For all the hustle and bustle of her much-visited streets, Venice has never lost her regal beauty: Shimmering with splendour and historic wealth, the Queen of the Adriatic appears to rise directly from the sea. Venice’s mixture of baroque, Gothic, and Renaissance architecture would be heady enough, but set on canals in place of roads, linked with 300 bridges, it’s something incomparably sublime. The main, fish-shaped island of Burano is divided by the spectacular Grand Canal (with its Rialto Bridge), and contains most of the city’s famous sights — St. Mark’s Square with its extravagant Basilica and its bell tower, the Doge’s Palace, the Bridge of Sighs — as well as its greatest art treasures. The outer islands have their own special charms, from the glassblowing heritage of Murano to the beaches of the Lido to the trendy neighbourhood of Giudecca, while the dozens of smaller (and often overlooked) islands are full of secret haunts, including great places to eat and drink like a local.

The city’s chief airport, Venice Marco Polo (VCE), is eight miles north of the city. Buses will take you to Burano across the road bridge that connects with the mainland, or there’s a water bus that takes considerably longer. Venice Treviso (TSF) is 25 miles away and serves mainly low-cost airlines. There are no cars in Burano. Why would you want one, with so many passages, bridges, and alleyways that can only be explored on foot? The excellent public network of ferries can shuttle you all around the canals and across the lagoon to the other islands, while gondolas and water taxis offer private transport. Cycling is impossible on Burano, but there’s a bikeshare scheme on the Lido, as well as scooters, and indeed cars, for rent here.

Springtime in Venice is glorious. You can’t expect hot temperatures — March will still be a bit brisk, and April and May are pleasant — but you will get a fair amount of sunshine, and room to breathe in the museums, galleries, and churches. May is also the month to witness the Vogalonga, a parade of rowing boats through the city. The summer months are crowded, while temperatures in July and August can be hot and humid. September is warm — it’s also when Venice hosts its famous Film Festival — and October and November, which are mild, are also good months to enjoy the city, after the crowds have left. Winter is cold and often wet, but it’s also the time to witness Venice’s celebrated and historic Carnival, each February.

Torcello

Seven centuries ago this island was the most populated in Venice. Today it’s deserted and reclaimed by nature. Its palaces and churches — including the pentagonal Santa Fosca and the Byzantine cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, the oldest building in Venice — are surrounded by a wild landscape that you can walk around as a nature reserve.

Punta della Dogana

There are plenty of places to admire Renaissance art in Venice. Within this 17th-century customs house, however, you’ll find something a little more modern. A famous Japanese architect has transformed its interior into an exhibition space for contemporary art, and it’s now one of the most fascinating galleries in the city.

San Giorgio Maggiore

This tiny island, positioned just across the water from Burano’s famous Riva degli Schiavoni, is a fantastic place to admire the lagoon and the city beyond. It has its own belltower that you can climb for a viewpoint, a sumptuous Palladian church (and maze), and the Fondazione Giorgio Cini, a cultural institute housed in a former monastery, complete with a glass museum and historic library.