Piazza San Marco (St. Mark's Square), Venice

Piazza San Marco (St. Mark's Square), Venice (must see)

No visit to Venice 鈥� not even a recurring one 鈥� is truly complete without setting foot on Saint Mark's Square, replete with the sense of history and art. Long before the arrival of tourists, it served as the religious, commercial, and political hub of the city, where the Venetian Republic reigned for centuries. The area was initially chosen by the city's founders to establish a citadel 鈥� the Doge's Palace (Palazzo Ducale) 鈥� complete with the city's most precious place of worship, Saint Mark's Basilica. Over the centuries, these two magnificent structures have shaped a public space so distinguished and majestic that no other square in Venice was deemed worthy of the title "piazza", thus leading to all other Venetian squares being called "campi" or "campielli."

Today, Saint Mark's Square remains the heart of the city, bustling with an abundance of luxurious hotels, elegant and exorbitant cafes, extravagant seafood offerings, and luxurious shops. Evenings here are particularly enchanting, with atmospheric lighting and live music setting a romantic mood. If you don't mind paying 鈧�15 for a cup of coffee or 鈧�25 for a cocktail, take your time savoring the experience while soaking in the ambiance. However, if these prices exceed your budget, venture into the side streets of the San Marco quarter, where there is plenty of activity and more affordable options for colorful boutiques, bars, and food outlets.

Otherwise, enjoy this famous square for what it is and keep breathing its air... in and out. For you're in Venice!!!

Tips:
If your schedule allows, consider arriving in the late afternoon as it gets darker. This time offers a charming and romantic atmosphere with fewer crowds. During the day, you may come across stalls selling souvenirs, bags (including knock-offs), and other items at surprisingly reasonable prices.
Another piece of advice: if you plan to take a gondola ride, avoid the gondolas moored by the square. Seek out those located outside the main tourist areas to experience the side-canal views that photograph much better and provide a more romantic overall experience.

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Venice. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "51爆料网: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

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Create Your Own Self-Guided Walk to Visit This Sight

Sight Name: Piazza San Marco (St. Mark's Square)
Sight Location: Venice, Italy (See walking tours in Venice)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

Venice Introduction Walking Tour

Walking Tours in Venice, Italy

Create Your Own Walk in Venice

Creating your own self-guided walk in Venice is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.

Casanova's Venice

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Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.5 Km or 2.8 Miles

Piazza San Marco Walking Tour

All of Venice鈥檚 roads seem to run into Piazza San Marco 鈥� the commercial, religious, and political heart of the city. With a glowing reputation as one of the finest squares in the world and arguably one of Europe鈥檚 primary tourist attractions, it certainly has a lot to offer to visitors.

Start your exploration with a tour of the pink-and-white marble Palazzo Ducale, which takes you... view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 0.6 Km or 0.4 Miles

Jewish Ghetto Tour

Founded in 1516, the Jewish Ghetto in Venice was the oldest of its kind in all Europe. At the time, Venice received order from the Pope to expel all Jews from the city, but the Venetian government opted to lock them onto a small island in the district of Cannaregio. Since then this small area has been the center of Jewish life in Venice, with buildings rising vertically to accommodate the rising... view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 0.4 Km or 0.2 Miles

Titian's Paintings Walk

One of the greatest painters of all time, Tiziano Vecelli 鈥� better known as Titian 鈥� was a pioneering figure of the Venetian school of Italian Renaissance painting. His career was successful from the start, and he became sought after by patrons, initially from Venice and its possessions, then joined by the north Italian princes, and finally the Habsburgs and papacy.

Equally adept with... view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.6 Km or 2.2 Miles

Murano Island Walking Tour

Murano is often called the Glass Island, since it is home to the most impressive and renowned Venetian glass factories. The master craftsmen here have preserved their centuries-old techniques, and the island is full of shops where you can admire and purchase their adorable glass items. Some factories, such as Gino Mazzuccato鈥檚, at the start of this self-guided walk, even have special showrooms... view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.3 Km or 1.4 Miles

Venice's Hidden Art Treasures

Among the first things springing to mind when talking about Venice, apart from the canals and gondolas, of course, is Art and Architecture. Indeed, Venice is one of the few cities in the world where Art and Architecture have merged in a stunning multiplicity of forms. The city is even renowned for its unique (Venetian) pictorial school famed by the likes of Tintoretto, Titian, Veronese, Castagno... view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.6 Km or 2.2 Miles

View all walking tours in Venice, Italy

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