DK Travel : Venice

The uniquely romantic city of Venice was built entirely on water and has managed to survive into the 21st century without cars. Narrow alleyways and canals pass between sumptuous palaces and magnificent churches, colourful neighbourhood markets and quiet backwaters, unchanged for centuries. Few cities possess such an awesome line-up of sights for visitors.

For guided tours around Venice (see Guided Tours)

Boutique del Gelato

There’s inevitably a queue outside this popular gelateria . Try the tangy limone (lemon) or fragola (strawberry) ice cream or creamy gianduiotto (hazelnut-chocolate).
Brek

Right across from the Arena, this well-reputed self-service Italian chain restaurant offers a vast variety of meats, cheeses and vegetable dishes.
Brek

A self-service restaurant open from breakfast to dinner, everything prepared as you wait.
Bridge of Sighs

This evocatively named bridge once led convicts from the Doge’s Palace to the adjacent prisons (see Prisons).
Bridge with No Parapet

One of only two remaining bridges with no side protection, this one spans a quiet side canal in Cannaregio. The other is the Ponte del Diavolo on Torcello.
British

Extended sojourns here were mandatory for British upper classes during the 19th-century Grand Tour.
Bruno Lazzari

This well-stocked bike shop rents out all normal steeds as well as 4-wheeler family models.
Bulgari

Striking contemporary jewellery, watches, accessories and Rosenthal porcelain.
Burano

A haven for artists, brightly painted houses, fish and lace-making are the pride of Burano. The islanders cherish an old legend about a faithful sailor who resisted the Sirens’ call and was rewarded with a magnificent veil of magical foam for his bride, later worked into lace, a trade that brought worldwide fame and fortune to the isolated fisherfolk. These days, although old women still strain their eyes with patient stitches, many articles are in fact imported from abroad. The island’s dramatically leaning bell tower is visible from afar.
Caffè al Ponte del Lovo

Venetian sweetmeats can be enjoyed here, but most come for the Spritz apéritif, reputedly the best in town (see Spritz).

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Restaurant price categories

For a three-course meal for one with half a bottle of wine (or equivalent meal), taxes and extra charges.
- under €30
- €30-€40
- €40-€50
- €50-€60
- over €60