San Marco

The most classic of the itineraries, in the heart of Venice: Piazza San Marco is a place full of beauty and charm, the fulcrum of history, art and culture.

Our itinerary begins at the Tronchetto Terminal (possibility of departure from the Port of Venice or Punta Sabbioni, according to requirements) where passengers will be welcomed by our staff, who will assist them in the boarding phases.

After disembarking in Piazza San Marco, passengers will be free to visit it independently.

Piazza San Marco owes its name to the Basilica of the same name, which was built starting from the 9th century. The beating heart of Venice as well as the political and religious centre of the city, once the square was the city’s only entrance from the sea.
Piazza San Marco is trapezoidal in shape, closed on the long sides by the Procuratie Vecchie and the Procuratie Nuove. The Procuratie Vecchie, designed by the architects Sansovino and Codussi, extend along the north side of the square. They are two-storey arcaded buildings, of Renaissance origin, and get their name because the procuratie of San Marco once lived there.
The Procuratie Nuove are now the seat of the Correr Civic Museum, the Museum of the Risorgimento and the Archaeological Museum, which houses a precious collection of Greek marbles from the Grimani family; Napoleon added the wing of the same name to them.

The Doge’s Palace was the political seat of the Serenissima Republic, residence of the Doge and of the highest offices of the state. A splendid example of flamboyant Gothic style, the palace is perhaps the highest expression of Venetian art. The interior spaces, frescoed by the likess of Tiziano, Veronese, Tiepolo and Tintoretto, are worth a visit.
In the courtyard you can admire the famous Scala dei Giganti, a masterpiece of Renaissance art.

Next to the Doge’s Palace is the Basilica of San Marco where it is possible to visit the palatine chapel and the mausoleum of the patron saint. The Basilica is in Romanesque-Byzantine style and has a five-domed roof. The façade, from which five portals open up, is decorated with precious marbles and mosaics. The most famous are those that decorate the atrium and represent stories from the Bible.
Those who want to can climb up the San Marco bell tower, which is located next to the Basilica and once served as a lighthouse for sailors.

At the end of the visit, at the point of disembarkation in San Marco (Riva degli Schiavoni – Pontile Cornoldi), passengers will find a boat waiting for them that will take them back to the boarding point.