Piazza San Marco, Venice
The Byzantine Basilica, the Campanile overlooking the lagoon, the Doge's Palace: an independent guide to Italy's most photographed square, with the practical details the photos don't show.
St Mark's Basilica
Five Byzantine domes and over 8,000 square metres of gold mosaics: for centuries the Doge's private chapel. Entry is free, but the walk-in line can exceed an hour.
St Mark's Campanile
98 metres, with a lift straight to the top: the view reaches the Alps on clear days. Rebuilt in 1912 after the 1902 collapse, it remains the city's tallest point.
Doge's Palace
The seat of power of the Serenissima Republic for centuries, with the Great Council Hall and the prison cells connected by the Bridge of Sighs. The combined ticket includes the Correr Museum.
St Mark's Clock Tower
The 1499 astronomical clock dominates the entrance to the Mercerie. Only visitable on a booked guided tour, climbing through the original mechanisms to the terrace of the Moors.
Acqua alta: when and why
Piazza San Marco is the lowest point in the city: it's the first to flood when the tide rises. The phenomenon is concentrated between October and January, peaking during spring tides. The MOSE flood barrier system has greatly reduced severe flooding, but a small rise in water on the square is still possible even outside that window. If visiting during this period, check the City of Venice's tide forecasts and bring waterproof shoes: raised walkways go up quickly, but the Basilica can close if its crypt floods.
The Basilica and the Doge's Palace have different booking rules: the Basilica is booked with a fixed time slot to skip the outdoor queue, while the Doge's Palace combined ticket already includes fast-track entry. Booking both in advance avoids losing half a day to queues.
Carnival, the Biennale, the Historic Regatta
Carnival takes over the city in February, the Art/Architecture Biennale alternates between April and November, and the Historic Regatta colours the Grand Canal on the first Sunday of September.
See what's onExhibitions at the Doge's Palace and civic museums
Venice's civic museums change their exhibition programme seasonally, with temporary shows at the Doge's Palace, Ca' Pesaro and the Correr Museum.
See the current exhibitionSunset gondola ride and a bacaro crawl
A gondola ride at sunset on the Grand Canal, or a bacaro crawl through Cannaregio's wine bars and cicchetti: two very different ways to close the day.
See evening experiencesRun a business in Venice?
Restaurants, bacari, tour operators, craft workshops: if you'd like to be featured in this section or in "What to See", get in touch.
Staying in the San Marco district means everything is on foot, but it's the most expensive part of the city. Cannaregio or Dorsoduro, 10-15 minutes by vaporetto, offer a more authentic feel at lower prices.
Check available hotels
Filter by area and date directly on Booking.com: live availability and current prices.
Search on Booking.comTransfer
From Marco Polo, the Alilaguna is the most convenient direct link (about 1h15); bus + vaporetto from Piazzale Roma is faster (45-50 min) but requires a change. From Treviso, allow at least 1h15 on the scheduled bus.
Full transfer guideVaporetto and water taxi
No cars run in Venice: you get around only on foot, by vaporetto, or by water taxi. A multi-day ACTV pass is almost always worth it over single tickets.
Vaporetto, ACTV and water taxi
Your first stop in Venice: the square that tells the Serenissima's story
The Basilica, Campanile and Doge's Palace can be visited as a single block. Booking ahead is the simplest way to avoid losing the rest of your day to queues.
See tickets and experiencesSpazio riservato agli operatori locali del territorio.