Europe Trip 2003

Venice - Piazza San Marco

Piazza San Marco | City Sights

After a crowded train ride from Florence we arrived at the water-logged city of Venice. Though famous for it's canals, the town is also made up of a maze of twisty walkways and bridges since there are no roads. Getting from one point to another is always a challenge and usually fun, unless you are sick. David had been feeling ill since leaving Florence and trying to navigate through the maze of alleyways didn't help. We didn't have a hotel reserved and trying to find one with a vacancy added to his misery. We eventually found a decent hotel near the Piazza San Marco.

We made many crossings through this square since it is the main area of the city. This large square is particularly impressive as it is one of the few open areas in Venice. It is surrounded by expensive cafes and swarming with pigeons. On one side of the square is the Basilica di San Marco which is a golden church decorated with frescoes and mosaics. Nearby, there is a brick campanile, or bell tower, which looks over the city. We went to the top of the tower and had great views of the piazza, the city and surrounding canals.

At night the square is filled with music. The cafes provide orchestras to entertain those willing to pay for their expensive drinks. Very few people would actually sit down at these expensive cafes since the orchestras sounded as sweet and could be enjoyed for free by standing just outside the cafe borders.