VENICE, Italy -- For centuries, Venice has captivated travelers with an array of romantic images: gondola rides through glistening canals at sunset, homes painted in vibrant hues of periwinkle and plum.

It's also known as an expensive city. But you can see the basic sights on a budget. For a little over $40, a friend and I spent a glorious day in Venice sampling food, streetscapes and architecture.

There's no better way to start your day in Venice than with an Illy or Lavazza espresso, which will leave you charged for hours. No one in Europe enjoys their coffee quite like the Italians, who huddle around the barista's counter and yell ``Buon giorno!'' to one another while sipping their high-octane espressos.

I tried a frothy cappuccino from Brek Ristorante -- an inexpensive Italian chain -- on Cannaregio for $1.60, and picked up a bag of fresh fruit from nearby vendors as we made our way to Piazza San Marco, or St. Mark's Square.

Skip the pricey gondola ride and hop on the No. 1 waterbus. For around $8.75, the bus-boat (called a vaporetto) takes about 45 minutes to traverse the Grand Canal -- the main waterway that winds through Venice. The waterbus offers the same views of the city that the gondola ride does.

PIGEONS FLY AWAY

We found St. Mark's Square a bit lonesome since officials passed an ordinance a year ago banning tourists and locals from feeding the pigeons that used to flock to the piazza by the thousands. (The birds' filth was blamed for damaging the city's facades and monuments.) Still, no visit to Venice is complete without a stop here.

Next, we made our way to St. Mark's Basilica for a free self-guided tour. The marble floor is decorated in beautiful, intricate mosaics. St. Mark the Evangelist is buried underneath the altar.

A word to the wise: Many churches in Italy have a dress code and won't let you in unless you are dressed appropriately. Count on getting stopped if you're showing too much skin. On a warm day, we saw women wearing tank tops scramble quickly to transform a garbage bag into a shawl to cover their bare shoulders.

From there, we wandered to the Bridge of Sighs, which connects an old prison to the Doge's Palace -- the seat of Venice's government for many centuries. According to legend, criminals traveled over the enclosed bridge on their way to prison. Before arriving at their cells, they would get one last look at Venice in all its beauty before heaving a big sigh.

It's not uncommon for Venetian visitors to let out their own sigh of pleasure -- over the city's marvelous food and drink.

One of the best things about Venice is its cicchetti bars, where you can get munchies and appetizers alongside a glass of wine for a couple euros. It's a great way to sample a bit of this and that without spending a fortune. Plus, it's how the locals do it. Just be advised that many cicchetti bars close in the early evening.

We tried Cantina do Mori, a speakeasy-looking joint west of the Rialto Bridge popular with locals since 1462. Dozens of old brass pots and bottles of wine decorated the walls, and a blackboard displayed red and white wines by the glass.

We showed up just as the bartender was closing shop, but he still welcomed us with a half-smile and offered wine. The cost? About $4.50 a glass. We closed the door behind us as we left.

VENETIAN NIGHTLIFE

We found a handful of similar establishments nearby, including Osteria ai Storti, which has a fun area for mingling outdoors, and Antica Osteria Ruga Rialto, affectionately known as ``the Ruga.''

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