Is Venice your next travel destination? Here's the ultimate list of things to do in the magical city

Venice: If you are in a mood to visit a place, which you thought would bring to life an indescribable, colourful childhood dream - then it is surely Venice. This is the one stop spot which has a perfect combination - of a picture postcard type of backdrop, boats and gondola to move around, relax and then let the Gelato melt in your mouth.

The diversity has earned Venice several sobriquets such as ‘City of canals’, ‘City of masques’, ‘City of Romance’ and more. Napoleon rightly referred it to as ‘drawing room of Europe’, which continues to keep its glorious history and its age old majestic architecture intact.

We list ten top things that one should look for while in Venice:

Gourmet’s delight: There is nothing like indulging in sumptuous food and drinks offered by Venice. Beginning with the aromatic coffee, light breakfast, pizza, seafood or Gelato-Venice has its own specialty. Piping hot Sardines with rice served in traditional Italian restaurants. Bigoli in Salsa, risotto, Chioggia onions along with wine. There are several family-owned joints near the churches of Santi Giovanni e Paolo and San Francesco della Vigna that one must try to get the authentic food.

Glass work: Glass work is one of the most accomplished small-scale businesses that Venetians are involved in. Glass factories are the tourist delight, especially in Murano Island, where the factory owners enthusiastically take one around to give a glimpse of the factories which have been as old as 900 years. Take a walk in the narrow lanes of Venice, and one can grab beautiful glass vase, lamps, earrings, pendant and more, from the small shops.

Tiny magical islands: Lagoon Islands surrounding the main city of Venice are the high point of the city. Tourists routinely cover Murano, Burano and Torcello, which are the famous ones, but, the locals know of the secret 70 other lagoon island that surround the city. Murano Island famous as ‘glass island’ are famous for glass factories while Burano Island is the picturesque Island which catches the eye for its extravagantly coloured houses lined together. Very few tourists make it to Torcello and Lido Island which is preferred in summer for its large sea shores.

A peep into the history: The name of the city is derived from the locals called Veniti, who originally inhabited the islands. Several monuments and architecture dates back to the 13th and 17th century when the city rose as a business hub and most business were carried out at the Venetian port. A bird’s eye view of city brings to prominence the Campanile, which is city’s tallest building. Since the entire city is listed as World Heritage Site, thus, it’s up to you to discover the monuments.

City of Canals: The only way to tour Venice is by hopping on a vaparetto (the ubiquitous waterbus). Whether you want to go to the railway station or to the airport, vaparetto or cargo boats are a must. Traditionally, every family had palazzi (small boat), which was their mode of transportation. Jump onto a vaparetto, to visit the Grand Canal that would at first make you go speechless with its eye-catching beauty.

City of Masks: Venetians are extremely emotional about their ‘Maschera’ which is the terms used for a mask consisting of beard and moustache. While walking on the campielli, one can spot masks in various shapes and sizes which decorates the local theatres artists as well as are the perfect souvenir to take back home.

February - the season of Carnival: If you are lucky enough to get the best deal for tickets and hotel bookings in the month of February, you will be delighted to be a part of the famous Venice carnival. Donning a mask and being a part of the colourful carnival could be just the beginning of various surprises including good food, wine, mellifluous local music and dance.

Venice Film Festival: One of the oldest film festivals, which was founded in 1932, the Venice Film Festival, takes place in Lido Island. If you are a genuine movie-lover, you can book the tickets for September to participate in the 73rd edition of the Festival.

Shoppers’ delight: Venice is a shopper’s hub as it offers a perfect blend of traditional and branded designer fashion goods to traditional Venetian art. A word for those who get lured to counterfeit branded bags and outfits, sold on the subways-buying and selling counterfeit product is a crime in Venice. Instead, try to visit Designer village called Noventa Di Piave designer outlet, which offers 70 per cent discount in most items.

Vivaldi in Venice: Experiencing Vivaldi in Venice is an absolute must for music lovers. The dedicated travellers plan out their day to attend the performances by local musical groups. Venice Baroque Orchestra is a global success while La Fenice is widely appreciated in the country. Attending a traditional opera and ballet nights can be a memorable experience.