What You Cannot Miss In Venice

In Italy, the city of Venice is one of the most visited places mainly because of its unique environment. If you are a first-time visitor, the first thing that you need to do is to be familiar about the place. You can do this by conducting a research about the place by browsing various Internet sites or by reading travel magazines that feature Venice.

To make the that you make the most out of your stay in Venice, visit its major tourists attractions, eat in the local stores, visit it's museums and galleries and just walk around and talk to locals—if you know how to speak Italian—to discover the true feel of the city. If you are not to formal city tours, here are some of the things that you should do and you cannot miss when you're off for a Venetian vacation:

- Wander through the St. Mark's Square. This is the major tourist spot in Venice. This is also probably where all the tourists are most of the time. On your first say, make sure that you drop by here so you will have a peak of what is Venice like. Here, you can visit two of the most wonderful places in the city, the St. Mark's Basillica and the Doges Palace or the "Palazzo Ducale". You can also find some stores nearby where you can see unique souvenirs.

- Take a tour to the Grand Canal. This is also one of the major attractions in Venice that offers you a view of the city through a cruise. You can opt to hire a gondola where you can enjoy a private cruise of the city as well as its inner canals or take the vaporetto or traghetto ride which is a public transport that will take you to different parts of the city.

- Eat on "bacaros" and "osterias". The best way to dine in Venice is when you eat at small stores that offer local snacks. Bacaros refer to small stalls where you can grab something to eat while touring. Osterias, on the other hand, offers a bigger and more comfortable dining area where you can taste Venetian home style cooking.

- Indulge in art appreciation. Art works are truly a must to visit when you are in Venice. You can do this by visiting public and privately-owned art galleries, museums, and exhibition areas. The most famous museum in Venice would be the "Peggy Guggenheim Museum" where you can see most of the works of Venetian masters like Tintoretto, Giorgione, Titian and Bellini. For more works by contemporary artists, visit the "Correr museum," the "Naval Museum," "Glass Museum at Murano," the "Gallerie dell'Accademia," and the "Museo Civico Correr."

- Visit nearby districts. Venice is mainly divided into six districts or "sestiere". The "Grand Canal" is considered the main street since it runs through the heart of the city and connects each district together. Then there's the "San Marco District" where you can find the St. Mark's Square; the "Castello District" where you can find the Arsenale, and the Biennale Art Exhibitions; the "Dorsoduro District" that features the Accademia, the Peggy Guggenheim Museum, and the Campo Santa Margherita; the "Cannaregio District" where the Jewish Ghetto, and the Ca D'oro are located; the "San Polo District" where you can see the Venetian Mercantile Empire, Rialto Fish Market and the Friari Church; and the "Santa Croce District."