Venice and the Veneto Book

This superlative travel guide offers detailed but pithy accounts of essentially everything to see in the city of Venice, allowing travelers to select points of interest and then easily plan out routes thanks to the plethora of maps. The additional information about the Veneto at large is also very helpful.

I would recommend reading this book before departure, for planning purposes, but also to bring it along as a planning resource. Be aware, some of the hours and open days for the museums and churches have changed since publication, so be sure to double-check such things online first.