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    Piazza San Marco

    4.5 (270 reviews)

    Piazza San Marco Photos

    Recommended Reviews - Piazza San Marco

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    Doge's Palace
    Roshy P.

    Piazza San Marco is magnificent, lively, and friendly. You can spend days here and not get bored and when you leave, you will definitely long to go back. From here you can take a vaporetto to all over Venice and also to Burano and Murano. There are plenty of hotels, stairs, cafes, restaurants, and shops in this piazza in addition to the most important landmarks in Venice i.e. Doge's Palace and St. Marco's Basilica. Will I ever be able to return to this city and Piazza San Marco? I don't know! Until then, I will always have fond memories of this place and its lovely people.

    Thaovi T.

    The piazza is immense and beautiful -- the heart of Venice and full of life. The best way to take it all in is from the terrace of St. Mark's Basilica. The views over the square and the city rooftops are absolutely breathtaking. Whether you're people-watching, grabbing a coffee, or just soaking up the atmosphere, this place is pure magic.

    Map
    Britney M.

    This is an extremely busy area in Venice. This might be the heart of Venice. It seems like everything connects to this Piazza. There's so much here to do and see. There's plenty of shopping, food options, a church and lots of historical buildings. Everything is connected to this square. I call it a square, but I'm not sure if that is the right shape. It might be more rectangular or octagonal lol

    Maruko X.

    The St Mark's Square has its ornate arches, canals and buildings give the impression that it's been back in time. It's the top tourist attraction in Venice, and you can walk by and feed the pigeons. There are churches and museums within walkable distance, and I would suggest to spend at least a couple of hours here.

    Erwin R.

    San Marcos Square is incredible. Unfortunately there are some construction and I don't know if that was because of the public day but everything is a little bit messy right now but still incredible site.

    Fred T.

    This is a tough one. I can hear you already saying "if its so tough then why the 5 Stars???" The sheer crouds and the pricing of the area are a downside of this popular place The location is iconic and there is a ton of things to see packed into a relatively small location. From the Basilica to the Doge's Palace, you could spend a full days here and not get through it all. There is a legendary and quite old eateries like Cafe Florian and Harry's Bar. There is also shops, but it is jammed packed and the prices are airport on steroid levels. But its a must see and for at least one dedicated stop here and walking through it did not disappoint.

    Andrea U.

    Busy main square museums, basilica, tower & cafes are here. Gondolastation was here. We came by Water Taxi and disembarked at the San Zachariah Station. St Mark's Basilica dominates the huge square. The western facade with its great arches & marble Romanesque carvings around the central doorway and, the 4 horses which preside over the whole piazza are symbols of the pride & power of Venice. The Genoese said in 1379 that there could be no peace between the two cities until these horses were bridled. Across the piazza in front of the church are 3 large mast-like flagpoles with bronze bases decorated in high relief by Alessandro Leopardi in 1505. The Venetian flag of St Mark used to fly from them in the time of the republic of Venice now flies the Italian flag. The St Mark's Clocktower from 1499, is above a high archway where a main thoroughfare of the city leads through shopping streets to the Rialto, the commercial & financial center. St Mark's Campanile is a prominent tower in the square. Adjacent to the campanile, facing towards the church, is the small building known as the Loggetta del Sansovino, built by Sansovino in 1537-46 and used as a lobby by patricians waiting to go into a meeting of the Great Council in the Doge's Palace and by guards when the council was sitting. The famous Caffè Quadri, which was patronized by Austrians when Venice was ruled by Austria in the 19th century. Venetians preferred Florian's on the other side of the piazza.

    Mia R.

    Piazza San Marco (St. Mark's Square) is an iconic spot to visit in Venice! Only a short walk from being dropped off via water taxi. I first learned about this piazza when studying Italian in high school and dreamt of visiting- it was everything I imagined it to be. July is peak tourist season so the piazza was crowded at all points of the day but definitely filtered out at night. In Piazza San Marco, you can find San Marco Basilica, Doge's Palace, the Museo Correr and the Campanile (the Basilica bell tower) and shops/restaurants all around. It was surreal seeing these in real life and they did indeed take my breath away. Day and night are complete opposites. Daytime is bustling with tourists and locals alike- taking photos, shopping and eating at cafes/restaurants. Nighttime is a bit more quiet with romance and magic in the air- I really can't describe it. There are some restaurants with live bands with couples and families dancing, strolling along, or enjoying a meal. There are a lot of street vendors selling all different types of things- in the daytime, its kiosks full of souvenirs and at night its single vendors selling all objects from fans to roses to light up toys you can shoot into the sky. If you're looking for daytime shopping, don't get too lost at browsing within the piazza and explore beyond the square! If designer shops is your thing, there is a whole area right outside the square (with items that go for much less than they are in the US plus are tax-free!) If you're looking for stationary within the square, I recommend the shop "Foto Record 90". It was full of bookmarks & postcards (my fav thing to collect during traveling) plus stationery. We happened to visit during the Festa del Redentore, which is a firework festival that happens in the summer in Venice. Unlike past years and a new routine during Covid, you had to place a reservation to watch the fireworks anywhere near the water (for free). We weren't able to do this but Piazza San Marco provided a beautiful place to watch this without making a reservation. Or be like me and watch it in the comfort of my hotel which was located right outside Piazza San Marco. Can't wait to be back again, Piazza San Marco!

    Andres A.

    An amazing Piazza in Venice with lots of action happening. One of the centerpieces of the Piazza is the Doge's Palace. The piazza has various of coffee shops, restaurants and bars to frequent. You can sit and people watch as you sip on a coffee or have a beer or something eat. As you walk up to the Piazza they are plenty of vendors and shops to find whatever souvenir you may want to take home. Also it is the entry way to various alleys to find shops, bars and restaurants and your ride on a gondola.

    Michael W.

    Piazza San Marco (St. Mark's Square) in Venice is one of the most famous landmarks in Italy. They're on my travel to-do list! I am happy I finally saw it in person. I feel very peaceful and highly impressed with the beautiful views when standing in the middle of Piazza San Marco. I love to enjoy my drinks and watch all the people come and go. I saw some elderly couples, some younger families, and lots of the happiest tourists like my friends and me. We're just a passerby; it happened here today. But I love the atmosphere of Piazza San Marco can give me.

    April V.

    The monuments in this piazza is absolutely timeless and incredible to see. Wow! Tons of people weaving in and out of a crowded area. Lots of Gondolas here so you can book one easily. I took the private boat and it worked out way better for me

    Steph S.

    Everything about Venice is absolutely gorgeous. The square is a great place with beautiful architecture with the churches and buildings. There are cute little shops and places to eat. Lot of history there and wonderful views of the canal. A great place to walk around and learn about the history of Venice!

    The towering Campanile di San Marco (St. Mark's Campanile) at Piazza San Marco
    Michael S.

    There is no way any traveler to Venice is not visiting Piazza San Marco. It ain't happening. St Mark's Square has been the same touristy, busy hub of adventures in Venice for centuries ... elevating its cultural relevance to "must-see" levels while the historical significance should never be forgotten by locals or visitors. I encourage everyone to consider the variety of famous, infamous, and regular people just like you & me that have strolled across the same iconic stones while marveling at Palazzo Ducale (Doge's Palace), Campanile di San Marco (St. Mark's Campanile), Museo Correr (Corner Museum, or, of course, Basilica di San Marco (St. Mark's Cathedral). Few plazas around the world can match the legendary status of this one. Photos (or paintings) are not optional. The Piazzetta di San Marco (with Biblioteca Marciana plus the Lion of Venice and St. Theodore towers) and Canal Grande are adjacent to Piazza San Marco as you walk to Ponte Sospiri (the famous Bridge of Sighs). If you know, you know. If you don't, go ... because all roads may lead to Rome, but all canals lead to Piazza San Marco.

    I love all the little intricate details in the architecture.

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    Piazza San Marco Reviews in Other Languages

    Review Highlights - Piazza San Marco

    The famous Caffè Quadri, which was patronized by Austrians when Venice was ruled by Austria in the 19th century.

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    Real Venetian Kayak - Venice lagoon

    Real Venetian Kayak

    4.3(15 reviews)
    0.7 km

    I was very disappointed. We didn't get to explore many of the canals, rather spending a large…read moreportion of the tour at the edge of the city and the lagoon. Further, the guide didn't seem to care much about the quality of our experience. She literally said "this is a group of younger people, so we can do a chill tour" -- I took this to mean she would be informal, but it turned out to mean she put minimal effort into educating us about the city or the ensuring we were getting to see the sights. There were people in the tour more interested in taking pictures, but instead of making sure that we stayed on track the guide just sat in her kayak while they took selfies. It was fun to paddle around in a kayak, and doing so at sunset was absolutely beautiful. But overall, this "tour" is definitely not worth the price.

    I had SO much fun! Instructor and guide, Anna, was so knowledgeable and patient. She was such a…read morepleasure to talk to, it felt like a local friend was showing me around Venice. She had a friend with her--Andrea--who was also a local and SO NICE and KNOWLEDGEABLE! When I could not hear Anna, Andrea would relay the information back to me. As well as ask her in Italian really fast if I had any questions. She may become a guide as well so if you can somehow request either of these two girls you will get your full money's worth! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED and will 100000% be back next time in Venice!

    Photos
    Real Venetian Kayak - Anna in the orange kayak and Andrea in the blue kayak

    Anna in the orange kayak and Andrea in the blue kayak

    Real Venetian Kayak - Us

    Us

    Real Venetian Kayak

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    Row Venice - Handling the oar in a batela is the reverse of most others but not difficult (with help guiding)

    Row Venice

    5.0(7 reviews)
    1.3 km

    Paola was delightful and a patient teacher of rowing. Even with years of sculling, my son took a…read morelittle coaching to pick up the movement. Once he did, he said it was no more strenuous than walking. Paola guided the boat around some lovely, quiet parts of Venice as our son powered the boat.

    Absolute highlight of our multiweek honeymoon in Italy. I'm so glad we did this…read more This was so much fun to do. I loved being able to tool around the canals of Venice with my husband and to see the city from the lagoon. It made the rest of the day sparkle, and I would 100% do it again when next in Venice. The analysis is simple. Eighty Euros for a 30 minute or so trip on a gondola for two (guys, it might destroy romance as we know it, but it costs more for singing to happen in boats apparently) or for the SAME PRICE a 90 minute lesson on a gondola where you can get people to sing for free! The administration of booking was painless on our end, and demonstrated really good customer service on Row Venice's side. Once we knew this was a thing, we reached out to book a session. They were able to email us back, in English, and helped to troubleshoot my inability to book and pay through the website the first time around. They were very patient with us and our lack of wifi and accommodated our last minute reservation. We lucked out and had two instructors and both were really friendly and personal. I also really appreciated how there were multiple couples who had all booked at the same time and each of us got our own gondola and instructor. Final props is that this place is a nonprofit entity that supports rowing culture in Venice. Support this group when you're next in Venice. It'll be a really fun day in a really beautiful town.

    Photos
    Row Venice - Bridges are historic and scenic from the water

    Bridges are historic and scenic from the water

    Row Venice - Some piazzas besides St Marks have canal entrance

    Some piazzas besides St Marks have canal entrance

    Row Venice - Canal entry

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    Canal entry

    Escape Venice

    Escape Venice

    5.0(1 review)
    0.8 km

    ESCAPETHEROOMers are in Venice, my favorite city in Italy! Although we are only here for a few…read morehours, we had to check out the only escape room in Venice (close to the port area) - "Escape Venice"! Transportation in Venice is quite tricky. We discovered the People Mover (a train with 3 stops) was quite easy to use to get us from the cruise port to the main hub. We strongly suggest you store your luggage at one of the storage units at the Piazzale Roma station and walk everywhere. There's a lot of bridges with stairs and pebble stone walkways. Water taxis are quite expensive and if not necessary, walking is the best option in the port area. It was quite convenient to use the bus from the central bus station to the airport afterwards. We'll have a tutorial of this in our travel vlog of Venice soon. As we walked about 15 minutes or so in the meandering roads of Venice (we used Google maps), it would be a bit difficult to find if you didn't have pre-printed directions. We stopped pretty much every few steps as the views of the canals, small boutique cafes, and magnificent structures can be seen from every corner of our eyes. As you approach on to the right street it's on (which turns into a dead end), turn right and you'll reach an ancient door (you CAN'T miss it). The room that we are trying - "The Merchant of Venice" is inspired by Shakespeare's comedy. We loved how the game started and how we were immediately absorbed into the storyline. As we stood in Shylock's studio in the times of Serenissima Republic, we had to get to work to find the hidden treasure right away. Given how much space they had to work with, I think they did a great job utilizing all that they can. The props and set design felt authentic from the actual time frame. I must say, I have never seen so many puzzle locks in my life! If you love puzzles and love to open locks, this room is your sweet spot! The clarity of clues to the actual puzzle was great and easy to follow. It's not all linear so groups can work on different puzzles at the same time but there will be a point it does become quite linear. We had a minor issue with one mechanism in the room, but I think it also had to do with us being not locals and knowing their culture. They definitely added a few puzzles that had their local flavor and history to it. The owner did give us a few minutes extra to finish the room as we did spend some time at the beginning with filming and this room is pretty challenging with just two people. Our recommended size would be 4 people due to the room size and the number of puzzles especially if you are not experienced players. This room definitely gave my brain a workout as I slept like a baby on the plane ride back to NY feeling quite satisfied. It was a great way to finish our Europe tour. As we dived into the escape room owner's history, we now understand where a lot of these ideas of the puzzles comes from. One of the owners is the President and the other is on the executive board of the Escape Room ASD which is a Chess, Checkers and Go club. Members of this club will get a 5-euro discount when playing this game. Currently they are working on something that might take the escape hunt outside of the escape rooms. We can't wait to see what they create and next time we will definitely stay longer in Venice and take up the challenge! *For more info, check out my Yelp profile.

    Photos
    Escape Venice
    Escape Venice - Www.escapetheroomers.com

    Www.escapetheroomers.com

    Escape Venice

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    Piazza San Marco - publicplazas - Updated May 2026

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