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Venice Travel Guide


General planning:


Transportation:


Enjoying Venice:


On the mainland:


San Giorgio Maggiore photo by Matthew Dixon

Aerial Venice
Explore Venice from the air, with explanatory text.


More resources:

Piazza San Marco

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Piazza San Marco

ABOVE: Piazza San Marco or St. Mark's Square, facing the Basilica. On the right is the Campanile, a brick bell tower that you can ascend by elevator.

Reaching the Piazza

On foot: Just follow the yellow "San Marco" signs on the corners of buildings. The walk from the train station or the Piazzale Roma will take 30 minutes to an hour or more, depending on your pace and how often you zigzag off the most direct route.

By waterbus: Two of the Grand Canal's year-round vaporetto lines stop at the Piazza:

  •  The No. 1 local starts at the Piazzale Roma, stopping at the railway station and a dozen other points before reaching San Marco.

  • The No. 2 line begins at San Zaccaria , heads toward the island of San Giorgio Maggiore and down the Giudecca Canal on its way to the Tronchetto parking island, then stops at the Piazzale Roma and the train station before coming up the Grand Canal to San Marco Vallaresso.

Note: Several other lines stop beyond San Marco at San Zaccaria , which is just up the waterfront from the Piazza. For detailed waterbus information, see our Vaporetto Routes article.

Related articles

Hotels Near the Piazza San Marco
If you're a first-time visitor to Venice, you'll probably want to stay near St. Mark's Square, the Basilica, and the Doge's Palace. Our article lists hotels on all sides of the Piazza, in every price category.

San Marco by the numbers
Use the figures in the photo to identify the major landmarks around St. Mark's Square.

St. Mark's Basin by the numbers
Follow the numerals to find the Salute Church, the island of Giudecca, and other Venice landmarks.

Campanile di San Marco
Venice's 325-foot bell tower isn't what it appears to be, but the view from the top is unsurpassed. (It was also occupied briefly by the "Most Serene Venetian Army" in 1997.)


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Photo by gianlucabartoli

Hotel Advice:

Location can be important in a car-free city with 400+ bridges, especially when you're walking with luggage. Before you book, see:

  • Aerial Venice Hotels
    Read our tips on choosing the right sestiere or district. Then view individual hotels and their surroundings in large satellite photos and aerial close-ups.

MSC cruise ship in Venice

Venice for Cruisers:


Venice canal reflections

A water taxi ride to Venice Airport
A warning about water taxis
Venice Railroad Station: a vaporetto view
Long lines at Venice Airport
Free boat trips to Murano
Need to pee? Prepare to pay
Crime in Venice
The perils of overpacking
Venetian daily life


Maggie in Venice

From Maggie in Venice:

A dog's life in Venice
A Beagle boards a water bus
Maggie in Venice video clips


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