Overview
An absolutely magnificent city. Even on a 10th visit, you'd never get bored. Every street is original, with small shops, boutiques, and centuries-old details waiting to be discovered around every corner. Walking around genuinely feels like being in the 1800s. On my last visit, I wanted to move there for a month and walk every single street until I'd memorized the whole place, that's how impeccably beautiful this city is. Instead of wasting time in Italy's relatively less impressive cities, I'd strongly recommend extending your stay in Venice.
Food & Drink
Rossopomodoro's pizza and Dal Moro's pasta are both highly recommended. On my latest visit, Dal Moro's portions had shrunk a bit and the flavor had slipped slightly compared to before, but it's still a solid value-for-money option.
Tips & Advice
If a gondola ride isn't in your budget (or you'd rather skip the full experience), there are shared gondolas between Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute and San Marco Square for just 2.50 euros per person. It's better than never having ridden one at all, so worth including in your itinerary.