Beautiful cities aren’t in short supply in Italy, but Venice takes things to a whole new level. Whether you’re wandering through narrow alleyways, ‘Don’t Look Now’-style, or sitting back cruising the waterways in a gondola, gelato in hand, prepare to be wowed.

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You don’t visit this floating city without taking in St Mark’s Square (aka Piaza San Marco) – where pigeons and pedestrians share the stop-in-your-tracks view of St Mark’s Basilica. Myriad streets lead on from here: you could use a map, but the real fun is in getting lost. Pop into churches and gaze up at frescoes, peruse designer boutiques or marvel at the spectacular canvases of Titian, Bellini and Vivarini at the Gallerie dell’Accademia.

It’s tempting to stick to cobbles and narrow waterways, but hop on a ferry across the lagoon to see what the city has to offer away from the hordes – like the multicoloured houses of the island of Murano, which is famous for its beautiful glass.

And when it’s time for a bite, it’s off to one of Venice’s atmospheric backstreet bars, called bacaros, where you’ll find locals taking part in the region’s longstanding aperitivo tradition: gathering around plates of moreish cicchetti – Venetian-style tapas – while raising an effervescent glass of Aperol Spritz with friends.

Brought to you this summer with Aperol Spritz