Torcello is a much better island as Burano and Murano have become very close to theme parks.
I never do tours but go to Italy independently. I do, however, know the areas that you are visiting very well. If you can, get lost in Venice. The obvious, and grossly overcrowded places, are St.Mark's Square (don't take coffee there!!!) and Rialto. You have to see these but wander away if you can, find the original ghetto which is usually quiet and serene. A trip up the campanile right outside of St.Mark's will give views over the whole of Venice with Lido in the south and the wonderful Dolomites to the north.
https://ntphotoworks.com - try these people. They are a small shop in Folkestone and have an amazing range of film and chemicals if you need it.
I use film a lot and much prefer it to digital. I haven't used my enlarger for ages but scan the negatives as others here
Of course they aren't but a civilized country should rise out of the gutter and act in a proper and dignified way. If someone burgles your house, the answer isn't to burgle them back!
No civilized country now uses the death penalty
No second rate in that lot - old maybe.
The flooding only lasts about 6 hours and is the acqua alta which happens several times a year, mostly in winter. When the tide/moon is right (or wrong) it happens and is part of life in Venice.
As you probably know, the so called Bridge of Sighs isn't on the Grande canal and is really rather small. Most people photograph it from the Giudecca canal side because they follow the constant crowd that is Venice. The reverse side is my preferred view and the crowds aren't so bad there either. I have been photographing Venice now for some 8 years and always finding new delights
Don't forget that there are no roads in Venice so all the vehicular traffic is water-borne. Personal transport is motor boat, buses are the vaporetti, police use boats or single seat jet boats and even undertakers use boats. The canal isn't there for fun although you will usully see many of the tourist attractions, the gondole, on it of course
Stick shift is for people who know how to drive properly and want to make their own decisions rather than allowing the vehicle. In the UK, if you pass your test on an auto car, you are not permitted to drive stick.
You can't go wrong with Nikon. I use a raft of Nikons as well as a Fuji mirrorless and each has it's strengths and weaknesses. My goto camera is always one of the Nikons.
You won't be able to tell the different between a filtered or unfiltered photograph from the point of view of the extra glass.
Try carrying that in Europe and you may end up staying quite a bit longer than you planned!
I thik you are getting too tied up with all the nonsense that come from talk about sensors/pixels and such. When it comes down to it, if you present camera does everything that you require then stick with it or, if you fancy a new 'toy' buy one (as I have done far too many times!)