Port Profiles | Portipedia

Venice is one of those very special destinations where you can’t go wrong. No matter how much or how little time you have and wherever you choose to go, you’ll find it fascinating.

A vaporetto ride up the Grand Canal is absolutely required. The Venetian canals must not be missed, even if they are somewhat pungent. But that’s to be expected in a city that was built on mudflats and sandbanks. Ignore the myths that the canals are open sewers; the scent is from algae and silt, not sewage.

You could spend a week in the magnificent St. Mark’s Square and Basilica, which also provides access to the noteworthy Accademia art museum. A public space for people, the Piazza San Marco is a special work of architectural art that retains its magnificence even as large crowds move through.