Tourists flock to Venice to sample the Italian's city's renowned romance and beauty - which can seem quite familiar on arrival - since the Italian city has been used as a setting for films and photographs a multitude of times over the years. Venice offers beautiful piazza, elegant buildings and Venetian palaces aplenty, and is one of the most popular destinations in the world for honeymooners enjoying a romantic break, or for tourists on a cultural and sightseeing holiday. On a trip to Venice be prepared for crowds during the high season which runs from July to September - and even out of these times Venice is likely to be reasonably full of admirers.

Venice is laid out in a maze style, the centre of which is divided into six quarters. The main artery is the Grand Canal which passes through all the six districts. Should you get tired of riding gondolas, opt for the pedestrian pathways through the three bridges from the station, Rialto and Accademia.

St. Mark's Square is the most popular landmark of Venice next to the Grand Canal. This is the heart of the city from which stands the Basilica di San Marco and Palazzo Ducale. The Basilica is a daunting figure in the Venetian skyline with its domes and arches jutting in and out. Maritime treasures are on display inside and the altar is laden with gold (apart from the golden mosaics above the doorways) and precious jewels. The square is a jampacked promenade with cafes filled to the brim and pigeons joining in the fray!

The city still has a few more interesting attractions on offer. Another famous area is Rialto in which the bulk of commercial activities continues to flow. Basilica dei Frari holds the burial grounds of famed Venetians Antonio Canova and Titian. It also has a good range of art pieces adorning the church's interiors. To sample more of Venice's art, visit the Peggy Guggenheim collection inside Palazzo Venier dei Leoni and the Academia Gallery as well.

Further outings beyond the tourist path will lead to Murano and Burano islands. You can watch the local artesans here as they go about creating exquisite glass beads, baubles and fancy lace crafts.

The Basilica di San Marco is a magnificent stone structure featuring 12^th Century marble floors and 11^th-15^th Century mosaic domes with millions of glass tiles glittering in the sky. Legend has it that St Mark was smuggled into Venice in 878, a story which is depicted in the mosaics on the left of the church's façade - dated 1270. In order to gain admittance to this attraction no short skirts, bare shoulders or large rucksacks are allowed. The waiting time for this attraction can be long so it is recommended to buy a reservation ticket. The basilica is free to enter but there is a museum upstairs as well as the high altar and treasury which charge a small fee.

The Peggy Gugehnheim Collection is a an inspired collection of the works of well known and less well known contemporary artists including Jackson Pollack, Max Ernst (her former husband), Picasso, Kandinsky, Klee and Dali. Also located here are works by Moore, Giacometti and Arp, as well as Venice's own Emilio Vedova in the Sculpture Garden, where Peggy is buried alongside her pet dogs. There is also a café and bookstore located here. The collection is housed in the Palazzo Venier dei Leoni - Peggy Guggenheim's exquisite palatial home.

The School of St Roch features one of the finest collections of 14^th to 18^th Century art in the world. There are 50 Tintoretto's painted between 1575 and 1587, as well as a magnificent ceiling panel for the School or 'Scuola'. A spectacular staircase takes visitors to the Sala Grande Superiore - where Tintoretto painted scenes from the Old Testament on the ceilings. Other featured works include those of Titian, Giorgione and Tiepolo, as well as a breathtaking Renaissance façade by Scarpagnino.

La Museo Ebraico and the 'Jewish Ghetto of Venice' feature five synagogues, and there are plenty of restaurants and shops in the vicinity. During the 16^th to 18^th Centuries, Jewish artisans and lenders kept Venice's commercial centres well stocked during the daytime, but at night they were restricted to the Ghetto Nuovo (Jewish Ghetto).

The Gallerie Dell'Accademia contains works of art dating from the 14^th to the 18^th Century, including Carpaccio's 'Crucifixion and Glorification of the Ten Thousand Martyrs of Mount Ararat', Bellini's 'Madonna and Child' and Tintoretto's 'Creation of the Animals', as well as many other dramatic classical paintings.

Doge's Palace is located in San Marco Square and has an excellent guided tour which is termed the 'Secret Itinerary', taking visitors around the parts of the palace in which the administration worked. Casanova's jail can also be seen, and the impressive structure of the roof which is 500 years old.

The Glass Museum, located on the isle of Murano, Goldoni's House (Venetian playwright), the Lace Museum and the Leonardo da Vinci Exhibition are other attractions worth visiting during a stay in Venice.

Carnival of Venice in February paints the town red as merry-making fills the whole city with parades, magic shows, puppeteers and masquerade balls attended by people from all parts of the world dressed in elegant costumes. The Feast Day of The Redeemer is a religious festival in July commemorating the lives felled during the plague that hit the city in the Middle Ages.

The canals of Venice have seen quite a few regattas here and there. The biggest one is Historical Regatta, a long procession of colourful gondolas kicking off on the first Sunday of September. This celebrates one of the Venetian victories in the early days, its conquest over Cyprus.

The Voga Longa, the annual equivalent of a marathon on water rather than land, is held in May. Competitors need to row 20 miles in less than three and a half hours in order to receive a certificate at the finish line. All manner of vessels are invited to take part - and it's not unknown for teams to take over ten hours to complete the race.

The Regata 'Storica' or Historical Fleet Event is held in September. This impressive regatta showcases nearly one hundred types of historical Venetian boats from replicas of Roman and Medieval vessels to huge oarships. The boats are towed along Canal Grande, by small boats. Visitors can watch the races which include riding solo in brightly coloured gondolini.

The Carnevale takes place in the Piazza San Marco during February and is the largest masked ball in Europe. Visitors from all over the world turn up in ornate costumes to join in the celebrations.

The Venice International Film Festival takes place in August/September along the Lido esplanade and is a major draw, attracting the jet set from all over the world.

Those who love to shop will find many places selling beautifully crafted leather goods, handmade paper and fine velvet scarves - as well as Venetian glass in the Atelier Marega quarter of the city. Venice is also renowned for its mask-making and unique costumes which make excellent souvenirs, and it's quite possible to watch the masks being painted and prepared. The majority of city shops close for an extended lunch - and if you have had a busy day shopping and sightseeing then this could be the perfect time to pop back to your hotel for a siesta, after all 'when in Rome', or should it be 'when in Venice'.

Take a trip to the islands if time permits, especially those of Murano, Burano and Torcello. Boats operate a frequent service - but there may be long queues. Burano is a highly picturesque isle with pastel coloured houses and Torcello is a tranquil experience, and a welcome break from bustling Venice.

Eating 'al fresco' in San Marco Square is a highly recommended idea for a night out, where there are a number of restaurants serving up classical Italian food.

Venice isn't the place to head for if you enjoy a lively night life - most locals are in bed by around 9pm. However there are a few bars just north of the Ghetto Nuove Bridge which stay open until late and the cafes and bars on C. Santa Margharita cater for the local University students.

Winter (November to February) 3-8°C; the city is quieter with temperatures generally fairly mild but is prone to flooding and cold winds.

• Spring (March to May) 5 - 21°C; warm and quite sunny

• Summer (June to August) 17 - 27°C; still pleasant but can reach high humidity levels with some thunderstorms

• Fall (September to October) 16 - 19°C; weather mild and generally good

  The summer can get very hot and humid in Venice - plus it's the height of the tourist season, so the best time to pay a visit is Spring or Autumn, when temperatures average at around 5-15 ^o C. During the winter it can get very cold with temperatures dropping to below freezing at times. Also, in Venice flooding has become more and more common, and this can happen many times a year, when the squares and streets become inaccessible. Sirens sound to alert residents that the city is about to flood - and its possible to get maps which will direct you to higher routes, as well as the footpaths which have walkways to take you to dryer areas.

The closest airport is Marco Polo Airport which is 16 miles from the city, and has a bus connection to the Piazzale Roma. The airport has a shuttle service - or travellers can opt for the water bus which takes 75 minutes to San Marco. If money is no problem then the water taxis can get you to Venice centre in around 30 minutes.

The main form of transport in Venice is of course boat - commonly by a 'vaporetta', or water bus, which make scheduled stops, just like a normal bus. During a stay in Venice it's almost compulsory to hire a gondola - usually as a one-off - because a gondolier's services do not come cheap. For a reasonably hefty fee he will serenade you as he directs the gondola around the myriad waterways. The only other way to get around Venice is on foot, since cars are banned right across the city. For many tourists the lack of traffic makes a welcome break from the noise and pollution of everyday life.

The Rialto Market and the Rialto Bridge on San Polo is a must see, and shoppers at the market will find that things cost considerably less here than in the pricey, touristy Piazza San Marco. The bridge is an iconic structure in Venice, and dates back more than 800 years. The bridge which can be seen today was finished in 1591.

The Madonna dell'Orto - otherwise known as the Tintoretto Church, was dedicated to St Christopher which is why a splendid statue of the saint stands over the main door. The beautiful church contains numerous works by Tintoretto, who was supposed to have started decorating as penance for insulting a doge.

La Zecca or the 'Mint' is where Venice's gold ducats (later zucchini) were coined. It is now home to the Civic Library. Located on Piazzeta San Marco, its open 10am until 7pm, Monday to Saturday.

La Pieta is a church which is renowned for its musical past. Antonio Vivaldi was the violin and choir master in the 18^th century, and he wrote some of his best works for his young students here. The church is open for services at 6.30pm on Saturday, and is located in the Castello district.

The Monument to Bartolomeo Colleoni (dated 1488) is also found in the Castello district. Colleoni was a soldier who would only leave a legacy to the Republic, if a statue of him were erected in St Mark's Square. Instead the Venetian rulers decided to put his impressive statue in front of the Scuola de San Marco.

San Giorgio Maggiore is a church which was built by Palladio. Its white Corinthian columns and arches are beautiful and well worth seeing, and there are some excellent works of art here, such as the Adoration of the Shepherds, by Jacopo Bassano as well as two huge paintings by Tintoretto.

Tipping is not generally expected in Venice since a service charge is usually included in the bill - of around a generous 20%. Money should always be changed in a bank while on holiday in Venice, since other exchanges rates will be high. The best time to visit Venice is out of tourist season when the price of accommodation is far cheaper, sometimes up to 40% cheaper - plus the weather is just right for sightseeing.

Rialto and Piazza San Marco are expensive areas to eat out in - for good budget meals Venice's Dorsoduro quarter is the place to head for, plus, it's where the locals eat.

The unit of currency in Venice is the Euro, as it is in most other European countries.

Located on the northeastern part of Italy, Venice is a city of over 150 canals and 400 bridges connecting 116 scattered islands, a unique destination which was once the trading post between east and west. Venice was called La Serenissima or “most serene”, as this city definitely looks calm afloat in the Venetian lagoon along the Adriatic Sea.

And yet with this calm air around her, the city used to be Christianity's strong fortress in the time of the Crusades. And being a major trading port in the bygone ages, there are remnants of east and west influences seen around the city's architecture which is a mixed bag of Byzantine, Renaissance and Gothic styles.

They say that Venice continues to sink especially when the occasional high tides sweep the whole city. And add to this, the touristy crowds can be quite a dampener. But this romantic city has not lost its charm altogether. Venice still ranks as one of the best holiday destinations for where else can drifting away in a fancy gondola and passing by antiquated bridges and buildings is the norm and not a novelty?