The TRAVELER'S JOURNAL: March twenty-ninth, looking for Venetian values.

Lord Byron called Venice, "the greenest island of my imagination. That city at the northern tip of the Adriatic Sea is draped over 110 different islands. A fairy-tale realm of Moorish-looking palaces and beautiful people, it still casts a romantic spell. Strolling its streets something like sorting through a treasure chest. Tiny lanes harbor splendid surprises; a rose-red palazzo, a shop hung with golden Carnival masks. Faint footways hug dark canals, cross narrow bridges and burst onto airy squares that are abuzz with the dramatic activity of daily life.

Venice also has a reputation for being very expensive. It is, but the costs can be minimized by taking advantage of what is free and finding affordable options for the rest.

For example, art abounds, but at a price. The treasures of Venice's great palaces, galleries and museums are a legacy of the days when the city was a world power. Admission is $10 or more per person, but a widely-available discount card can cut that cost in half.

Or dining. Venice is infamous for mediocre food served at expensive prices. One trick is to avoid cafes and restaurants on the busy streets and seek out small places that feature seafood or pizza and cater to the locals. Trattoria alla Rivetta in the shadow of San Marco is one excellent example. Visitors can save on shopping, hotel rooms, even gondola rides, but as we'll see tomorrow, sometimes that requires good timing.

FMI For information, contact the Italian Government Tourism or 212-245-4822