St Mark's Square (Piazza San Marco)
- Address:Piazza San Marco, Venice
- Hours:Open daily 24hrs
- Admission:Free
Cultural Experience, Must-Do Experience, Monument - Historical, Plaza / Square
6:18 AM Monday, May 28
Clear. Mild.
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St. Mark's Square (Piazza San Marco) is filled with centuries of history and is still the symbolic heart of Venice; it has even been referred to as the drawing room of Europe. With the grand St Mark's Church at one end, the Campanile bell tower rising in the middle and the elegant colonnaded arcade of famous cafes on three sides, it is a wonderful place to be - and the hundreds of pigeons think so too.
Sit and have coffee (you'll only be able to afford one) and watch the whole world pass by while a tuxedoed band plays. Then plunge north into the narrow streets full of shops leading towards the Rialto Bridge, or west into the city's pocket of high fashion designer stores finishing with an extremely expensive Bellini at Harry's Bar, the place that invented the peach/champagne drink. Alternately, head out of San Marco to the east and stroll the waterfront on the Riva.
Latest Reviews All St Mark's Square (Piazza San Marco) Reviews »
FANTASTIC!!
This was an absolute highlight and I can't recommend it enough. Our tour guide was a true local Venetian, and was extremely friendly and knowledgeable. We were traveling with our young daughter (1.5 yrs) and pram, while there obviously were stairs it was fine and definitely manageable!
There are some obvious sites to see in Venice like St Mark's Basilica and Square, but there are so many other wonderful places and stories that she was able to tell us. Once we were walking the "backstreets" of Venice, away from the crowds, it was really amazing and enjoyable to hear and learn about how Venice evolved and how the people live.
I think our guides name was Rita - this walking tour was so good it prompted us to book one for our next stop which was Florence!
11 out of 10
Continue Reading »
Excellent. The guide was very knowledgeable and engaging which made for a very interesting tour. And of course, the star of the show is the interior of the Basilica: utterly amazing.
Tip: once the tour is over, you can go round again on your own - go upstairs to the museum to see the original bronze Horses of St Mark and then outside on to the loggia where you can get some good photos of the Piazza and Piazzetta.
The Skip the Line: Venice Walking Tour with St Mark’s Basilica is a tour of amazing contrasts. The first part covers the most important attractions in Venice around the bustling Piazza San Marco. In the second, you negotiate the labyrinth of alleyways and bridges over the canals to quiet secluded places and beautiful squares (campos) free from crowds. The route ends at the famous Rialto Bridge next to the Grand Canal. Continue Reading »
Note from Viator: This review was written by Graham Walker, who wrote a complete summary of the Skip the Line: Venice Walking Tour with St Mark’s Basilica (with video!) on the Viator Travel Blog.
Practical Info
Piazza San Marco is the heart of Venice. Many vaporetto (ferries) stop there, at Vallaresso/S. Marco. When you're walking in the maze of Venice streets, look up and you'll regularly see arrows pointing to San Marco.
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