Whether you find Venice completely charming or utterly bewildering may depend on whether you bring this guide with you. No other European city can match Venice for sheer beauty, but finding your way on foot or by vaporetto is not easy. This is where the "Eyewitness" style, with its countless photographs, maps, cutaways, floor plans and illustrations, really comes into its own; the visuals are invaluable for finding your way and identifying what you see.

This revised and expanded edition features thematic tours and walks as well as information on local produce and classical dishes to ensure the flavours of Venice are impossible to miss. Outside of Venice, the towns of Padua, Verona and Vicenza are all worth seeing in their own right, and are also included in this guide. Whether you fancy souvenir shopping on the Ponte di Rialto or experiencing the fine European art collections at the Gallerie dell'Accademia, this is the ultimate guidebook to Italy's floating museum.