What to see at Piazza San Marco
Six stops that tell a thousand years of the Serenissima, from the Byzantine basilica to the mechanism of the astronomical clock.
St Mark's Basilica
Built from the 9th century to house the relics of St Mark, it's a Byzantine masterpiece unlike anything else in the West: five domes, over 8,000 sqm of gold mosaics, the Pala d'Oro in the sanctuary. Entry is free, but the Pala d'Oro and the San Marco Museum (with the original horses) require separate paid tickets.
St Mark's Campanile
Venetians' "paron de casa" (master of the house), standing 98.6 metres tall. The 9th-century original collapsed in 1902 and was rebuilt identically ten years later. A lift takes you to the bell chamber: views over the whole lagoon, reaching the Alps on clear days.
Doge's Palace
Venetian Gothic at its purest: the pink-and-white diamond-pattern facade conceals the Republic's halls of power, from the Great Council Hall (the largest in Europe) to the prison cells reached via the Bridge of Sighs.
St Mark's Clock Tower
The 1499 astronomical clock shows moon phases, zodiac signs and the time of day. Above, two bronze Moors have struck the hours for over 500 years. Visits only by booked guided tour, with limited spots.
Correr Museum
In the square's Napoleonic wing: the history of Venice, paintings by Bellini and Carpaccio, and a view over the square from an angle few visitors seek out. Included in the combined ticket with the Doge's Palace.
Bridge of Sighs
Connects the Doge's Palace to the New Prisons: from here, the condemned caught their last glimpse of the lagoon before their cell. Crossed only as part of a Doge's Palace visit; from outside, it's best photographed from Ponte della Paglia.
Want to skip the lines?
The Basilica and the Doge's Palace can be booked with a fixed time slot: the difference is most noticeable between April and October.
See tickets and experiencesCarnival, 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.
Spazio riservato agli operatori locali del territorio.