Time Out Venice

Book excerpt: Venice conjures images of gondolas drifting along misty canals and pigeon-feeding visitors dwarfed by the splendor of St. Mark’s. For tourists seeking these typical Venetian icons, this magical city will never disappoint. But for a more rounded experience, the longtime residents and experts who have contributed to Time Out Venice take readers down backstreets and into campi and calli where few tourists tread: to hidden churches with hidden artworks; to architectural and sculptural gems in concealed courtyards; and to districts where the everyday life of Venice goes on in time-honored, washing-festooned, market-haggling fashion. Included is a wealth of practical information on escaping the menu turistico to discover authentic eateries; hiring a gondola and coping with acqua alta; finding budget digs in a city of haute hotels; and traveling beyond the Venetian lagoon to the magnificent cities — Padua, Verona, Vicenza, Treviso — and countryside of the mainland Veneto region.