I have been going to Venice for more than 20 years and stay for a month. Needless to say, I like it very much. I am not a typical tourist; I actively avoid the places where large groups of people clog the thoroughfares. I enjoy the ambience, the natural and man-made beauty and the wonderful food of the better restaurants. Just walking around and taking a ride on a hopefully not too crowded vaporetto is a great pleasure as well as the art, music and, well, shopping.