Venice

Venice is Italy's iconic floating city — 118 islands connected by 391 bridges + 150+ canals. UNESCO listed. St Mark's Square + Doge's Palace + Rialto Bridge + Grand Canal + Bridge of Sighs. The world's only major city with no cars. 250,000 daytime visitors vs 50,000 residents (2:1 tourist-to-resident ratio). Cheaper than Florence/Milan but the most-touristed Italian city per capita. Best at sunrise + sunset when day-trippers leave.

St Mark's Square (Piazza San Marco) is the heart of Venice — Napoleon called it 'the drawing room of Europe'. St Mark's Basilica (free entry, paid sections), Doge's Palace ($35), Campanile bell tower ($10 elevator).

Doge's Palace (1340) was the seat of Venetian government for 500 years. The Bridge of Sighs (named for prisoners' last sigh as they crossed to dungeons) connects palace to old prisons. $35 skip-the-line. Pre-book mandatory.

Gondola rides are the canonical Venice experience — standardized $90 for 30 min (up to 6 people). Add serenade $50 extra. Sunset is iconic.

Rialto Bridge (1591) is the iconic stone bridge over Grand Canal. Free walking. Rialto Market (fish + produce) on the side; opens 7:30 AM, closes by noon.

Murano + Burano + Torcello islands are the canonical day trip — Murano (glass-blowing tradition since 1291), Burano (rainbow-colored fishermen houses + lace tradition), Torcello (oldest island with 12th-century mosaics). Vaporetto (water bus) day pass $25 covers all islands.

Venetian cuisine is the canonical food experience — Cantina do Mori (1462 cicchetti bar) is the world's oldest bacaro (Venetian tapas bar). Cicchetti = small plates with Aperol spritz $15-25/person.

Iconic Venetian dishes: Cicchetti ($3-8 each), Sarde in Saor (sweet-sour sardines, $10-15), Risi e bisi (rice + peas, $12-20), Squid ink pasta ($15-25), Aperol Spritz (canonical aperitivo, $5-10), Bellini cocktail (Harry's Bar invention, $20+).

Bottom line: Venice is one of world's most-distinctive cities — no cars + canals + Renaissance + romance. 2 days hits the bucket list including Murano + Burano. Best at sunrise + sunset.