Venice | St. Mark's Square | Most imposing Structures | Flooding in Square

NAVIGATING SAN MARCO and the PIAZZETTA (St. Mark's Square)

After your first visit to Venice--and I certainly hope you have several more--you'll know the routes, pitfalls and points of interest like a pro. Perhaps like me, you've learned the most interesting sites are around the St. Marks's Square staying close to the Piazza San Marco. Visit the Basilica San Marco, Doge’s Palace next door and take the elevator to the top of the Campanile (the church’s bell tower) first. But the key here is to visit the square when everyone else isn’t there.

Of course, in order to do this you’ll probably need to spend at least one night in Venice. The best times to catch St. Mark’s Square at her most underexposed times are early morning and late evening, before the day-trippers arrive or after they’ve left.

The first time we visited during the day there were hordes of pigeons causing people to jump, duck and dance and doing what is otherwise known as the "pigeon polka"... a spontaneous "Square" dance.

The second time I visited Venice and St. Mark's was in the evening and my concentration was dancing to the romantic music emanating from the orchestras in St. Mark's Square (maybe the pigeons were asleep!). We ducked into Caffè Florian to steal a peek at the most famous Venetian café and one of the most discreet rendezvous in Venice since 1720. Today, it's most famous for its outdoor seating and orchestra, but do slip inside and view the richly decorated, 18th-century rooms where Casanova, Lord Byron, Charles Dickens, and Woody Allen have all paid too much for a drink.

Go in the evening. Buy a drink stand behind the diners, listen to the orchestras.. and dance! In the evening, the square completely transforms as the musicians begin to play and the day-trippers head out of town. This is the time to sit down and have a cup of coffee or glass of wine and enjoy the music... if you can afford to sit down! There is a 5 euro per person cover charge if you do. The "dueling orchestras" however, are great at night in San Marco Square. As each orchestra takes an intermission.. another orchestra starts playing.... and the tourists move on with them, listening, dancing, and clapping to the music.

Navigating St. Mark's Square: The center and the most frequented part of Venice is Saint Mark's Square--the "drawing-room of Europe," according to Napoleon. At the eastern end are the Campanile, Saint Mark's Cathedral and the Doges' Palace, the three most important and imposing structures in Venice. The northern side of the piazza is occupied by the Procuratie Vecchie (1496) and the southern side by the Procuratie Nuove (1584), both built in Italian Renaissance style. Torre dell’Orologio (Clock Tower) is behind the Campanile.

The Campanile (Bell Tower) is in the center court standing guard near the "little square," Piazzetta San Marco leading to the Molo, or main dock.

The Molo: The walkway-- or promenade--called the Riva, extends eastwards for half a mile lined with luxury hotels, palazzo's and marble bridges. To the right of the Molo and behind Doges Palace is the Bridge of Sighs. Many vaporetto routes stop at the Molo (including the cruise ship passengers to and from the ship). You can go on trips to just about anywhere around the lagoon from here. The official name of this Waterbus stop is San Zaccaria and this is the name you'll see on all the waterbus maps and timetables (Notice that San Marco is written in small letters beneath it so don't let this confuse you.). It's also a great parking place for gondolas, so you will be pestered by stripy-shirted men offering their services. The Molo is also the number one spot for artists to hang out, displaying their wares and filling in time by painting more. If you want a portrait of your loved one, or of yourself, there's someone here do a do a quick sketch or a full oil painting. There are also a lot of outdoor restaurants here.

The Columns (Doges Palace on left-Libreria Sansoviana on right) The Bridge of Sighs from the Molo (behind Doges Palace)

THE COLUMNS--The entrance to the Piazzetta was the ceremonial landing spot for great officials and distinguished visitors. This “front door” to Venice, the Molo, is marked by two massive granite columns brought from the Orient in the 12th century. One supports the winged lion of St. Mark supporting a book and the other, St. Theodore, Venice's first patron, standing on a crocodile.

THE BRIDGE OF SIGHS--As you arrive by water, just to the right of the Molo is the Bridge of Sighs. You will get a great pedestrian view of the Bridge of Sighs that arcs over the Rio de Vin canal connecting it to the Palazzo's prisons because you will be looking at the back of the Doge's Palace (on the right above photo). Unfortunately, it is also first target for the cruise ship passengers who swamp the bridge.

Inside the Bridge of Sighs

MUSEUMS

Le PROCURATIE : Le Procuratie, (Vecchie on right and Nuove, left) once housed the Procuratori of San Marco, the highest representative magistrates after the Doge himself. The northern, long side of the piazza is occupied by the Procuratie Vecchie and the southern side by the Procuratie Nuove. The Museo Correr (west end facing the Basilica) encloses the "square." The Libreria Sansoviana is located in the Procuratie Nuove and continues around into the area of the piazzeta (small square ) leading to the Molo.

Procuratie Vecchie Procuratie Nuove

The Procuratie Nuove that occupies the south side of Piazza San Marco, was built in neoclassical style and divided into 9 apartments for the procurators of St. Mark. With the fall of the Republic they became the Royal Palace of Napoleon. The Procuratie Nuove contains extensive and valuable collections of coins, paintings, furniture, sculptures and much more. Inside this museum you can experience the entire history of Venice, from its origins until the last century, through an interesting path that will allow visitors to discover the uses and customs of the city, but also its art and architecture. The entrance to this Museum is located under the Napoleonic wing, with the following opening hours: 10am -7pm.

The Museo Correr is the City museum and the historical Risorgimento museum. The museum presents an overview of the old Venetian Serenissima Republic and Venetian paintings from its origins to today .

• San Marco Square Pass: $35.00 per person This pass includes the Doge's Palace, Museo Correr, Archaeological Museums and the Biblioteca Nazionale Marciana. This pass is ideal for the traveler who only has a day or two to spend in Venice.

• Museums Pass: $45.00 per person. For the traveler who has more time to explore Venice's treasures, the Venice Museums Pass includes all of the San Marco Museums plus the Murano Glass Factory, Burano Lace Factory, Ca'Rezzonico, Palazzo Mocenigo, Carlo Goldini's house, Ca' Pesaro and the Museum of Natural History - 11 great museums in all!
Order Museum Passes on-line HERE.

Tip: You can also buy tickets by the Museo Correr. A combined ticket for 5 museums (San Marco Museum Plus) including the Doge's Palace, without having to wait in long lines. Walk around and see some of the interesting relics and paintings, then leave and come back in the morning (9am) for the Doges' Palace tour, (included in the ticket price). Check also, to see if this price includes the Campanile so that you won't have to stand in long lines there.

DINING AND SHOPS: A covered arcade goes around the entire square with entrances into many fine cafes and shops of all kinds.

The Florian is located on the South side of Piazza San Marco, below the Procuratie Nuove, and was opened in 1720 by Floriano Francesconi with original name "The Venice Triumphant." It has boasted many illustrious guests, among them Giacomo Casanova. Its inner rooms are richly adorned with stuccoes, paintings and mirrors.

Caffè Lavena is located on the north side of the Piazza San Marco, not far from the clock tower, and was opened in 1750 as a "Coffee Shop. This is another of the large outdoor cafes in Piazza San Marco, in the heart of Venice.

Il Caffè Quadri, not far from Lavena and also in the square, Quadri consists of three rooms available to its customers with outdoor seating in summer, where you can listen to the bands that perform music in Piazza San Marco.

Harry’s Bar, opened in 1931 by the Cipriani Family, where many writers, artists, celebrities and aristocrats have passed their hours away. The place is tiny and quite hidden out of the way. It's limited in atmosphere but not in exorbitant prices. Dining is mostly upstairs in a cramped space. Be aware that they have a dress code. No shorts on men and they must have collared shirts. They also frown on picture-taking inside.

The home of the original Bellini

But do go there in the name of history where the likes of Hemingway and his cronies hung out and ordered Bellini's - you won't be disappointed! At 15-20 Euros each, you'll just be broke! When I returned to the States I made my own Bellini's from the original recipe and had a Bellini Party--served 6 drinks for $3 each! My recipe HERE!

NOTE: Be prepared to pay exorbitant prices for food and drinks in all these cafes and bars.

FLOODING IN THE SQUARE (aqua alta)
If you notice water coming into the city square, pay no attention, the city isn't sinking! The phenomenon occurs mainly between autumn and spring (during the fall and winter months). In November, it seems to occur on a regular basis. The flooding of Venice is directly related to tides in the Venetian lagoon. The high water "aqua alta," normally only lasts a few hours a day. You will notice, in the city, piles of metal trestles and planks of wood. They are used as walking platforms during the seasonal high tides which flood many parts of Venice at regular and irregular intervals. I am amused by how the resilient Venetians are. The warning siren sounds a couple of times signaling high water, and they don their hip boots and go about their business. Merchants stand in doorways sweeping the water out with little straw brooms. Some shop doors have small barriers to help stem the tide.

On the day we were there, the brackish waters overflowed the Molo. Luckily, for us, we were headed back to our hotel before we had to deal with the floods in the Square. But I will now always include some sort of "emergency" footwear when I pack for a trip to Venice...( like 4 black trash bags and a stash of large rubber bands--to double bag each foot!) They roll up nice and tight in the suitcase, and can be pitched when we leave Venice. Plastic blue boots can be purchased in the area but they are not durable and won't last longer than to get you to your hotel. My concern was to get from the hotel to the water taxi on the Molo without ending up with soggy tennis shoes for the rest of our cruise trip.

Should you be caught in a flood here in Venice (and believe me, it does happen), DO NOT REMOVE your shoes and walk barefooted even though you may see others doing so. The floodwater contains saline and sewage. Once you reach dry land, scrub your feet and shoes under plenty of fresh running water.

These visitors are enjoying the Venice phenomena

A “floodgate” project called MOSE intended to keep Venice as dry has been on the table for three decades. It has been protested, sued against, blocked and stalled in all sorts of ways for 30 years. The original date of completion was given as 2010. This has now moved to 2014. Hence the costs have also changed. MOSE was budgeted at $4.5 billion, more or less, depending on whose estimates you follow, a number which, in 2008, had risen to $7 billion. What's to come? One will have to wait and see...

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The two most popular attractions in St. Mark’s Square are the San Marco Basilica and the Doge’s Palace. Both can be visited by wheelchair tourists. St. Mark's Square square is flat and smooth. The entrance without steps is in the NW corner. For San Marco Basilica, a ramp can be found on the left (north) side to provide step-free access. Doge's Palace has an elevator to get to the 2nd floor. Museo Correr – Call +39-041-2405211 to arrange for a ramp to be installed for access. Then you can use a 57cm elevator to the 2nd floor. The Bridge of Sighs entrance from the Doge’s Palace is not wheelchair accessible. There is a bridge to the south (along the water’s edge) where you can view it. It has ramps but is quite steep and you might need assistance.