Venice, city of romance

Nothing can beat that feeling of disembarking from a boat or stepping off a train, to be greeted by your first view of Venice. Like me, you might have battled through the underwhelming grime of the mainland train station, but all that travel stress evaporates the moment you walk out and see the green dome of Chiesa di San Simeone Piccolo on the opposite bank of the Grand Canal. Suddenly, La Serenissima – the 18th-century name (meaning "the most serene") given to Venice in medieval and Renaissance times – is revealed in all her glory.

As a feat of human engineering it defies belief. The desire to explore is instantaneous: to disappear down its narrow streets, to see behind closed doors of palaces and, of course, to float graciously along its beautiful canals in a gondola. Just make sure no one nicks your Cornetto.

The city has its well known attractions such as St Mark’s Square and the Ponte di Rialto, but there’s as much charm in its intriguing side streets and smaller waterways. With more tourists than ever before, choosing the right time to visit is crucial – especially with the new €5 tourist tax in force on 54 days between 18 April and 27 July this year.

Inevitably, people flock there in the summer months, when the crowds can be overwhelming alongside the narrow canals. But the beauty of Venice is that each season has its own appeal – and wintry February, with the romance of Valentine’s Day and the extravagance of Carnival, is a special time to visit.

Grand Canal

When my husband and I arrive in mid-February for a romantic getaway, it’s pouring with rain. We can’t make out the Canaletto-sharp definitions between light and dark – as moody as the painter’s views of Venice could be, there is always a shaft of sunlight illuminating the limestone or marble of a great building. But to me, weather that enhances the mystery of Venice is ideal, which is probably down to watching Nic Roeg’s 1973 thriller Don’t Look Now too many times. Roeg’s Venice is a city of dark corners and foggy, rain-swept canals, both of which have a chilling effect on Donald Sutherland’s overwrought mind.

The best way to explore is on foot, unless you want to fork out for a gondola. But you don’t need to have your head in a map or buried in your phone: Venice might be a rabbit warren, but there are signs – often in yellow, but sometimes in white with red writing – that lead the way to the major tourist sites. These “nizioleti” are often designed to take you on a lovely scenic route or one that is not too crowded (and broadly speaking, they work one way, so the walk to and from the train station via St Mark’s Square will be in a circle).

Following these street signs is a good way to cover the six districts of San Marco, San Polo, Santa Croce, Dorsoduro, Castello and Cannaregio. You can go with the flow, and be led through the network of calli, under the sottoporteghi (tunnels) and into tiny piazzette... it’s worth getting acquainted with the myriad street vocabulary ahead of your visit.

Carnival of Venice

The obvious bonus of visiting in February is Valentine’s Day, and inevitably the shops are full of red hearts and flowers. But – depending on the date of Easter – there are also the delights of Carnival to enjoy. This two-week-long festival of excess starts this year on St Valentine's Day with the traditional opening parade on the Grand Canal – quite some party – and ends on Shrove Tuesday, 4 March, when the hardships and denial of Lent begin.

The Carnival is thought to date back to an impromptu bash in 1162 in St Mark's Square after a military victory, and became ever more wild and excessive until it was banned in 1797 (to be revived in 1979). The costumes and wearing of masks bring anonymity (think Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise in Stanley Kubrick’s Eyes Wide Shut), and with that goes very bad behaviour.

There’s the bauta mask, which covers the face but has no mouth, the colombina, covering eyes and nose with extravagant decoration, and most sinister of all, the long beak of the Medico della Peste (Plague Doctor). Shops full of carnival masks are one of the first things we chance upon as we dart off into the back streets – and as we walk closer to St Mark’s Square, the more we see Venetians dressed up to the nines in medieval garb. There's nothing to stop visitors dressing up, too.

Rialto Bridge

All roads lead to St Mark’s Square, where you’ll want to climb the Campanile di San Marco and visit the shimmering mosaics in the Basilica, open 9:30am-5:15pm; it’s free, but you can buy ‘skip the line’ tickets. The bell tower closes later, at 9:15pm. Try to get close to the water’s edge and look back – or even better, view it by boat. If you have time, and there’s space, grab a coffee in Caffè Florian, which opened in 1720 and claims to be the oldest café in Italy, if not Europe. It was full of people in Carnival outfits when we walked past – a popular place for Venetians to meet and gossip.

The Doge’s Palace is a Gothic marvel that once housed the rulers of the Republic of Venice (until Napoleon occupied the city in 1797). Stroll over the 16th-century, single-span Ponte di Rialto and browse its arcades where you can buy Murano glassware, made on the island of the same name, just north of the city in the Venetian lagoon, which can be reached via vaporetti (water buses).

The museums are magnificent, and you’ll want to see the Venetian art in the Gallerie dell’Acccademia. But we also loved a lesser known, charming museum housed in a Gothic palace. It’s the studio of Spanish artist Mariano Fortuny, who built incredible set designs and then began producing fabric and printed textiles, becoming famous for the ruffled Delphos gown, designed by his French wife Henriette Negrin. There are 150 paintings on display, and the recently opened and opulent second floor, where you can imagine you’re Tom Ripley hiding out for a couple of hours.

Saint Mark's Basilica

Before I went to Venice, everyone kept telling me how touristy it was. So I was surprised to discover that the options for eating cheaply are numerous and good, especially close to the markets or further away from St Mark’s Square.

There are plenty of cicchetti bars (bacari) serving what’s always described as Italian tapas, a little unfairly. Usually they come in the form of tiny sandwiches, with toppings such as creamed cod, anchovies or smoked salmon. Sometimes you can have arancini – deep fried risotto balls – or even an Italian version of a ham and cheese toastie.

For a larger or longer lunch or dinner, there are many trattoria to choose from – try to find somewhere frequented by Italians. This brings back memories of family holidays, when my mother and her best friend would tour restaurants to find the best ambience. It's good advice, and takes you to places such as the Antiche Carampane and meat specialist Ristorante La Bitta.

If you want to indulge in a classic Venetian cocktail, you might be tempted to pop into Harry’s Bar for a Bellini. That’s the wonder of Venice – you can go low key, or you can blow the budget.