Venice is one of the world's most improbable cities, fascinating, complex, and contradictory. It is also a classic small town - three square miles, with only 50,000 inhabitants. But it can be a particularly demanding city for a first-time visitor. Our guide takes in many of the classic attractions, but finds time too for modern art, and trips to smaller islands in the lagoon, along with plenty of recommendations for quick meals and snacks that'll have you eating like the locals do.