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Campanile – Before you go into St. Mark's Basilica,
take the elevator up the Bell Tower (Campanile) in the Piazza. From
the bell tower kids will get a bird's eye view of Venice, and the pigeons
in the square down below. It's a great way to get a feel for the shape of
the city, and from that vantage point, there are rooftops galore, but the
network of canals aren't visible. |
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St. Mark's Basilica (Basilica di San Marco) –
Venice has two patron saints, St. Theordor and St. Mark. St. Theodore was there
first, but in the 9th century, two Venetian merchants stole St. Mark's body
from Alexandria. St. Mark found a permanent resting place in the church
on this site. In the shadows of the basilica, look for yards of exquisite
mosaics adorned with gold. |
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 Climb
up onto the Loggia of the church to see the four life-size gilded copper
horses, brought from Constantinople in the 13th century. These horses
really got around – in 1797 Napoleon carried them off, but
returned the horses to Venice a few years later.
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Entrance to the loggia also includes museum (which houses
the original bronze horses). In the museum kids can see mosaics up close,
thousands of shimmering gold and glass tesserae, views of the church from
high up (looking down over the crossing), and wooden models of the Basilica. |
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Treasury – Older kids will enjoy a turn through the Treasury, exquisite
examples of gold treasures from Byzantium – chalices, enamels icons
studded with precious stones, gilded Gothic candlesticks, and reliquaries
of all kinds containing bones and other Christian artifacts. Don't miss of arm reliquary of St. George and icon of archangel Michael. |
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Pala d'Oro is an altarpiece decorated with thousands of garnets, rubies, pearls and
sapphires. In front the altarpiece is the sarcophagus of St. Mark. |
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Floor mosaics – Be sure to look down at the floor mosaics – geometric patterns and fabulous creatures – as you go through the basilica. |
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Read our blog post Visiting St. Mark's Basilica – time entrance, find the only restroom inside, and discover golden treasures. |
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Doge's Palace (Palazzo Ducale) – Situated right
next to the Basilica is the gleaming pink and white Doge's Palace, once the center
of Venetian government. Step up the Scala d'Oro, the grand
staircase with frescoes embellished with real gold. Kids may prefer the Armoury filled with antique weapons to all the Tintorettos, but in the Sala del Maggior Consiglio, don't miss the battle paintings, Fall of Constantinople and Battle of Salvore. And be sure to finish up your visit, crossing over the Bridge of Sighs and exploring the state prison (Venetians were famous for popping people into the dungeons). |
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Tower of the Clock (Torre dell'Orologio) – Kitty corner
to the Basilica is the clock tower, marking time, phases of the moon, seasons
and signs of the zodiac for over 500 years. At the very top of the tower,
are two bronze figures, "the Moors." On the hour, the figure rotates
his arm and the bell chimes quite loudly. The clock tower is also ornamented
with an especially lovely lion of St. Mark, on a background of blue and
gold stars. |
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Caffe Florian – If you're looking for a splurge
treat, stop into the oldest cafe in Italy, founded in 1720. You can sit
outside on the piazza, but for the full effect, sit inside, where you can
enjoy red velvet banquettes, gilded walls and painted ceilings. Tea would
be traditional, but desserts and hot chocolate are fun. |
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Look for the lions – St. Mark is the patron saint
of Venice, symbolized by the winged lion. You'll find wonderful examples
of the lion of St. Mark all around the Piazza San Marco – on the clock
tower, the entrance to the Doge's Palace, the bronze gate in front of the
campanile, on the exterior of the Basilica, on the eastern column in the Piazetta, kids can climb on the red marble lion in the square next to the north side of the Basilica, and more. |
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After you've had enough indoor stuff, head down the piazza
towards the water, passing by the two granite columns, one topped with the
winged lion, the other St. Teodoro. To the west is a small public garden,
the Giardini Ex Reali. It has benches, trees, and it's a good place to sit
down and enjoy a gelato. |
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Stroll down the Riva degli Schiavoni – A typical
Venetian thing to do is take a stroll, and it's a great walk from Piazza
San Marco east, down the wide promenade, the Riva degli Schiavoni. Bustling
and busy, it's also a great place to watch the boats go by – large
car ferries, vaporetti, water taxis, tugs, red and white fire boats, gondolas,
cruise ships, pleasure motor boats in all shapes and sizes. |
