Diners at the luxury Belmond Hotel Cipriani enjoy fine cuisine and a twilight view of the waterfront. Photos provided to China Daily

The city's canals are arteries pumping its lifeblood. Mike Peters coasts through the Italian attraction.

The good news: Venice doesn't really stink. And the food's not bad.

People may tell you otherwise.

But they typically haven't been to the canal city for 20 or 30 years.

Today, the city's fairy-tale reeputation, going back to its heyday as a medieval sea power and the terminus of the Maritime Silk Road, seems perfectly secure.

A decade ago, the city allowed sites like the legendary Gritti Palace to be converted to luxury hotels, and food - and the 50-year-old bathrooms - got better with a new wave of competition, locals say.

So, if you're heading to northern Italy for this year's Venice Art Biennale or the Milan Expo, plan to linger in one of the world's most romantic cities. It's no accident that Casanova lived and loved here.

Famously built on water, the myriad canals create a unique vibe for visitors.