Venice in September

Having been to Italy several times I couldn't quite believe I'd still not been to Venice, so when I found I had an opportunity to go in September, I grabbed it with both hands. I arrived on train from Trieste via Croatia and only had two days and one night to see as much as I could. The train station delivers you directly onto the Grand Canal and your first sense of the timelessness of this floating architectural wonder.

The incredible architecture surrounds and dwarfs you as you float to your hotel either in the comfort of a water taxi or the sometimes sardine-like experience of the vaporetto. Once you're settled in you can follow the yellow signs and the masses to the magnificent sight of St. Mark's Square with its campanile, basilica and palazzo or simply meander around the tiny streets and side canals and get lost in the six districts that make up the main island.

With such a short amount of time in Venice I made sure I was centrally located near the Accademia Bridge and only ever went out armed with a good map. I had highlighted a few galleries and museums that I didn't want to miss and lunch consisted of street food Italian style (so a slice of pizza then!) before taking a No. 2 vaporetto from San Marco (S. Zaccaria stop) via Guidecca, admiring the views as the sun set over this wonderful place.

There are so many wonderful places to eat in Venice, from Michelin-starred restaurants to pub-like osterie. Being veggie is easy in Italy so it didn't surprise me that the very cute Ristorante La Bitta served up superb gnocchi, fantastic cheese and wine by the glass that was cheaper than the sparkling water!

Everyone knows that Venice can be expensive but there are things that can help. Here are some of my top tips:

- The famous Basilica di San Marco on St Mark's Square is free to enter. To save queuing twice, make sure you drop your bag off at the (somewhat tricky to find) free luggage storage, Ateneo di San Basso, before you head to the basilica.

- Get yourself a timed card for the duration of your stay so you can hop on and off vaporettos as you please. Sometimes you're quite a distance from any bridges and the easiest way to cross the Grand Canal is the vaporetto - you don't want to pay €7 for the privilege!

- Standing up at the bar when you're having your morning coffee is the cheapest option, followed by sitting inside, followed by the most expensive option of sitting outside.

- Cicheti are the Venetian form of tapas and are great for a snack at lunch or early evening. You'll find them in bars and each small bite will cost anything from €1-5 dependent on the ingredients. A trip to Rialto's fruit & veg and fish markets will show you where they get their fresh ingredients from.