the city at different times of day. Make a point of being out and about in the early morning when the streets are quiet, during the evening “commute” when the locals are making their way home from work on foot and after dark when an air of mystery descends, and it’s easy to imagine the masquerade balls that once defined Venice’s social scene. Nighttime is the best time (in my opinion) for a gondola ride. The canals are nearly empty of boat traffic, and you’ll see slices of everyday Venetian life through the warmly lit windows. (Make sure to bring cash; this was the only time on our trip that cards weren’t accepted.)

Day Trips:

If you’re staying in Venice proper, there will be plenty to see and do within walking distance. However, it’s worth traveling by boat to a few nearby destinations.

SAN GIORGIO MAGGIORE

Visit the Church of San Giorgio Maggiore to admire the design by architect Andrea Palladio and paintings by Tintoretto, including “The Last Supper.” Get tickets to take you to the top of the bell tower — well worth the trip for the sweeping views of Venice, which you’ll appreciate all the more after spending time observing the city up close.

MURANO AND BURANO

Murano and Burano are outlying islands known for glassmaking and lacemaking, respectively. You can get there on the vaporetto (public transportation by boat) but a small group or private tour can be both convenient and an efficient way to hear about the history in greater depth during the short trip (10-30 minutes, depending on where in Venice you depart from). On Burano, admire the artistry in the Lace Museum and hear from your guide about the colorful houses of the fishing village. On Murano, see glass artisans at work and learn how the craft has been passed down through families for hundreds of years. When you return to the city, try your hand at the craft yourself in a glassmaking experience with a local artist like Massimiliano Caldarone.

LIDO ISLAND

If you want to see how the locals vacation, venture over to Lido Island. The local tourism board publishes a guide to the public beaches and how to get there. Depending on the season, this can be a great spot to find affordable eats and relief from the city’s crowds.

Wandering around the city finding hidden gems is the best way to approach food and drink in Venice, so I won’t list too many recommendations here. The most memorable meals from my recent trip included:

• Osteria Bancogiro, located in a former mercantile bank in one of the city’s most ancient warehouses – if there’s a wait, check out the medieval church next door and the hunchback statue outside (dating from the plaza’s checkered past as a public torture site)

• Rossopomodoro, was a great spot for a casual dinner of pizza and pasta (family-friendly with plenty of seating and room to move around, which is rare in Venice)

• Don’t miss Sepa Venezia for modern takes on Venice’s traditional cicchetti (small bites). This place is great for a snack on the go — and you might even find yourself coming back over and over to check out the daily specials.

• Piazza San Marco is bustling any time of day and makes for fantastic people-watching. This isn’t where you’ll find the most special eating experiences in Venice, but if you’re wanting to rest your feet and pass some time, grab a coffee at Caffé Florian, which has been in business since 1720.

• A leisurely lunch at a canal-side restaurant can be a great way to recover from the day’s adventures and refuel before heading back out for the evening. If you consider that the view is built in, the prices at Grand Canal inside the Hotel Moncal or Gio’s inside the St. Regis aren’t bad.

• Grab a cocktail at Harry’s Bar, birthplace of the bellini. The space is tiny, so it’s best to go during off hours to sip your drink and imagine yourself rubbing elbows with the legacies of writers who frequented the bar (including Sinclair Lewis, Orson Welles, Alfred Hitchcock and Ernest Hemingway).

• Venetians are somewhat obsessed with a rooftop view—perhaps understandable when your whole city is at sea level, but this can make it hard to get into rooftop bars since tourists are competing with locals for limited space. Still, it’s worth the effort if your advisor or concierge can help you get in at the Hotel Danieli. We also heard that the rooftop bar at the Hilton Molino Stucky has equally stunning views with less demand since it’s a bit out of the way on Giudecca Island, a part of the city tourists tend to skip.