What should you not miss in Venice?

Doge’s Palace takes you through rooms where the city was governed, across the Bridge of Sighs and into the New Prisons. St Mark’s Basilica offers another perspective, with religious art and architecture. The guided visit to both landmarks includes the basilica’s first-floor area and terrace when the church is open.

If you’d like to hear how the two places fit together, the guided visit connects them in one outing. The basilica can close to visitors, so check which areas are planned for your date.

For a change of pace, take a gondola ride along part of the Grand Canal and through smaller waterways. The ride lasts about 30 minutes, giving you a short, memorable glimpse of the city from the water.

Murano and Burano make a lovely day beyond the centre. The guided island excursion takes five hours, including boat travel, demonstrations and time on the islands. Go for the glassmaking, lace and island streets, and give yourself room to enjoy the journey.

For an evening out, the food and wine walk pairs tastings with conversation; the galleon dinner cruise serves dinner aboard a boat; and the Vivaldi concert brings live music to Scuola Grande di San Teodoro.

Each makes a different kind of evening. Which sounds most like you: trying Venetian flavours with a guide, sitting down to dinner on the water, or listening to live music? Check the timing and make the rest of the evening easy around it.

Leave a little time unscheduled too. It gives you the freedom to linger somewhere you love, stop for a coffee or simply take the long way back.

If you’re trying to fit it all in, take a look at these two- and three-day Venice plans. A few things you can enjoy at your own pace will stay with you longer than a day spent rushing.