Summary. The best advice we received prior to visiting Venice, Italy, was "it's worth seeing but one night is enough." The City is beautiful and the maze of channels are remarkable, making this stop worth the extra few hours on the train. However, the City is also very packed with tourists which is not ideal by our measure. The reason, of course, is nowhere else will you see a City with over 400 bridges and 118 islands. Many travel websites recommend "getting lost," in this City and we agree. Don't literally get lost, of course, but enjoy the spectacle that is Venice by winding your way through the streets, bridges and canals on foot. Tip: We skipped the expensive gondola rides without regrets.
Canals of Venice. Quite obviously the canals of Venice are why you come to visit this City and for good reason. They are quite the sight to see. Find a café on a waterway and enjoy some Venetian coffee and watch the boats float by.
Between the waterways are narrow streets where you will find shops, musicians, cafes, and markets. There's so much to see just on foot in this City. There's no need to pay for expensive gondola rides. Below is a photo of a string group that played amazingly well. Without any time constraints, we simply stopped and watched for a good while.