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Bucket list experience:

Last updated: 24 November, 2022
Expert travel writer: Nicky Swallow

Surely the most exquisite place of worship in Italy, St Mark’s is a cathedral built to satisfy the wildest dreams of the Doges.

Built in the 11th century to house the alleged remains of St Mark, its Byzantine mosaics, Gothic carvings and sumptuous treasures were accumulated during many centuries of Venetian trading and looting.

From the Pala d’Oro (jewel-encrusted altarpiece, made in Costantinopoli in 976) to its wealth of sculptures and magnificent bronze horses rearing over the piazza, its OTT opulence, both inside and out, it is a testament to La Serenissima’s power and might.

Don’t miss

Zip up in the lift to the top of the 99-metre campanile, or bell tower (separate ticket, open daily year round) for views that take in the whole city, its lagoon and, on a clear day, the distant Dolomite mountains.

Recommended itineraries by our writers that include this experience

Price: Free
Minimum age: Any
Age suitable: 18+
When: All year around

Our writer’s picks of the best places to stay near this experience, closest first

Londra Palace Venezia

Venice, Veneto, Italy[0.3 miles]

A prime waterfront location minutes from Piazza San Marco, magnificent views over the water to San Giorgio Maggiore and lovely service make this a popular choice for stays in central Venice.

Official star rating:

St. Regis Venice

Venice, Veneto, Italy[0.4 miles]

The newly-revamped St. Regis offers a magnificent Grand Canal location, some 180 airy, fresh rooms, butler service and a young, fresh, retro-glam vibe. Cocktails and meals (including breakfast) on the dreamy canalside terrace are a treat.

Official star rating:

Hotel Flora

Venice, Veneto, Italy[0.5 miles]

This family-friendly (and family-run), old-fashioned charmer occupies a tall, 17th-century palazzo just a stroll from St. Mark’s Square and the vaporetto stop.

Official star rating:

Gritti Palace

Venice, Veneto, Italy[0.6 miles]

The grandest Dame of Venice’s classic hotels and wonderfully opulent, the Gritti lords it over the Grand Canal from a superb spot across from the Salute church and just 10 minutes’ walk from Piazza San Marco.

Official star rating:

Destination guides including or relevant to this experience

Venice

Veneto, Italy

Crammed with picturesque canals, Renaissance palazzos and artistic masterpieces, this unique and alluring city is heaven-on-earth for art lovers and romantics.

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Our writer’s recommendations of other bucket list experiences our writer says you must do in this destination, closest first

Doge’s Palace

Venice, Veneto, Italy[0.1 miles]

A glittering monument to the Golden Age of Venice – ducal, divine and downright decadent. From Casanova’s rooftop escapade to the twisty tale behind Tintoretto’s enormous Paradise paintings, these walls have seen Venetian history at its most decadent and devious.

Best for ages: 18+ | £25

Saint Mark’s Square
Experience

Saint Mark’s Square

Venice, Veneto, Italy[0.1 miles]

It’s huge, and often crowded, but St. Mark’s square is one of the most emblematic spots in the city and is lined with over-priced cafés that offer live music. But out of season, on a foggy winter’s evening or at dawn, it’s undeniably atmospheric.

Best for ages: 13+ | Free

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Accademia Gallery (Venice)

Venice, Veneto, Italy[1 miles]

From Titian to Tiepolo, the Accademia’s world-class collection represents the Golden Age of Venetian painting. A dazzling collection of masterpieces but also a voyage through the history of Venice itself.

Best for ages: 18+ | £15

Other worthwhile experiences near this experience if you have time or interest..

Bridge of Sighs
Experience

Bridge of Sighs

Venice, Veneto, Italy[0.1 miles]

Although you can’t actually walk over it, the Bridge of Sighs (visible from the Ponte di Paglia) is one of Venice’s most famous sights and links the Doge’s Palace to the adjacent prisons and torture chamber. The sighs were emitted by prisoners en route knowing what awaited them.

Best for ages: 18+ | Free

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Coffee at Café Florian
Experience

Coffee at Café Florian

Venice, Veneto, Italy[0.1 miles]

Dating from 1720, world-famous Florian’s is a jewel-box of a café, all mirrors, stuccoes and frescoes. Join the locals perched at the bar rather than pay way over the odds for a table seat where a simple espresso is likely to set you back €10.

Best for ages: 13+ | Free

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Correr Museum
Experience

Correr Museum

Venice, Veneto, Italy[0.2 miles]

Dedicated to the history of the Venetian Republic, the Correr museum houses an eclectic collection of documents, maps, coins, ivories, weapons and so on. Artworks include paintings by Veneziano, Tintoretto, Antonello da Messina and Carpaccio whose Two Venetian Noblewomen appears on many a postcard.

Best for ages: 13+ | £17

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Palazzo Grimani
Experience

Palazzo Grimani

Venice, Veneto, Italy[0.3 miles]

The little-visited Palazzo Grimani is one of the city’s great Renaissance palazzos, now a museum housing an extraordinary collection of classical sculptures, stuccoes, elaborate frescoes and paintings by Hieronymus Bosch.

Best for ages: 18+ | £5

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Round-ups that include this experience

101 World’s greatest historic buildings

Multiple countries

The great civilisations of the past have left a legacy of constructions that still stand out and inspire. Built without the wonders of 20th-century technology, many are also monumental feats of engineering; others offer such grace and beauty, that they’ll literally take your breath away.

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