There are only two ways to get around Venice - on foot or by boat. The maze of streets can make sightseeing tortuous but distances between all the big tourist sites are very short. The labyrinth of backstreets and alleys ensures you will get lost - but not for long.
The very essence of Venice is wandering its tiny side streets, over small bridges, past gondolas, and into friendly squares filled with cafes and bars. If you don't like walking the best known sights of Venice are along the Grand Canal anyway, so a vaporetto will get you to most of them.
There is an extensive network of vaporetti sailing regularly up and down the Grand Canal. Vaporetto #1 is the main tourist choice as it stops everywhere, ideal for sightseeing, while the #82 stops at the principal points. A vaporetto turns up every 10 minutes or so, and there is a reduced night service. You can buy 24hr, three-day and 10-day tickets at most landing stations - just remember to punch it in the machine before boarding.
The sleek water taxis are the most expensive option, with a minimum charge of €15. Even a brief trip along the Grand Canal will set you back €80 with extra charges for luggage. Official water taxis have black on yellow numbers and operate from the vaporetti stands at Piazzale Roma, Rialto, San Marco and Lido.
Gondolas are only a token form of transport in Venice, being the slowest and most expensive option. Venice gondoliers are notorious for overcharging. There are gondolas for hire near most water taxi stands.
There are only four bridges across the Grand Canal or you can take a traghetti, or public ferry, from various points. Traghetti are a poor relation of gondolas and you stand rather unsteadily as you cross. There are no published times for crossing so it's probably wise to leave these to the locals.
The complete absence of any traffic makes wandering through the tiny side streets of Venice a real pleasure. Camera-clicking sights are to be found on virtually every corner. There are a couple of problems. It is terribly easy to lose your way (though Venice is so small you won't get completely lost) and it's hard to escape the crush of tourist traffic along the narrow streets, especially around popular tourist spots like San Marco and the Rialto Bridge.
House numbers can also cause confusion. Street numbers start where the last street left off, even around a corner. This quickly leads to four digit house numbers. An address such as San Marco 3967 is quite common.
For those using maps, a small grasp of Venetian is useful. Campo is a square, Fondamenta is a canalside path, Calle is a large alleyway, Ponte a bridge and Ruga a main shopping street. Rio can be a wide street or canal, but beware, it may have more than one name.