When to go

August is hot, sticky and full of tourists. Autumn can be lovely. February is great if you’re going to the ball for carnival, but trying to find a hotel room in that month is no picnic.

Getting there

• Planes

  Marco Polo (www.veniceairport.com) and Treviso airports (www.trevisoairport.com) serve Venice. From Marco Polo take the public ferry or travel into the centre in style aboard a speedboat (this will set you back around €100 each). From Treviso it’s a 25-minute taxi journey (€70); or hop on a ATVO Eurobus for €5; it takes 80 mins.

• Boats

  Venice’s vaporettos provide an inexpensive way to get from A to B (www.actv.it). They all take the same route; the difference is how many stops they make, which can take some time. If you want to arrive at your hotel in style, book a water taxi or vintage speedboat: try Venice Water Taxi (www.venicewatertaxi.com).

• Trains

  Venice is well connected to other Italian cities – Padua, Vicenza and Treviso are all within easy reach. You can also travel overnight from London via Paris to Venice on the train; see www.eurostar.com and www.italiarail.com for details. Santa Lucia station is on the Grand Canal, so jump on a water taxi or the Grand Canal water bus.

• Automobiles

  Avoid taking a car; you have to park on the mainland and get a train or water taxi.

• Taxis

  Use public water buses (€6.50 a journey, or €14 for a 12-hour travelcard); they all take the same route – the difference is how many stops they make. You can hail or call for a water taxi, but they can be pricey.