Piazza San Marco by Trillian2005
The Piazza San Marco is the heart of Venice. It's lined by cafés and restaurants, but let's forget food and drink, albeit exquisite, for a moment. Stand in the middle of the piazza (square), ignore the pigeons circling overhead and begging for goodies, and take a look around. You'll be amazed!First suggestion: face the Basilica di San Marco - a grandiose and magnificent hodgepodge of Byzantine domes, mosaics, and plundered treasures from the Middle East.
Then look to the left of the Basilica and catch a glimpse of the Palazzo Ducale, or Doge's Palace. It looks a little unusual with its warehouse-like upper stories being supported by two layers of delicate stone arches, but it's striking nevertheless.
Now turn toward the Campanile, a guard tower from the 8th century that was rebuilt after a sudden collapse in 1902. You can take an elevator to the top for a fantastic view of the city and the lagoon.
