Most romantic place in the world (Piazza San Marco)

Member Name: MykReeve

Product:	Piazza San Marco
Date:	25/07/00 (82 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Very beautiful

Disadvantages: Prone to flooding

The Piazza San Marco, or St Mark's Square, is the best known square in Venice. Bordered on three sides by the Museo Correr, and with the Basilica San Marco and the Campanile at the east end of the square, this is rightfully acknowledged as one of the most impressive and beautiful places in the world. When I stumbled across it while wandering fairly aimlessly (and maplessly) through the city in December 1997, the square was shrouded in fog, and the Basilica at the far end of the square was only visible at all because it was illuminated. The scene was truly ethereal, and I think just this view of the square was what really endeared Venice to me.

The Museo Correr around the square, holds an impressive collection of Venetian art, as well as several works from Flemish and Paduan artists, so that their influences on Venetian art can be traced. On the south side of the square, is Florian's café, a popular meeting place of writers in the 19th century, a favourite of Dickens, Proust and Lord Byron. The café is quite small, and despite spilling onto the pavement outside, there is always a queue to get in.

With the frequent threat of flooding, and how low the square is, duckboards are often distributed all over the square, allowing visitors to walk across the square without getting their feet wet. When I visited the square, a few boards were still in position, but most had been neatly piled out of the way.

The Piazza San Marco is a stunningly beautiful place, and although I doubt that anyone visiting Venice wouldn't walk through the square, it certainly shouldn't be missed!

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