St. Mark's Square & St. Mark's Basilica★★★
The St. Mark's Square (Piazza San Marco) is the heart of Venice and one of the most famous squares in the world. Napoleon called it "the most beautiful drawing room in Europe." Surrounded by the arcades of the Procuratie, the Campanile (bell tower, 99 m, elevator 10 €) and the St. Mark's Basilica, the square is impressive at any time of day — during high water (Acqua Alta), when it turns into a mirror, the most dramatic.
St. Mark's Basilica (Basilica di San Marco) ★★★
A Byzantine-Romanesque dream church with over 8,000 m² of golden mosaics that shimmer like a sky of light and gold in the semi-darkness. The church was built in 828 to house the relics of St. Mark (smuggled by Venetian merchants from Alexandria — under a load of pork, so the Muslim customs officers wouldn't look). The Pala d'Oro (golden altarpiece with 1,927 gemstones) and the terrace (view over St. Mark's Square, 7 €) are highlights. Entry: Basilica free (reservation 3 € recommended to skip the line), Pala d'Oro 5 €, Museum 7 €.
Doge's Palace (Palazzo Ducale) ★★★
The Doge's Palace was the seat of government of the Republic of Venice (over 1,000 years!) and a masterpiece of Venetian Gothic. Inside: monumental halls with paintings by Tintoretto and Veronese (Tintoretto's "Paradise" in the Great Council Hall is one of the largest oil paintings in the world at 22 × 7 m), the Golden Staircase, the armory, and — accessible via the Bridge of Sighs — the infamous lead chambers (Piombi), from which Casanova escaped in 1756.
💡 Tipp
Arrive at St. Mark's Square before 8 AM — then it's almost empty, and the morning light on the basilica is magical. Or: Visit during Acqua Alta (high water, usually October–January), when walkways are set up and the square is surreal and beautiful. And: An espresso at Caffè Florian (since 1720) costs 12 € — expensive, but you're paying for 300 years of atmosphere.