Venice is pure enchantment, and no description quite prepares you for it. Step out of the Santa Lucia train station and the Grand Canal is right in front of you, with water taxis and vaporetti gliding by, and gondolas drifting through a web of canals beneath centuries-old bridges and palaces.

On foot, narrow lanes twist past tiny shops, homes and squares, and getting a little lost is part of the magic. Visit St. Mark's Square and the glittering mosaics of St. Mark's Basilica, tour the grand Doge's Palace and cross the Bridge of Sighs. See masterpieces by Titian and Veronese at the Gallerie dell'Accademia, catch an opera at the historic Teatro La Fenice and admire the view from the Rialto Bridge. Take a gondola ride, and hop over to nearby islands: Murano for glassblowing, colorful Burano for lace and Lido for the beach.

Venice is very busy, and day-trippers may need to pay an access fee on peak days, so staying overnight lets you enjoy it when it's quieter. It's also a major cruise and river cruise hub. I'll book a canal-side hotel, skip-the-line tours and gondola and island excursions.