St. Mark's Square
Piazza San Marco is the largest and most important square in Venice. Famously referred to as the 'drawing room of Europe' by Napoleon, it's still the preferred meeting place of locals and tourists alike. It's probably one of the most renowned squares in the world, as well as one of the most beautiful. The expansive square is surrounded by intricate buildings, bustling cafés and restaurants, and boutiques selling Venice's famous Murano glass ornaments and carnival masks. The piazza seems to be busy no matter what time of the year your visit, but this makes it great for people watching and soaking up the atmosphere. However, once the day-trippers have left at the end of the day it does become quieter.
The square is made up of three areas; the main piazza, la Piazzetta and Piazzetta dei Leoni. It's the home of several of Venice's most important sights and the host of the city's main events throughout the year. The magnificent St Mark's Basilica, Doge's Palace, and the 323-foott bell tower dominate the square - its impressive buildings providing a wealth of architecture to be admired against the backdrop of the lagoon.
Recommended on these multi centres
Florence and Venice
8 Day suggested multi centre from £1,069 per person
Book our Florence and Venice multi centre holiday and enjoy eight days of unforgettable sightseeing and lavish food in two of Italy's greatest cities. Start your holiday in Florence, here you will see glorious Renaissance architecture, such as the Duomo of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore designed by Brunelleschi, and the Basilica of San Lorenzo, one of the oldest churches in the city.
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10 Day suggested multi centre from £1,529 per person
Book our Venice, Florence and Rome multi centre, and visit the three biggest stars of Italy. Your 10 day tour starts on the waters of romantic Venice where you'll take a boat ride down the Grand Canal and marvel at the Gothic and Renaissance architecture.
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You don't have to go far from Lake Garda to experience the best of Italy, as this memorable escape shows. Start with Verona – made immortal by Shakespeare's famed Romeo and Juliet – before finishing with time to relax at Italy's largest lake.
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Our 10 night Venice and Lake Garda multi centre holiday, perfect for couples, introduces you to one of the world's most glorious cities before whisking you off to the magical shores of Italy's largest lake.
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London to Lake Garda by Rail
8 Day selfguided multi centre from £1,499 per person
You'll take the slow, scenic route on this rail journey from London to Lake Garda. Stop off at Grand Tour favourites such as Paris and Milan, before spending a few days in "La Serenissima" Venice and the natural beauty that is Lake Garda. Verona, the setting of Romeo and Juliet, is the grand finale.
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When travelling from London, your journey starts at London Victoria and your holiday begins the moment you step off the platform and board the gleaming carriages of the Belmond British Pullman. The Belmond British Pullman takes you to Folkestone where you will board a coach for your channel crossing on the Eurotunnel shuttle. In Calais you board the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express for the journey of a lifetime.
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Venice and Verona
8 Day suggested multi centre from £979 per person
Combine two of Italy's most quintessentially romantic cities in this great seven night trip.
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Lake Como and Venice
From the awe-inspiring shores of Lake Como to the timelessly romantic canals of Venice, this seven-day break combines two of Italy's most spectacular destinations.
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