Guide to Venice

Beaches

The words 'Venice' and 'beach' aren't often uttered in the same breath, unless you're talking about the sunny strip in L.A. In fact, most people don't know that Venice has a beach. But it does – Lido. Not to be confused with Lido di Jesolo, this is actually an island southeast of Venice – a slender sandbank that sits between city and sea. In the early 20th century it was Europe's most happening seaside resort, all grand hotels, stripy cabanas and style-conscious holidaymakers. It's got a string of great beaches to laze on, but today Lido's most famous for hosting the Venice Film Festival every September. That's when the place turns into movie star nirvana with everyone from Brad Pitt to Johnny Depp spotted on the shores. If that's not enough sand to satisfy, there's another stretch just under an hours' boat ride across the water. Lido di Jesolo offers up all the froth and bubble of a classic Med holiday resort. Think parasols and buckets and spades aplenty. Plus plenty of watersports to make the sea as tempting as the sand. As beaches go, it's long. Ten miles long, in fact. And there's a real sense of organisation to it. Row upon row of sunbeds are laid out with military precision. Lifeguards keep their eyes fixed on the shoreline. And showers see to it you dodge those wet-sand-and-suncream moments. Add extras like mini-golf, volleyball and climbing frames and you can see why it's such a hit with families. Behind this great stripe of sand lies a promenade packed with restaurants, cafes and ice-cream parlours, plus plenty of little shops for those sandy essentials.

Eating out

As befits the so called 'City on the Sea', there's something decidedly fishy about the restaurant scene in Venice. The city's kitchens regard the waters of the lagoon as one big ice-box. So you'll be digging your fork into pasta tossed with clams. Risottos flavoured with parmesan and prawns. Scallops served 'cotto', cooked, or 'crudo', raw. The list goes on. One dish that'll appear on every menu worth its salt is 'sarde in saor' - sardines cooked in the local marinade of raisins, onion, pine-nut and olive oil. But if you only try one fish dish while you're here, make it 'fritto misto', tiny whole cuttlefish, baby sardines, and prawns of all shapes and sizes – all fried in the finest olive oil. Another Venetian favourite – and one that's not from the sea – is 'fegato alla Veneziana', thin slices of calf's liver on a bed of onions. The city's dining scene has a reputation for being pricey and, granted, some restaurants charge exorbitant rates for the simplest gap-filler. But steer clear of the tourist hubs – like St Mark's Square – and invest a little time in the backstreets and you'll find budget-friendly alternatives like Bacari, the neighbourhood wine and snack bars. They're the Italian equivalent of tapas, only instead of tapas it's 'chichetti' – a square of mortadella ham here, a rice-stuffed tomato there. That said, if you are searching for a restaurant to dress up in, the undeniably pricey old reliables, like famous hotels Danieli and Cipriani, can't be beaten. All white-jacketed waiters and chandeliers, they're the last word in luxury. Best thing to drink with your dinner? Wine. And plenty of it. The general consensus is white is best, with big names like Souve and Prosecco at the top of the list. As for dessert, tiramisu is always a winner. But Harry's Dolci across the water from its world-famous cousin, Harry's Bar, has its own in-house patisserie serving the best 'torta cioccolata', chocolate cake, in Venice. Just loosen that belt a notch first.

• Da Romano, Burano - Run by a descendant of the original owner from the 1800's, this postcard-pretty restaurant knows a thing or two about fresh fish dishes.
• Osteria Vecio Fritolin, Rialto – Rumoured to be the last of the original 'fritolin', fry shops, this unpretentious cubby-hole serves fish fresh from the Rialto food market.
• Trattoria Altanella, Giudecca – A favourite with former French President, Mr Mitterrand, this century-old trattoria serves homemade gnocchi and desserts made by mama on a canopied terrace.
• Lineadombra, Dorsoduro – Easily the best modern restaurant in Venice, this up-there eatery combines cutting edge decor with designer dishes.
• Antiche Carampane, Campo San Polo – Soft lighting and cosy corners are the order of the day at this romantic spot, where antipasti della casa takes the form of a fresh seafood platter.

Nightlife

In Venice, the key to a good night out is wandering without a plan. You see Venetians don't really do Venice by night. Even the gondoliers tend to be tucked up early, tired after a hard days work. So anyone rocking up and expecting the City of Revel, as Venice was once called, will go home disappointed. But that's not to say the city sleeps. Far from it. It just leans more towards its other nickname, La Serenissima, or very serene. Stroll from piazza to piazza and you'll be tripping over wine bars and coffee houses along the way. The busiest squares are St Mark's, which never seems to take its foot off the gas, and Campo di Santa Margarita in San Polo, the students' favourite stomping ground. And at the foot of the Rialto Bridge, the daytime fruit and veg market turns into a Venetian-style Thames embankment, with several bars spilling Venetian hipsters into the night. If you're coming up against some big price tags on your travels though, delve into the backstreets and seek out the bars that time – and inflation – forgot. The funny thing about Venice is that some of the most famous places are barely worth a second glance from the outside. But swing through the doors and you feel like you've stepped into another world. That's certainly true of the city's most famous drinking den – Harry's Bar. If you don't already know, this is the place that brought us the Bellini, a classic combination of fresh peach juice and sparkling Prosecco. Order a cocktail, sit back and indulge in a little celeb spotting – everyone from Woody Allen to Nicole Kidman has pulled up a stool in this Italian institution

• Caffe Florian, St Mark's Square - If Casanova was a waiter he'd have worked the tables here, in Europe's oldest cafe. Listen to tinkling ivories in a romantic cocoon of wood-panelling and red velvet.
• Club Malvasia Vecchia, St Mark's Square – Tucked away behind the Fenice Opera House, this members-only club offers a feel-good cocktail of good music, reasonably priced drinks and a 4am closing time. Plus you can buy your membership at the door.
• Imagina, Dorsoduro – Something of a chameleon, this cool-as-a-cucumber bar morphs from breakfast club to party spot, posing as a photography gallery at lunchtime. Needless to say, it's a big hit with the artsy crowd.
  Zen Cafe, Mestre – With its zen monk waiters, geisha girl bar staff and a clean minimalist lines, this restaurant-come-bar looks like something out of a Kurosawa film, and it does a mean line in sushi and cocktails.
• Vitae, By the Rialto – Snuggled away in a small side street, this design-led drinking den is a big hit with the where-it's-at crowd.

Shopping

It's common knowledge that Italy is the Holy Grail of the shopping world. And Venice is certainly no exception. It's got the whole shebang from designer boutiques that make minimalism an art-form and markets piled high with treasure. The best shopping to be had is on the St Mark's Square to Rialto stretch. Running down from the piazza to the Grand Canal are the Mecerie and Calle dei Fabbri, These have been the city's main shopping streets for several centuries, and it's here you'll find the fashion titans sharing space with santa-on-a-vaporetto-type souvenir shops. Armani, Gucci, Prada and Valentino, all the big players are here. But if you're after something a little bit more outrageous try Campo Santo Stefano for those one of a kind outfits and funky gift grottos. For masks, meanwhile, it's got to be La Bottega dei Mascareri near the Rialto. Granted there are plenty of mask shops where you can see the artisans hard at work, but this is the place for theatre-standard showpieces. Still by the Rialto? Spare some time for the food market, where barges arrive throughout the day loaded radicchio and blood-red oranges. Close by, in the streets behind the Accademia, you'll discover a world that's more in keeping with the Doges era than modern day Venice. This is the place to come for keepsakes that hold more than sentimental value, such as soft velvets and shiny silks woven into evening bags and scarves, jewel-coloured wine glasses, and Murano glass fruits that look good enough to eat. But if you're serious about glass, your best bet is Murano Island itself.