Get gloriously lost away from St Mark's

Venice's single best experience is also its cheapest: pick a direction, ignore your map, and wander. Within minutes of leaving the crush at St Mark's Square you'll find silent canals, tiny squares, artisan workshops, and bars full of locals rather than tour groups. The Cannaregio district and the quiet corners of Dorsoduro reward this kind of aimless drifting more than anywhere. Bring comfortable shoes and a sense of adventure, and let the city surprise you. We'll suggest a loose route through the parts most people never reach.