Tell my about things I should do in Venice

Do not: Eat in Piazza San Marco, get on an overpriced gondola (unless you are taking your girlfriend), buy a battery powered rabbit from a street salesman.

Best bar in Florence is Paradiso Perduto in Canareggio. Check out some of the other islands and the lido. Verona is a good day trip as is Padua.

Pack wellies in case of Aque Alte.

Lido is where my dad is from - off-season it's a very quiet if well-heeled seaside town. I wouldn't necessarily prioritise it, but it does make for a nice and relaxing change from the crowds and narrow calli of Venice.

Matt DC said pretty much everything I'd have said if I'd only had a paragraph to say it. I'll email you off-board with other stuff, Dave - do chase me up if I don't get back to you by Monday.

Ummm... not worth SAYING, I mean.

Venice (the town)

Get a cheapie 'cross the canal' gondola. It's not that much and you can cram a few 'look we're in a gondola' and 'look here's me getting in/out of a gondola' pictures in...

If you feel the need...

Have you been advised to go to Torcello, Dave?

http://www.venicerentals.com/images/map-of-venice-s.gif

the great thing about venice is even though there's all those teeming hordes packed into little streets, which is enough to make one totally crazy, you can always slip away and find some really beautiful, quiet spot.

For art, go to the Galleria dell'Accademia for lots o' Venetian stuff. And, if you like Bosch (I DO!), the Doge's Palace (Palazzo Ducale) has a few pieces.

I don't have any specific recommendations for food, but I had a hard time finding a non tourist-trap type restaurant, so I'd suggest wandering away from the center for a less touristy (and probably more reasonably priced) meal. Do some research now on restaurants, seriously.

It is magnificent to dine and socialize on Venetian rooftops, if possible.

Go with a lover. It's a gorgeous and romantic place when the city is quiet.

Also - seevral people have referred to checking whether it's wet or not, and taking wellies. How does one establish this? Are wellies needed?

It is also the most expensive place in Europe. Possibly.

Cheap is always relative. Venice is an expensive city, though you certainly shouldn't be spending above (say) London prices for almost anything - the exceptions being unique experiences, such as a gondola ride, a water taxi, or drinking espresso in St Mark's square during sunset as a string quartet plays in the background. It's also relative to what you're getting - don't pay 5 euros for a shitty andwich when you can probably get a delicious pizza for little more only 30 seconds from the beaten track, that kind of thing. And avoid set menus.

Near Giardini is a long street where it seems Venetians actually shop for REAL things like DIY materials, always hung with bright plastic flags - you can get the usual cuttlefish in own ink/fish/prawn/polenta type dishes. Better versions of same exist in the back streets of Castello and the other side of Arsenale north of the gardens. Castello backstreets especially have that Working Men's Club vibe. On Giudecca there are lots of old cafes right on the waterfront which are fab - I'm sure you'll have no problem distinguishing between these and Harry Cipriani's. They do all sorts of variations on Bellini (proseccco/peach puree originally, but have seen raspberry, strawberry, kiwi flavours in these other cafes) (mmmm PROSECCO X-POST)

Dave, if you're trying to save £££'s it's Il Caffe in Campo S. Margarita every time for bar snacks and ombre glasses of wine and spriss and campari/soda. Also was unofficial 'Manchester Pavilion' (eg. a pub) for a Biennale a while back. Great pizza place next door which is all about slices for a euro. Great coffee shop near the mouth of the square too - and because it's vaguely studenty around there all things are open late(r).

Near Peggy Guggenheim place:

The Boy Rooney done good:

Les Cadbury's Fingeres!

Ericsson T610, sepia or BW effects, gadget fans.

those 2004 cameraphone photos, wow

gonna be in venice for three days in 2 weeks. what should i do? i havent been since i was a little kid

go to cantinone già schiavi for wine & cicchetti.

stay away from the rialto & piazzo san marco. ok you can visit the latter once.

check out the amazing trompe l'oeil ceiling of san pantalon.

where are you staying? what do you want to do (museums? art? churches? food?)

staying in mazzorbo. want to see good art (easy) and beautiful sights (easy) and eat good food (harder)

yeah discovering good food was the hardest thing i found, although it is there. lots of places in cannaregio, along the fondamenta sensa and fondamenta ormesini. just don't go on a weekend evening without having booked... this app is pretty good but out of date unfortunately: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/tap-venice-eating/id343376531?mt=8 - a decent guide book is probably your best bet there.

lots of places in cannaregio, along the fondamenta sensa and fondamenta ormesini. just don't go on a weekend evening without having booked...

e.g. Osteria Anice Stellato looked great. but we couldn't get in. mind you one of us being veggie did limit our options somewhat.