St. Mark’s Square, Venice – Practical Info on Seeing It

Last Updated on April 12, 2023

Estimated reading time: 8 minutes

By Jim Ferri

St. Mark’s Square, Venice seduces you at every turn, as does the city itself.

There’s that special light that falls so softly over the land and sea. And the waterways instead of streets. There’s all that incredible art and architecture. And all those wonderful little restaurants you stumble upon everywhere. And that barely skims the surface.

Venice, one of the best places to visit in Italy, is a city for the senses. And it all comes together in St. Mark’s Square, the Holy Grail of Venetian tourism.

St. Mark’s Square has always been an important place in Venice. To this day it’s still the only Piazza in the city (all of the other squares are known as campos). And during the high tourist season (April through November) the square can get obscenely crowded.

During the many times I’ve returned to it over the years, though, I’ve discovered how to experience St. Mark’s at its best. It just takes a little planning. One of the things I’ve found is that it’s an easy day trip by train from Florence and some other Italian cities.

Time Your Visit to St. Mark’s Square

The first thing you need to do when planning a visit is to consider the time of day. Professional travel photographers love the special light in that hour before the sun rises, and the hour after it sets. Those are magic hours for them, and in the ethereal light of Venice it is even more so.

So begin your visit to St. Mark’s early in the morning and enjoy yourself. Have an espresso, wander along the water’s edge and watch the changing light as the rising sun illuminates the basilica. Being early also puts you be at the front of the queues for the Basilica, Doges’ Palace and the Campanile.

(You can also book a time (for one euro) to visit the Basilica on the Veneto Inside website. The issue there, though, is you need to know the exact day and time you will be at the Basilica. And you’re only given a ten-minute window.)

Don’t Waste Time Standing on Lines

If you didn’t get to the square early, don’t waste your time standing on the long lines anytime before noon. That’s the time all the tour groups come in and they go to the head of the line. Instead, wander around the rest of the Piazza San Marco. Or walk around Sestieri San Marco (the surrounding district), have a gelato and find a little restaurant for lunch. Come back in mid-afternoon when the crowds have dissipated.

Then you can visit the Basilica, Doges’ Palace and the Campanile, all of which are very interesting, although the tour of the palace can get long. Even though I was on a self-guided tour through the apartments and other areas of this 14^th-century masterpiece — and could move at a fast pace — by the time I finally got to the basement I wondered if I was going to die in the prison down there. Everyone else seemed to be trying to escape, as well, most walking in circles searching for the way out back to the square.

(There’s also a “Secret Itineraries Tour” of the palace, which provides access to other areas with a guide at fixed times, which must be pre-booked. You’ll find more information on this at the end of this post.)

The Jewel of the Piazza

St. Mark’s Basilica, the jewel of the Piazza, is right next door to the Doges’ Palace and blends the architectural styles of the East and the West. It’s a stunning place and entrance is free, although there is a small charge to visit the Chancel, the Treasury (which still holds many relics plundered from Constantinople) and the Loggia.

If you visit no other area after the main basilica, pay the five-Euro fee to go up the steep steps to the Loggia for a beautiful view of the Piazza and of the four life-size bronze horses that were taken from the entrance to hippodrome in Constantinople in 1204. The ones you see on the outside are modern replicas, but you only need to step inside to see the originals. To the right you can also get a great photo of the beautiful Torre dell’Orologio, the Renaissance clock tower that sits above one of the entrances leading into the warren of streets beyond.

Go to the Top of the Campanile on St. Mark’s Square

You’ll also get a spectacular, and considerably higher, view of the Piazza and the entire surrounding area and its islands from the top of the Campanile, the square’s bell tower. There’s an elevator to the top and if you want to do something incredibly unusual, time your visit to be up there on the hour when the bells ring.

Recently, I was in the tower on the hour (there is a ring to that), and the pealing bells (as large as the Liberty Bell and only 6 feet or so above your head) were so loud most of us had to put our fingers in our ears just to help muffle the sound. And it doesn’t doesn’t ring just the number of the hour, but goes on ringing for several minutes.

Wander About St. Mark’s Square

At the other end of the Piazza is the little-known Museo Correr, a museum that recounts the history of Venice up until the end of the 18^th century. Also nearby is Nardi, a famous jeweler renown for its Venetian moretto jewelry, popular during the 1920’s and 30’s.

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You may also enjoy: The Best Places to Visit in Venice / Where to Find 8 Fascinating Walks in Rome / Things To Do in Bologna (for Foodies)

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Walking about St. Mark’s Square you can’t help but see the nearly 300-year-old Caffè Florian, one of the elder statesmen of the Piazza. It and its elegant rival Quadri, sitting directly across, lend an air of elegance to the St. Mark’s experience with their tuxedoed waiters and mini-orchestras. Be sure to take a look at the interior of both cafes, especially the ornate rooms of the Florian. Keep in mind also that if you sit at one of the tables either outside or in, you’ll pay dearly. At Caffè Florian prices are considerably less if you go into the back bar.

But don’t limit yourself to the Piazza, although you could spend the better part of a day here. Also wander the labyrinth of streets and alleyways in the sestieri beyond the square. Even with the crowds, and the innumerable Carnevale-mask shops, and the legion of waiters trying to lure you to a table, it can feel like Venice on steroids at times. But it’s still a fun place to wander and just let yourself get lost any time of year.

At the end of the day wander over to the one-and-only Harry’s Bar made famous by Hemingway, Toscanini, Chaplin, Bogart and Bacall, Taylor and Burton… home of the Bellini, carpaccio and the extravagant bill. It’s right next to the San Marco Vallaresso vaporetto stop.

If You Go:

Doges’ Palace
http://palazzoducale.visitmuve.it/en/home/
Entrance fee: €14 adult, €8 65+ years
Secret Itineraries Tour Viva Ticket: €18.50 adult; €12.50 65+ years

St. Mark’s Basilica
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Mark’s_Basilica
Entrance fee: general admission to the basilica is free

Campanile
Entrance fee: €8