It's a commonly held conviction that Venice becomes magical at nighttime. Now, this Italian engineering marvel is quite lovely during the daytime too — you know, thanks to those canals and colorful architecture and all that. So what makes it even more special in the dark?

First of all, it's not as hot at night as it is during the day. It's amazing how a sunny and steamy day can transform seamlessly into a pleasant and breezy night. Secondly, it's not as crowded. A lot of the tourists that clog Venice during the day are not staying on the main islands — they're staying on the mainland or at the lido. Also many of those who do remain in the main area eat an early-ish dinner and retire to their rooms exhausted from a full, sweaty day of sightseeing.

Piazza San Marco (aka St. Mark's Square) is the place to be at night. Music fills the square as quartets perform at the upscale bars around the perimeter. Adding to the romance is that the square floods at night. As the tide comes in, it laps up the shore and oozes up through the drains. Luckily, Venice's water is much cleaner now than it has been in decades past so getting your feet wet is no longer a scary proposition. But since the water doesn't completely cover the square, it's easy to stay dry. Yet it's almost impossible not to feel enchanted.