Aman Resorts unveil their first Italian property this weekend with the opening of the 24-suite palazzo Aman Canal Grande Venice. The Rocco-inspired hotel, which sits between the small bridges of the old San Polo district, is one of the year's most exciting openings. Non-hotel guests can enjoy drinks in the canal-side hotel bar but during busy periods, such as the Biennale, a reservation will be necessary.
From June 19 to 23 the Hotel Cipriani, located on the island of Giudecca, will dangle a 50-metre high dining table over the hotel's swimming pool. It measures five metres long by nine metres wide and can accommodate up to 22 guests, who will be strapped into their chairs. Diners can enjoy the Dinner in the Sky experience two separate ways. Those with a head for heights can scoff a three-course meal on the platform, which is secured by a crane, and those who are less keen can opt for a brief aperitivo. £213 or £42.
Venice is incredibly busy with tourists so it can be difficult to find an authentic neighbourhood experience. But head to the energetic Cannaregio district in the north of the city and you will find a wonderful choice of osterias on the edge of the Ormesini canal. At Al Timon bar and restaurant, popular with the city's young crowd, you can enjoy Venetian vino with a serving of Cicchetti - bar snacks of hard-boiled eggs, olives and small sandwiches. Cannaregio, Fondamenta degli Ormesini 2754.
Venice has an overwhelming number of extravagant, palatial hotels, with rich histories and expensive nightly rates, but there is now a new, unusual budget option in the city. In two weeks time, Generator Venice hostel reopens after a six-month restoration which has been supervised by Venice’s Fine Arts Committee, an organisation that aims to preserve this unique city's historical features. Inside the old grain warehouse, you will find original timber beams and columns, grand staircases and restored Venetian furniture. From £20 per night, generatorhostels.com.
Avoid tourist hotspots such as St Mark's Basilica or Piazza San Marco, the city's main square, and explore the lesser known districts with Alternative Venice tours. ‘The island of Vignole is referred to by Venetians as our summer resort - you won't find many tourists on it,' says Rita Sartori who runs Alternative Venice tours. ‘It's an unkempt island, once called the "island of the seven vineyards" for its vegetation, and is a popular summer destination with the Venetians of the past and of the present, who still love its rural setting.’
The Gritti Palace hotel reopened last month after a 15-month renovation that cost a whopping £36million and its spruced up Epicurean School now offers a selection of different packages for curious cooks, ranging from a half-day experience to a more thorough three-day option. Most packages include a visit to Rialto food market, one of the oldest in Italy, lunch inside the the Epicurean School, and three-hour long sessions with Executive Chef Daniele Turco. From £214.
Forget the Murano glass and carnival mask shops and head to Banco Lotto 10, a boutique that stocks clothes made by female inmates in the city's prison, housed inside a former convent. The prisoners' skills will ensure you splash some cash - you will find a large selection of tailored jackets, dresses and handbags inside the shop. The money made from the purchases fund their education and reintegration into society after their release. Salizada S.Antonin 3478.
Quite unbelievably, there are two beach options in Venice. Lido di Venezia is a small island just ten minutes by waterbus from central Venice - but it is no beauty spot: the gritty sand is normally full of sun loungers and families. Further north, though, is the Lido di Jesolo, which has ten miles of sandy beach complete with life guards, ice-cream shops, mini-golf and a young night scene. Most locals and tourists reach Lido di Jesolo by from Venice's main islands by boat for a few euros.
Starhotels Splendid Venice has launched a two-night package that includes a day of gondoliering lessons at Venice's gondolier training school Società Canottieri Querini. The school, which sits on the edge of the Venetian lagoon, is home to the training school, a boatyard, and one of the world’s most famous rowing clubs. The day starts with a lesson on a secured, floating platform and then progresses to a lap of the Isola di San Michele, the cemetery island. Gondolier for a day, £367.
Few visitors to Venice will be brave enough to explore the city by kayak, but fearless tourists will be rewarded with crowd-free, close-up views of palaces and canals that are normally inaccessible to pedestrians. The day begins and ends on Certosa island and covers a distance of 15km over five hours with breaks for lunch and drinks. A particularly special option is an evening paddle down the Canal Grande followed by a thorough exploration of the smaller canals. From £77, venicekayak.com.