Venice

No city rewards getting lost quite like Venice. Built across more than a hundred small islands in a lagoon off northeastern Italy, it is a place with no cars, few straight lines, and streets made of water. Follow the crowds and you will see the greatest hits; slip away down a quiet canal instead, and you will find the Venice that has enchanted travellers for centuries. The grand set pieces earn their fame. St Mark's Basilica shimmers with golden mosaics, the neighbouring Doge's Palace tells the story of a once-mighty maritime republic, and the Rialto Bridge arches over the Grand Canal at the city's commercial heart. Ride the number 1 vaporetto, the public water bus, along the length of the Grand Canal for a front-row view of faded palazzos, and you will have taken the best-value tour in the city. Beyond the main island, the lagoon holds more colour. Burano dazzles with rows of brightly painted fishermen's houses and a tradition of delicate lacework, while Murano has been the home of Venetian glassblowing for centuries. Both are a short boat ride away and make a refreshing half-day escape from the density of San Marco. A few habits make Venice far better. Come early or stay overnight, because the day-trip crowds thin dramatically in the mornings and evenings, leaving the city to those who linger. Gondola rides are romantic but pricey; walking is free and often more magical, so treat the gondola as a splurge rather than transport. Stay in a quieter sestiere like Cannaregio or Dorsoduro to sleep among locals rather than tour groups, and simply accept that you will get lost. That is the point. Venice is at its most theatrical during Carnival, when elaborate masks and costumes fill the squares, though it draws huge crowds. Spring and early autumn generally bring the most comfortable weather and slightly thinner throngs, while the height of summer is hot, humid and packed. Do check for the occasional high-water flooding known as acqua alta in the wetter months. Three days is enough to see the icons, ride out to the islands, and still leave time to drink a spritz canal-side and watch the light change on the water. Venice can feel like a beautiful museum, but give it a quiet morning and it becomes something far more alive.