Venice, more than any other European city, has a seductive charm. There’s no place like it. For centuries it was nicknamed “La Serenissima,” the most serene place.

Its main square, Piazza San Marco—with its grand Doge’s Palace and Basilica of St. Mark, capped by its towering campanile—was for centuries the most powerful couple of acres in all of Europe. Like a grand boulevard, its Grand Canal winds through a city lined with once-mighty palazzos.

The Doge’s Palace—the ruling center and residence of Venice’s dukes—was built to show off the power and wealth of the Republic and to remind visitors that Venice was number one. Its lacy exterior, a distinct blend of east and west, is proudly Venetian Gothic.

Next door, the Basilica of St. Mark was built in a distinctly Eastern style. Its domes and elaborate exterior remind us of the trading power’s close ties with the Greek, Byzantine, and Muslim worlds.

The interior glitters with its gold-leaf mosaic work. The remains of St. Mark lie beneath the golden altarpiece. A medieval masterpiece, its stunning golden wall of 250 painted enamels features prophets and saints, and, at its center: Jesus, as the ruler of the cosmos.

The city is actually a car-free maze of about 100 islands, laced together by several hundred bridges and a vast web of alleys and canalside walkways. With a shrinking population and in a state of elegant decay, Venice survives on the artificial respirator of tourism.

Survey the city by cruising the Grand Canal on a boat called a vaporetto. These work like city buses except that they never get a flat, the stops are docks, and if you get off between stops, you’ll drown.

Venice is romantico: a great place to fall in love, enjoy a honeymoon…or a special anniversary. Visiting here, many feel that they’re experiencing beauty, people, and even life itself at a more intense level.

Savvy travelers leave the center and explore. Walk and walk to the far reaches of town. Don’t worry about getting lost. Keep reminding yourself, “I’m on an island, and I can’t get off.”

Worst-case scenario? You run out of island, take a moment to study your map, and enjoy a nice drink.