Less than a couple of hours by plane from Malta, Venice is one of those iconic places that everyone should visit at least once in their life. Like so many cities it has a rich cultural and historical past but its location and structure, make it truly unique.

Everything about Venice is amazing. However, to appreciate it fully, first it’s important to understand its history.

The story of the Serenissima began around 400AD, when people from the mainland sought temporary refuge from marauding Goths. The subsequent arrival of Attila the Hun and the ensuing chaos convinced many that establishing a permanent residence on the islands was a good idea. Their enemies lacked ships and knowledge of the oceans and the three miles of shallow sea that separated them from the mainland allowed those who resided there to live in peace.

Consequently, from 450AD many people started to call Venice home and for 1,400 years its relative geographic isolation allowed it to thrive. While mainland Italy suffered territorial warfare, the Venetians turned their attention to the east and the markets of Constantinople. Venetians sailed all over the world, turning their republic into one of the most rich and powerful.

Venetians have long had a reputation for being practical people and that could well be as a result of their past. To turn the malaria-ridden swamp into the city we see today was no mean feat. Venice is often called the Floating City – but that name has nothing to do with the 188 islands but rather, is due to the fact that it was built on wood. Countless large wooden stakes were driven into the ground – the secret of their longevity being their submersion in water. The lack of oxygen didn’t allow for the development of microorganisms and fungi that normally lead to decomposition while the constant flow of water eventually led the wood to petrify and become almost stone-like in texture.

These days Venice is connected by a bridge from the mainland and has excellent and inexpensive bus and train connections that run every few minutes. However, hotels in Venice live up to their reputation for being expensive so if you are on a budget, consider staying somewhere on the mainland like Mestre, which is just 11 minutes away by train.

Walking out of the modern train station, you’re met by a scene that is not unlike a film set. First sight of the city, no matter how many documentaries or postcards you’ve seen, will be a mesmerising moment as a profusion of water taxis interspersed by gondolas and just normal little boats going about their daily business is quite a sight to behold.

The throng of tourists everywhere is a little less enthralling as are the endless attempts of street hawkers to sell you selfie sticks.

Water taxi passes are definitely recommended. They can be bought in many places, are cost effective and will save you time getting from one place to another. A map is also a good idea. Also, pack some comfortable walking shoes as, with or without water taxis, Venice’s sheer size makes it hard on the feet.

When it comes to eating and drinking, again be prepared to pay if you want a coffee in St Mark’s Square or any of the other more famous locations. It’s actually much more fun to wander down the innumerable alleys and find a little restaurant – look for one where the menu is only written in Italian as you’ll be more likely to be sitting alongside locals.

The Venetians are very proud of their beer. Another local delicacy are the cicchetti, which are similar to Spanish tapas and include a selection of tiny sandwiches, hardboiled eggs, olives and seafood, meat and vegetables laid on top of a slice of bread or polenta and are offered free at many bars or osterie. These are usually accompanied by a small glass of local white wine that the locals call ombra (shade) and is a poignant reminder of a time when it was the custom to relax away from the afternoon sun with these tipples and nibbles in hand.

The most notable attractions are well documented but a must see is St Mark’s Square where the basilica is truly breathtaking in beauty and is a wonderful example of Byzantine architecture. Its cavernous gilded interior and incredible mosaics make it truly awe-inspiring. The gothic Doge’s Palace is another not to miss with the opulence of the interior contrasting with the dinginess of the dungeons. Indeed, the list of architectural gems goes on and on and, together with a seemingly endless stream of tourist shops, Venice has something for everyone making visitors come in their thousands every day.

The houses in Burano were traditionally painted in bright colours so that fishermen could see them from afar.

Of course, there is also carnival which takes place annually in the run up to Lent and has a strong cultural tradition. The carnival in Venice is unlike any other with the ornate costumes and distinctive masks having gained world renown. It’s a fun time of merriment and exhibitionism and is a centuries-old tradition ingrained in the city’s libertine past where masks were worn so people could be anonymous and get up to all sorts of mischief. The practice was later banned but was revived in the 18th century.

The neighbouring islands of Burano and Murano are equally interesting. Picturesque and colourful, Burano is famous for its lace made by the women while the houses were painted brightly so that fishermen could see home from afar. The neighbouring Murano has a worldwide reputation for glass production that is second to none but even this has historical significance as after a series of furnace fires that threatened Venice it was decided that all glass production had to take place on one island.

Workers even had to ask permission to leave and were told to never reveal their trade secrets.

Today Murano is colourful and quaint although, rather disappointingly, the shops may say free entry but there is invariably a charge to watch a glass demonstration– but it’s still well a worth a visit as the journey there is enjoyable and the islands are a pleasant contrast to the grandeur of Venice itself.

Back in the city but off the beaten track there is a different side to Venice. After dark the city takes on an altogether different aspect. Far from the madding crowd – if you venture inland and put in the footwork – it’s possible to glimpse the everyday lives of the 6,700 people who still live here. Stoic and proud, today’s Venetians obviously have an inherent love of their home. Walking down silent streets it’s difficult not to wonder what tales these walls would tell if they could talk and what dramas and skulduggery must have unfolded here in this city that still stands enigmatic and defiant despite the assault of the modern world and endless curious eyes that now come to observe what has remained unchanged for centuries.

Ironically the lagoon that once protected Venice is ultimately set to be the source of the city’s demise as along with battling the effect of rising sea levels, heavy rains and strong winds the city is also slowly subsiding to the east despite an ongoing battle to save it. At high tide it’s not unusual for locals and tourists alike to don wellies and use wooden walkways but it has done nothing to diminish its popularity.

Long a draw for artists and writers alike, the composer Vivaldi was born here while writers Henry James and Ernest Hemingway had an ongoing love affair with the city and were frequent visitors.

Venice is what it is – crazy, charismatic but undeniably beautiful – and when it’s time to leave the Queen of the Adriatic, as it’s sometimes called, chances are that, footsore and weary and with a carnival mask in hand, you’ll promise, like so many before you, to one day return to this intriguing city.