With shimmering water in canals where streets would normally be, Venice truly is a city unlike any other. The dreamlike feel of this spectacular city can simply never be captured of photo or film or even explained, it has to be experienced. The fabulous palaces and churches reflect centuries of history in what was a wealthy trading center between Europe and the Orient. Now it seems strolling through the narrow alleyways with perhaps no idea of where you are heading is a quintessential part of exploring Venice. At some point you will almost surely end up in Piazza San Marco, the ideal place to enjoy a coffee or an aperitif but along the way you will find the most fascinating architecture, cobblestone passageways and the majestic canals flooded with the quaintest of gondolas. Venice is one of the most alluring cities in the world— no matter where you go, you will most certainly find history, beauty and romance. Never was a thoroughfare so aptly named as the Grand Canal, reflecting the glories of Venetian architecture lining its banks. At the end of Venice’s signature waterway, the Palazzo Ducale and Basilica di San Marco add double exclamation points. But wait until you see what’s hiding in the narrow backstreets: neighbourhood churches lined with Veroneses and priceless marbles, Tiepolo’s glimpses of heaven on homeless-shelter ceilings, and a single Titian painting that mysteriously lights up an entire basilica.