In my experiences in Italy, most restaurants seem to include both the cover (“coperto”) and the gratuity in the bill. These little added expenses can surprise you at the end of the meal. But because the gratuity is included, you’re not expected to tip anything extra, although many diners will round up the bill to the nearest Euro out of convenience and courtesy.
One reliable clue that a restaurant is a tourist trap: if they have a giant placard sitting outside the restaurant, prominently advertising their fares in English. It’s preferable to find a place with the menu only in Italian, a sign that it’s a good “local” eating spot (most restaurants will also have a menu in English, but the ones that really promote the English menu usually aren’t so good).
Don’t forget to have some gelato. I remember a really great gelateria next to the Scuola Grande di San Rocco (right behind the church of Sta Maria Gloriosa dei Frari).
And speaking of churches, I just remembered a couple of “church issues” to keep in mind: St. Mark’s has a very strict dress code, so make sure you’re not wearing shorts or a sleeveless shirt when you visit there. They’ll turn you away at the door if your dress isn’t considered modest enough (this is more of a problem in the summer–I doubt you’ll have to worry about it in October–but just so you know).
Also, most of the major churches (such as the Frari and Zanipolo) charge admission nowadays, which lets them keep the church open for longer hours (and hopefully provides for the maintenance of the building and the artworks). Personally, I find it annoying and somehow vulgar to confront a ticket booth immediately upon entering a church, but it’s something you’ll have to deal with (they don’t charge during worship services, of course, but they don’t allow tourist visits at that time–you can’t wander around the church during a mass, in other words).
Many of the smaller churches don’t charge entrance, but their opening hours will be quite erratic (maybe only open two hours in the morning if at all).
