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This was the powerhouse of the city’s rulers for nearly 900 years. Passing through a maze of rooms gives visitors an insight into the sumptuous lifestyle that so often accompanied state affairs (see Doge’s Palace).

Elegance and opulence sit side by side in what Napoleon named “the drawing room of Europe”. This magnificent square is adorned with monuments that give testimony to Venice’s glorious past (see Piazza San Marco).

The city’s majestic watercourse swarms with all manner of boats, while its embankments boast a dazzling succession of palaces dating back as early as the 13th century (see Grand Canal).

An unsurpassed collection of Venetian paintings, with masterpieces by Titian, Bellini and Giorgione. A must, not only for art lovers (see Accademia Galleries).

A Gothic interior with grandiose works of art lies in store behind this church’s brick façade (see Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari).

This Mediterranean fresh produce market has enlivened this quayside since medieval times and is arguably still the best market in the world (see Rialto Market).

Escape the crowds in the city with a ferry ride over the vast expanse of the lagoon to this peaceful, lush island, the site of Venice’s original settlement (see Torcello).

A wonderful square, bustling with life day and night thanks to its market stalls and outdoor cafés. An added bonus is its many architectural styles (see Campo Santa Margherita).

Italy’s leading museum for 20th-century European and American art, the collection is housed in a one-floor palace on the Grand Canal (see Peggy Guggenheim Collection).