The boat ride to the islands is nice - there are shops, restaurants etc. but the ride there and back was always fun.

We liked walking the back streets etc. There is also the typical tourist things to see - St Marks, the palace, the museums.

Hi dtph,
To get the real feel for Venice you MUST roam around the untouristy areas. The tourist areas can be overwhelming with tons of people but just a few blocks over you will find virtually no one. Pop in and out of the shops and just enjoy doing nothing in particular. Set off walking and don't worry about getting lost...because you can't really. Just hop back on the nearest vaporetto to get back to your hotel.

We did not take a gondola ride but did enjoy taking the vaporetto down the canal after dark. The buildings were beautifully lit. We got off the vaporetto, got a gelato, walked around a bit and then took the vaporetto back to our apt. We absolutely fell in love with Venice.
Have a great trip,
Michele

Sites:

Piazza San Marco
Grand Canal Cruise
Rialto Bridge
Accademia
La Salute Church (Santa Maria della Salute)
San Giorgo Maggiore Church
Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari (Frari Church)
Scuola Grande di San Rocco
Church of San Zaccaria
Jewish ghetto
Ca' d'Oro
Le Fenice Opera House
Diocesan Museum
Ca' Rezzonico (Museo de Venice)
Wander thru Dorsoduro sestiere
Santa Maria dei Miracoli
Santi Giovanni & Paolo
Original Venice Wlking Tour
Scuola de San Giorgio degli Schiavoni
Scula dei Carmini
Torcello Island
Burano


Shopping:

Murano Glass/Venetian glass jewelry
Burano lace
Silk scarves
Galleria San Marco
Strada Nova




Nightlife:

Gondolas
St. Mark's Square
Hilton's rooftop bar


Dining:
Accademia Pizzeria
Harry's Bar
Osteria Santa Maria
Alle Testiere
Caffe Florian
Hilton Molino Stuckey
Monaco Hotel or Gritti Palace
Osteria Mocenigo
Trattoria Da Nico
Taverna San Trovaso
Hosteria ai Coristi
Casin dei Nobili
Cava Tappi
Zucca
Bancogiro
fun piazza that has more dining is Campo Santa Margherita

Should have added that in Piazza San Marco, you'll find:
Piazza
Campanielle Bell Tower
Clock Tower (Torre dell 'Orologio
Doge's Palace (Palazzo Ducale) and Secret Itinerary Tour
St. Mark's Basilica (Basilico di San Marco)
Bridge of Sighs and Prisons

Here's what we did in Venice last Christmas:
http://www.fodors.com/community/europe/venice-trip-report-warning-im-most-verbose.cfm

Hi Dtph - If you are interested in concerts, check out -

http://www.interpretiveneziani.com
http://www.imusiciveneziani.com

http://www.virtuosidivenezia.com/
http://www.ensembleantoniovivaldi.com/

http://www.musicapalazzo.com
http://www.musicainmaschera.it

http://www.veniceopera.it
http://www.collegiumducale.com

A good general website is -
www.unospitedivenezia.it

If you're interested in guided tours check out the following, which have all been recommended here:

www.walksinsidevenice.com

www.tours-venice-italy.com/

www.tours-italy.com/venice-city_tours-venice_in_1_day.htm

www.citytoursinvenice.com

www.venicescapes.org

www.aguideinvenice.com

www.ilburchiello.it

Hope this helps ...

Steve

Hi dtph,

Since you like wine, I suggest you loosely focus some of your walking around a "bacari" crawl and Venetian enoteche (wine bars). You can read this recent article from the Guardian about how to do that:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2010/feb/13/venice-bar-snacks-cicheti-wine

And this includes list of good wine bars to track down:

http://www.foodandwine.com/articles/where-to-go-next-in-venice

Might as well be looking for something in Venice, even if you get lost doing it.

If you don't like museums and church art, it's best to skip them. But there are 3 small, astonishing building interiors that are all very close to each other and they are very much worth entering to gawk at as you walk around the city. They are free to enter and you can find them on any tourist map, but they are nicely outside the worst of the tourist crush. Just "X" the three of them on the map so you will know when you are in that neighborhood. The three of them are:

The Church of Santa Maria Glorioso dei Frari

The Scuola Grande dei San Rocco

The Scuola Grande dei Carmine


Have a nice walkabout!

Sorry! It just occurred to me that they do charge admission to the Scuolae. But I think they are still worth it -- they are unique to Venice, an important part of Venetian life, and you will not see anything like them elsewhere in Italy.

Bookmarking for our trip in May!

Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari also charges admission: 3 Euro.

Thanks Zerlina!

Wow thank you everyone for posting all these great references! I will start looking into everything =)

Bookmarking

What sestiere/area are you staying?

If your budget allows...have an Amarone....or if your budget is more modest then try a Nero d'Avola. It's Sicialian but it's popular in Venice....and so good.

I have a few restaurants on my blog....but once I know where u r staying I'll recommend a few in your area.
http://baileyzimmermansvenezia.blogspot.com

Bailey, I'm not the OP but will have 2 nights in Venice--- Domus Ciliota B&B in the west end of San Marco sestiere, close to San Samuele vaporetto stop. I'll take your recommendations for any "modest" restaurants/bars in that area. What's a Nero d'Avola?

Nero d'Avola is a modestly priced red wine.....

One of my favorite restaurants is near your B&B......Acqua Pazza.....in Campo San Anzolo.
http://www.veniceacquapazza.com/