Venice Audio Tours

The ACTV vaporetto water bus network is the main public transport system and is inexpensive and extensive. Line 1 runs the full length of the Grand Canal and is the best way to see the palaces. Water taxis are much more expensive but useful with luggage or for reaching outer islands. Most walking within neighborhoods is done on foot.

Cannaregio in the north is the most residential and untoursited major sestiere, with a long canal promenade and the historic Jewish Ghetto, the world's first. Dorsoduro on the southern waterfront has the Accademia gallery and the Peggy Guggenheim Collection. Castello east of the Arsenale is the largest sestiere and largely free of crowds beyond the Via Garibaldi.

November and early December, and February outside Carnival, offer the smallest crowds and the most atmospheric experience of the city. Acqua alta, the flooding that affects the lowest parts of the city, most often occurs in October through January, but the MOSE barriers now mitigate the worst events. July and August are the most crowded months by a significant margin.

Two full days allows you to cover the major sites at San Marco and walk several of the six main neighborhoods. Three days is better: the Accademia gallery alone deserves half a day, and the islands of Murano, Burano, and Torcello to the north of the lagoon each reward an afternoon visit. Venice is a city that yields more the longer you stay.