Venice, in addition to being large and difficult to get around without a map, is a very special city and, to experience it to the fullest, tourists always need some help. For this reason, this page will accompany you to discover the San Marco district, recommending the best attractions and restaurants in the area to discover everything there is to see and experience.
WHERE IS SAN MARCO DISTRICT LOCATED?
To get to the San Marco district from piazzale Roma and from the Santa Lucia station we have two possibilities:
The vaporetto lines are:
line 1 which takes approximately 40 minutes
line 2 which takes more or less 25 minutes.
It takes about 30-40 minutes on foot and the route to follow is Lista di Spagna, Strada Nuova, Campo San Bartolomeo and Mercerie. If you have luggage to carry it is therefore advisable to take the vaporetto.
From Rialto you can reach Piazza San Marco along the Mercerie in about 10 minutes.
WHAT TO DO AND SEE IN THE SAN MARCO DISTRICT
The San Marco district is the richest and most luxurious in the city with its countless monuments and the wealth of art that it contains.
It takes its name from the Basilica erected to contain the body of the evangelist Mark, now patron saint of the city, and has replaced the original name of Rivoalto from which the name Rialto.
The heart of the district is certainly Piazza San Marco, known as the “salon of the world” as the seat of the most important political and religious events for the Republic of Venice, as well as the center of all Venetian life for about a millennium. It should be noted that in the whole city this is the only area that is called "Piazza", since all the other open spaces present are called fields and courtyards.
In this square there are:
Doge's Palace and the Basilica of San Marco, two of the symbols par excellence of the City of Venice
The Old and New Procuratie which incorporate the best cafes in the city, such as Caffè Florian.
The Campanile di San Marco, a place from which you can enjoy a suggestive view over the whole city.
Enjoy a pleasant walk that starts from Piazza San Marco and ends in the Rialto area, along Le Mercerie, the commercial heart of Venice. It is the main shopping street of the city, where you can find luxury shops and jewelers.
Curiosities of the San Marco district
In the San Marco district we find the Marciana Library, famous for a scene shot in the film “The tourist” with Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie. Precisely the scene of the police station was shot where the protagonist ends up having thrown a carabiniere into the lagoon.
Also in the San Marco district we find the Benedetto Marcello Conservatory of Music, in whose courtyard a shooting of the movie Casino Royale is set, chapter of the 007 film series.