Venice, a unique city in Italy is established on the Adriatic Sea and has immense beauty and historical importance. Venice has everything; romance, history, art, unique architecture of structures and houses and calm waters of the Grand Canal. There are a number of places to visit and numerous things to do in Venice as this lagoon city is compact and can be explored within a short time, making it a favourite vacation spot for many. Packed with a ton of history, intriguing art forms and unique culture, Venice has a lot to offer to the people who are visiting. Let’s have a look at some of the best things to indulge in while in Venice.

The city of Venice calls for getting lost; simply put down your map and pin down the areas you want to visit, put on your shoes and start to explore the city on foot. In several hours, you can easily tour around the main city. Without having to check off places on your to do list, just spend a day strolling around the city and discover quaint canals with still waters, relax at small squares that are all over the city, have delicious coffee at a small café by the bridge and simply admire the beauty of this unique city.

If you are visiting Venice during an event hosted during May to November by Venice Biennale, you are in for a treat. The Giardini della Biennale, which is the venue for this event, exhibits a vast array of pavilions with exquisite art forms; this event takes place once in two years and is definitely worth a visit. The Gallerie dell’Accademia is another place for art lovers where art from pre-19th Century is exhibited, with works from famous artists like Bellini, Canaletto and Titian. This building that was a former convent and now a museum exhibits Renaissance masterpieces and includes some notable works from some of Venice’s greatest artists.

One of the top things to do in Venice is to visit the Jewish District also known as the Venetian Ghetto. In fact the word ‘ghetto’ first came from Italy and this was the world’s first ghetto, established in 1516. This part of the city emerged as the Venetian Republic had restricted Jews to this area as a result of which, today there is a lot of Jewish population in this region. The place also has numerous Synagogues, museums, bakeries and many more other places that give tourists a glimpse of the Jewish culture in Venice.

A unique Venetian activity that both locals and tourists indulge in is going for an aperitivo. This is an Italian’s version of happy hours where you go to a bar in the evening and munch on little bites of food known as cicchetti and sip on an aperitivo. The aperitivo is made up of bitter alcohol such as Aperol or Campari and is mixed into a cocktail like Negroni or Spritz. Ciccheti bars in Venice serve local cuisine and if you happen to visit any of these bars, you are sure to eat something delicious, therefore inviting tourists to have a taste of the Italian culture.

The bell tower of St. Mark’s Basilica is the Campanile di San Marco or the St Mark's Campanile. The tallest structure in Venice, it dominates the skyline. Located on the banks of the Grand Canal, this structure lets you view the entire city from the top. You can visit the tallest vantage point in the city which is 98 m long by climbing up on an elevator, after which you can see breathtaking views of Venice and its bridges and canals. The best time to go up there and take pictures is in the mornings when you can see the sun coming up from behind the St. Mark’s Basilica or even during sunset. Either way, the view is beautiful throughout the day.

If you are looking to get away from the tourist crowds of the main city, hop on a vaporetto and cruise around the different islands in Venice to see a different side of this beautiful city. The Burano island is a forty minute vaporetto ride from the main city; once you reach this island, you will see an array of vibrantly colored houses, a 14th century church and local restaurants serving fresh sea food, pasta and salads. Murano is another island that is famous for glass blowing; the island is close to the main city as well and one can take a water boat to reach there. The Murano Glass Museum is a popular place of visit where you can see craftsmen blowing glass and preparing different items as well as items that are on exhibition. Righ behind Burano is another quaint island known as Torcello, which is a great visit for someone looking for a quiter and a more tranquil atmosphere.

The pre-Lenten carnival festivities are celebrated with great enthusiasm and zeal in Venice. This festival is an equivalent of Madi Gras and is celebrated throughout the cities of Italy. During this time, the city is flooded with people wearing masks and different costumes, making the atmosphere in the city a little mischievous and absolutely festive. You can see most of the crowd at Piazza San Marco; both locals and tourists taking part in the carnival, you may also see colourful parades on the streets, with a lot of music and people being absolutely merry. This carnival takes place every year depending on the timing of Easter.