The Glorious San Marco in Venice

Travel Date:

Sunday, 25th May 2014

First day in Venice. Our next activity was to sail from Giudecca Hilton through a private boat to the most tourist bustling areas in Venice -- San Marco. It is famous because of San Marco Basilica, the Piazza San Marco (St. Marks Square) and other known tourist destinations. We docked somewhere at Riva Ca di Dio area.

On our way to St. Mark's Square, we walked along the Riva Ca di Dio street and we passed the Santa Maria della Visitazione, or della Pietà - one of the churches with Venetian architecture constructed from 1745-1760 by Giorgio Massari. We further walked along the Riva degli Schiavoni street, passed the Monumento Nazionale a Vittorio Emanuele II or the The Victor Emmanuel II Monument. Then walked over a small bridge across Rio del Vin before the Hotel Danieli.

On our way to St. Mark's Square, we walked along the Riva Ca di Dio street and we passed the Santa Maria della Visitazione, or della Pietà - one of the churches with Venetian architecture constructed from 1745-1760 by Giorgio Massari. We further walked along the Riva degli Schiavoni street, passed the Monumento Nazionale a Vittorio Emanuele II or the The Victor Emmanuel II Monument. Then walked over a small bridge across Rio del Vin before the Hotel Danieli.

Did you know that Hotel Danieli was part Angelina Jolie and Johnny Depp's "The Tourist" film? They used the hotel's interior courtyard in the film.

As we further walked, they said we have to take a deep breath before we move to the next venture, crossing the arch bridge over Rio de Palazzo o de Canonica. On top of this bridge, you will see the famous "The Bridge of Sighs" or known locally as "Ponte dei Sospiri". This bridge connects the old prison and interrogation cells Doge's Palace. They say this one of the busiest arc bridges in Venice and we're lucky we had the chance to take pictures.

Next to the bridge is the Museo di Palazzo Ducale (Doge's Palace/Museum) an impressive structure in Gothic-styled architecture and designs built during the 14th and 15th centuries. It has 3 large blocks: left block (wing towards St. Mark’s Basin constructed on 1340 onwards, on the right block (the side towards St. Mark’s Square) built on 1424 onwards and the last block, the canal-side wing was built between 1483 and 1565. It was opened as a public museum in 1923. On the right side of the Palazzo Ducale leads to St. Mark's Square.

At Piazza San Marco, we saw a lot of tourists observing and taking some pictures of the plaza. There were a lot of restaurants as well, cafe tables and pigeons flying around and on the piazza floor. From there, we saw the Basilica di San Marco, Campanile di San Marco (San Marco bell tower), as well as the Torre dell'Orologio (the Clock Tower). Please check out more photos and more information on my next article about Saint Mark's Square.

This sightseeing walk tour did not end at Piazza San Marco, there was a lovely treat awaits us. Please see next article to find out.

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