Venice

San Marco is where first-timers think they want to stay. Don't. You'll pay triple for the privilege of being surrounded by day-trippers taking selfies at 6am. The real Venice starts when you cross into the quieter sestieri. Dorsoduro gives you the best of both worlds. You're close enough to walk to Piazza San Marco in 15 minutes, but far enough away to find actual Venetians grabbing coffee at local bars. The Peggy Guggenheim Collection is here, plus some of the city's best wine bars along Zattere promenade. Cannaregio feels like a real neighborhood because it is one. Locals shop at the morning market on Rio Terà San Leonardo, and you'll find family-run osterie that have been serving the same recipes for generations. The Jewish Quarter adds another layer of history, and you're walking distance to the train station. Castello stretches from touristy areas near the Doge's Palace all the way to the residential Arsenale district. Stay near Via Garibaldi for morning markets and evening aperitivo spots where you won't hear English spoken. The Biennale gardens are here too. San Polo and Santa Croce work if you want to be near the Rialto Market action. But expect noise — delivery boats start early, and the market crowds build by 9am.