I have been to Venice twice so have found a few things which worked for me and also mistakes have been made. I am by far no means any expert of Venice, but hopefully these tips and tricks will help you navigate your way around a complicated city.

DO explore the outer edges. Venice has many attractions but you’ll find most other people have the same idea too. The outer edges of Venice are lovely places to explore, you’ll see where people live and work, and it is much less crowded. Cannaregio in the north, Castello in the east and Dorsoduro in the south have different characters with a mix of wide and narrow canals and peaceful streets. You will find great places to eat and drink and watch the world go by.

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DON’T visit in high season if you can help it. Venice is a popular destination, and quite rightly too. At peak times the are 55,000 tourists visiting Venice per day, which is a lot for a city with no roads to cope with. The alleyways and streets become never-ending queues of people trying to snake through the narrow spaces, desperately seeking St Marks Square usually. Cruise ships also dock in the city which means thousands of people disembark for the day. I have visited in August and May, and could really see the difference in the two times of year.

DO visit the Biennale. La Biennale di Venezia is an arts organisation and each year show cases one of it’s departments, such as art, architecture, cinema, dance, music or theatre over a 6 month period. I have visited both the art and architecture Biennales and enjoyed both thoroughly. Each nation hosts a pavilion, either with a permanent pavilion in Giardini della Biennale or in a temporary exhibition elsewhere in the city. Many of the pavilions dotted around the city are free to enter, but to visit the permanent pavilions during the Biennale you need a ticket. You can buy tickets in advance, or at the entrance to the park. The pavilions themselves are interesting to see as they are almost a reflection of each nation.

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DON’T rely on maps too much. As Venice has no roads the maps we used weren’t too accurate. Our printed maps were a bit hazy as to which streets led to a bridge, you will often find a street will just be a dead end onto a canal. Google maps have improved so much but half the fun of exploring Venice is discovering hidden corners.

DO take a vaporetto. These are the water taxi’s/ferries which is Venice’s public transport system. The network is quite extensive and has various routes which criss-cross the city and beyond – here is a link to the map. Tickets can be purchased at newsagents and some terminals. Using the vaporetto you see so much more of Venice from the water, both from the outer edges of on the Grand Canal. In fact I would recommend jumping on a vaporetto instead of a tour boat as you see as much for a fraction of the price.

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DON’T have pizza. Venice is built on wooden stilts, that’s what holds up the whole city and stops it sinking into the sea, or slows it down anyway. This means that wood fired ovens are not allowed, which is what pizzas are traditionally cooked in. Don’t get me wrong, the pizzas will still be tasty, but as you won’t get the traditional Italian pizza it’s worth having some of the other wonderful food on offer such as the seafood – you are surrounded by sea after all.

DO have tiramisu. Venice is the birthplace of tiramisu so where better to try the delicious coffee dish. I recommend I Tre Mercanti which has so many different flavours to try.

DON’T stop for a drink in St Mark’s Square. This one is a bit of a subjective one as there is something very glamorous about sitting in one of the many bars surrounding the square, being served by waiters in white jackets. However that is where the glamour ends, as you sit surrounded by tourists and paying ridiculous prices for a food and drink. St Mark’s Square is definitely worth visiting, it is an impressive space, but just travel slightly further away and you will find lovely squares with just as good service and much lower prices. My favourites are Campo Santo Stefano, Campo San Barnaba and Campo de L’Arsenal. I would also highly recommend Bacareto da Lele which is a tiny bar on the corner of Campo dei Tolentini which is very cheap, and Bierria Zanon on Fondamenta dei Ormesini – both of these bars have great cicchetti too.

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DO go on a walking tour. Another great way to explore the city is with a walking tour, following someone both who knows their way round the city and also can tell you about it at the same time. I would recommend Venice Free Walking Tour which do a 2 hour+ tour taking in Campo Santo Stephano, St Mark’s Square, Campo Santa Maria Formosa and finished at the T Fondaco rooftop terrace.

DON’T try to get from A to B in a straight line. Venice is definitely a city to meander through, and takes a while to get your bearings. The rabbit warren of streets means you may need to go in what feels like the wrong direction before getting back to where you want to go – usually to find a bridge over a canal!

DO visit the rooftop viewing platform. On top of the department store T Fondaco dei Tedeschi by DFS is a roof top terrace with impressive views out over the city. The terrace is free to visit but you need to book a time slot in advance. Some of the walking tours finish at this point so you get in without needing to book in advance.

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DON’T worry if you look like you’re staying far away. Often your accommodation might look like it’s on the outskirts. The island of Venice is really not that large and so you can easily get to all parts of it on foot or by vaporetto.

DO take a water bottle. All over Venice there are public drinking fountains for you to fill up from, and as far as I can tell it is fine to drink – we drank it on both trips and were absolutely fine.