Piazza San Marco

Piazza San Marco is the main public square of Venice, in the San Marco district of Italy's Veneto region, and it is often described as the only piazza in the city, with other squares called campi. The large trapezoid is framed by St Mark's Basilica at the eastern end, the Doge's Palace and the Campanile on the lagoon side, and the arcaded Procuratie buildings along the north and south sides. The Museo Correr is at the western end, in the Napoleonic wing. Beneath the arcades are historic cafes, including Caffe Florian, opened in 1720, and Caffe Quadri, which have tables and small orchestras in the square. Drinks here carry a music surcharge, so the cost of a coffee is far above that of a bar in the side streets. The Torre dell'Orologio, the clock tower at the entrance to the Mercerie, marks the hours with two bronze figures striking the bell on top. Just off the square, the Piazzetta leads to the waterfront with its two columns topped by the lion of St Mark and Saint Theodore. The square is free and open at all times. Most visitors spend one to two hours looking at the buildings and taking photographs. It is very crowded from mid-morning to late afternoon, and pigeon feeding is banned. The square is often flooded by acqua alta, mostly in autumn and winter, and raised walkways are set up. Early morning and late evening are far quieter and give the best chance of photographs without crowds. Vaporetto stops San Marco Vallaresso and San Zaccaria are a few minutes away.