St Marks Square was called ‘The drawing Room of Europe” by Napoleon. We went there twice and both times was a little subdued. For those on a short visit to Venice, the square might be the only thing they see. On one side is St Marks Basilica, there is The Doges Palace, many smart cafes and shops and a great big open area in the middle.
Our first visit was in the evening before our tour of St Marks Basilica after hours – link
After our tour we walked across a very wet, dark and empty square.
The next morning we passed through the square on the way to our tour of the Doges Palace. The weather was great and the crowds where not too bad. Link to Doges Palace tour
After our tour we were surprised that the square was not as full as expected.
Review of St Marks Square –
- It was lovely to see in both good and bad conditions
- It IS the place to be seen
- There is no point going to Venice and not seeing The Square but there are lots of other places to go !
- It must be a lovely place for a stroll and a people-watching-coffee early in the morning
- The coffees are terribly expensive, but could be considered an important once in a lifetime experience.