I went a few years ago in the winter to Venice. I'm told it can smell in the summer, because of the stagnant water, but in the winter I never noticed a smell. I absolutely love this city. St. Marks Square is a must. Take the tour there, they give lots of fascinatining information. Also, check out the Peggy Guggenhiem(sp?) Musuem. It is filled with various types of art that appeal to almost everyone. I typically dont care for museums, but I really appreciated it. We took a gondola ride
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Bridge of Sighs. We were told this was the last view of the world prisoners had before being taken down into the cells. It has always been such a beautifully wretched thought for me.
Piazza San Marco. This is a very famous tourist pose, but the trick was that I had no food! If you just hold out your arm the pigeons will chill there, so there's no reason to buy the overpriced bird food.