St. Mark’s Square, Venice’s largest and most important piazza, is among the most famous piazzas in all of Italy, its grand nature inspiring even Napoleon to call it the “drawing room of Europe”.
St. Mark’s Square (in Italian, Piazza San Marco) is both incredibly beautiful and incredibly interesting, and undoubtedly a must-see spot when visiting Venice.
Wondering what exactly to do in the lovely (and let’s admit it–often crowded) Piazza San Marco?
We’ve rounded up the best things to do in St. Mark’s Square, plus essential travel tips for visiting Venice’s most iconic piazza.
The Best Things to Do in Venice’s St. Mark’s Square
Step inside St. Mark’s Basilica.
Stunningly beautiful and absolutely unmissable, St. Mark’s Basilica is the jewel of Piazza San Marco, and arguably one of the most beautiful churches in all of Italy.
Built with heavy Byzantine influences, St. Mark’s Basilica is full of incredible details, including its fantastic mosaics, relics of St. Mark himself, and four bronze horses (that are actually mostly made of copper!) with a very interesting origin story–more on that below.
Touring the interior of the church is free, but unless you show up early, be prepared to wait to enter–wait times regularly climb past 45 minutes.
To get around this, we recommend getting in line before the church even opens in the morning. St. Mark’s Basilica opens at 9:30 AM, and if you can be in line by 9:00 AM (especially during the busy summer season), you’ll have a much smoother day in Venice.
Alternatively, you can purchase a skip-the-line entrance ticket for 3 Euros, or visit as part of a guided tour that covers both the Doge’s Palace and the Basilica.
Book your visit to St. Mark’s Basilica + the Doge’s Palace today!
Prefer something a bit more exclusive? This after-hours tour might be right for you!
Tour the Doge’s Palace.
The Doge’s Palace is arguably one of the most interesting historical sites in Venice.
While it is (obviously) a palace, and you can tour the Doge’s apartments, the main focus of a visit here is the broader government in Venice–which, at the height of the Venetian Empire, was rather forward-thinking for its time!
Several councils made up the government, and the largest body was composed of male members of every noble family in the city.
This is also where you can walk across the Bridge of Sighs and see the view it is truly famous for.
Originally, the bridge was known not for its beauty as seen from the outside, but the view of Venice and its lagoon from the inside–the last glimpse of the city that many prisoners who made their way across it ever saw.
The Doge’s Palace is truly fascinating, and of all things to do in St. Mark’s Square, this is the most enhanced by a tour.
We highly recommend booking one, as your experience will be so much better for it (and your time spent waiting in lines will sharply decrease, too!).
This tour is incredibly well-reviewed and is a great option.
If you’d like to learn more about the Venetian Empire, I also highly recommend the book City of Fortune: How Venice Ruled the Seas for a deep dive into the history of the empire (it remains one of my personal favorite books about Italy, and my copy is on the bookshelf next to me as I type this).
Book your tour of the Doge’s Palace + St. Mark’s Basilica today!
Prefer something a bit more exclusive? This after-hours tour might be right for you!
Not into tours?
You can still skip the line at the Doge’s Palace by purchasing a priority ticket in advance.
Soak in the views from Campanile San Marco.
For one of the most iconic views of Venice, head directly up the Campanile San Marco!
From here, you’ll have a fantastic view of the Doge’s Palace, St. Mark’s Basilica, the Venetian Lagoon, the most famous square in Venice, and more from above.
And, unlike most tower views in Italy, this one comes with little-to-no exertion, since rather than climbing hundreds of stairs to the top, you simply take an elevator to the top.
Enjoy a coffee at one of Piazza San Marco’s beautiful cafes.
There are several beautiful cafes scattered along the edges of Piazza San Marco in Venice, drawing in visitors with the promise of excellent coffee and pastries served with a hefty side of people-watching and live music.
The prices are eye-watering, of course, but you’re not really paying for coffee as much as the chance to be absorbed into the Drawing Room of Europe, moving from spectator to participant for a few minutes.
By far the most famous of these cafes is the stunningly beautiful Caffè Florian, which opened its doors in 1720 and is considered the oldest cafe in Europe!
Sipping an Italian caffè at a 300-year-old cafe while overlooking an (almost) 1000-year-old church and reflecting on the history both have witnessed is definitely a bucket-list-worthy experience in Venice!
Pay a visit to Museo Correr.
Located right on Venice’s Piazza San Marco, the beautiful Museo Correr has a tendency to hide in plain sight (in large part your attention tends to be pulled in so many directions when exploring St. Mark’s Square).
This gorgeous art and history museum, though, definitely deserves to be visited.
And, if you visit the Doge’s Palace, your ticket also includes entrance to the Museo Correr!
Interesting Details to Note in St. Mark’s Square
Look past the most famous things to do in St. Mark’s Square, and you’ll notice some truly remarkable details.
Don’t miss these spots!
The horses guarding St. Mark’s Basilica.
Look closely at the front facade of St. Mark’s Basilica, and you’ll see four of the most famous statues in Italy: the Horses of St. Mark.
When Venice participated in the Sack of Constantinople during the Fourth Crusade, they brought back the four bronze horses (which are actually made of copper) to Venice, where they stood overlooking the Piazza di Marco.
However, they didn’t start their life in Constantinople. Venice captured the horses in 1254, but they date to the 2nd or 3rd century AD, and possibly hail from Ancient Greece or Rome.
Since 1254, though, they have lived in Venice with one notable exception.
In 1797, Napoleon took the horses and placed them on top of the Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel (the arc that faces the Louvre) in Paris, and they remained there until 1814, when they were brought back to Venice.
It’s worth noting that the horses overlooking St. Mark’s Square today are replicas–but you can still see the originals by visiting the museum on the second floor of St. Mark’s Basilica.
The impressive St. Mark’s Clocktower (Torre dell’Orologio).
It’s hard to make your way through St. Mark’s Square without catching sight of the stunning St. Mark’s Clocktower (or in Italian, Torre dell’Orologio), with its gorgeous blue face complete with gold zodiac symbols–but to truly enjoy this 500-year-old masterpiece, consider going inside!
Essentially hidden in plain sight, the interior tour of St. Mark’s Clocktower will show you a fascinating, secret side to this gorgeous building.
Visits can only be completed by guided tour and must be booked in advance.
The imposing columns of San Marco and San Todaro.
Atop these two striking columns, the winged lion of St. Mark and the statue of St. Theodore (one of the first protectors of Venice–Todaro in Italian) stand guard over Piazza San Marco and the city.
The origin of these two statues is quite murky, their artist’s name(s) long lost to history, but they arrived in Venice in the 12th century and have, with limited exception, watched over the city ever since.
In the 18th century, public executions took place between the two columns–and because of this, if you’d like to hold with Venetian tradition while visiting St. Mark’s Square, you’ll need to avoid passing through the two columns.
Tips for Visiting Piazza San Marco in Venice
Show up very early–or late.
We have stopped by Piazza San Marco at least a couple dozen times at this point, often when walking from one corner of Venice to another, and without a doubt, our favorite times to be in the square are after 8:00 PM and shortly after dawn.
Not only will you be able to avoid the worst of the crowds that way, but if you’re visiting Italy during the most popular months, the temperatures tend to be better, too!
Pre-book your tickets or tours for major sights.
If you hope to tour major attractions in St. Mark’s Square like the Doge’s Palace or St. Mark’s Basilica, you’ll save an enormous amount of time by pre-booking your tickets in advance.
Book your tour of the Doge’s Palace + St. Mark’s Basilica today!
Prefer something a bit more exclusive? This after-hours tour might be right for you!
Backpacks, large purses, and immodest dress aren’t allowed in St. Mark’s Basilica.
If you’re hoping to tour St. Mark’s Basilica while visiting the square, be sure to look the part!
There are lockers nearby to drop a bag in if needed, but your trip will be smoother if you simply explore the best things to do in St. Mark’s Square with as few belongings weighing you down as possible.
For clothing, avoid shorts and cleavage when visiting the basilica.
… and neither are photos.
Please keep in mind that interior photos are not permitted in St. Mark’s Basilica, so snap an extra dozen or so of the exterior detail instead!
(A friend of ours did share that her group was given permission to take photos on this after-hours tour, but I can’t promise that every group is given the same permission. If you have your heart set on taking photos inside, though, it’s probably your best shot).
If you visit Venice in winter, keep the acqua alta in mind.
Venice’s famous acqua alta (literally “high water”) often touches St. Mark’s Square.
If you’re visiting Venice from November through February, there’s a chance you may experience some (most likely minor) flooding.
We saw Piazza San Marco partially covered in water during our very first trip to Venice, and I’ll never forget the sight!
Don’t spend too much of your trip to Venice in St. Mark’s Square.
Piazza San Marco is a beautiful, striking place that is home to some of the most famous things to do in Venice.
It’s absolutely worth visiting… and it’s essential that you stray far, far away from it, even if you only have one day in Venice.
The famously overwhelming crowds of Venice tend to be incredibly dense in St. Mark’s Square–but wander even 5 minutes away down tiny side streets and along narrow canals, and you’re likely to quickly find yourself alone in Venice.
Read More About Visiting Venice (and Beyond)
Planning a trip to Venice soon and want to keep reading?
You can browse our 100+ Italy blog posts here, or check out these guides:
- Dazzling Dorsoduro, Venice: Things to Do + Travel Guide
- How to Take a Fun Florence to Venice Day Trip (No Tour Necessary!)
- What You Need to Know Before Taking a Gondola Ride in Venice (+ Tips!)
- 7 Days in Italy: 7 Ways to Spend a Week in Italy
- What to Buy in Venice: 15 Best Souvenirs from Venice
Fantastic advice……….. looking forward to commencing COVID-free travelling.
Amen to that!
Where can I get the $3.00 (euro) skip the line ticket
Here you go: http://www.basilicasanmarco.it/prenotazioni/