Venice, Italy New restaurants (and old favorites) in Italy From the April 22, 2002 Issue of New York Head for the boutiquey Hotel Colombina, just steps from Piazza San Marco, and stash your bags quickly in order to reach Rialto market at full morning simmer. Refuel standing up on little sandwiches at Do Mori or punctuate your amble toward the Church of the Frari and the wall-to-wall Tintorettos at the Scuola di San Rocco with just-fried sea creatures at Vivaldi. After lunch, get a feel for the life of bridges and watery divides on the No. 1 vaporetto (buy a three-day pass). Even if it's a tourist cliché, you must linger over hot chocolate and a dolce at café Quadri or its rival Florian, both in the Piazza San Marco, then get lost in the shopping maze of the Mercerie. I like Neapolitan pastas at Acqua Pazza, the curious antics and old-fashioned cucina at Dalla Marisa near Tre Archi bridge, and the antipasti del mare and spaghetti with sardines under the Warhol prints at Ostaria da Rioba. One evening, you want to be sipping aperitifs outdoors at Cip's on the Guidecca, watching the sunset paint Venice Fauvist oranges and purples, savoring the ethereal mystery. -- GAEL GREENE Details Do Mori (39-041-522-5401); Vivaldi (39-041-523-8185); Acqua Pazza (39-041-277-0688); Dalla Marisa (39-041-720-211); Ostaria da Rioba (39-041-524-4379); Cip's (39-041-520-7744); Hotel Colombina (doubles start at $280; 39-041-277-0525). Delta's nonstop service from JFK is a must for a long weekend (800-241-4141).       Photograph: P. Verbeeck