Hello! So anyone who knows anything about Venice will know that San Marco's square (or Piazza San Marco for you Italians!) is one of if not the biggest landmark of the city, and it really does deserve that title because it truly is beautiful. I am lucky enough to live a five minute walk away from it and get to walk through it pretty much everyday on my way to university.
It seems to have a atmosphere to it which is hard to explain, it's as if respect just floats in the air as both tourists and residents just seem to look at it in awe.
The buildings of the square are made up of cafes, restaurants and shops which all vary in price. Two jazz bands connected to two of the restaurants add to the atmosphere hugely by playing all day and all night. Within the square you will find hundreds of tourists and double the amount in pigeons haha. I have noticed people actually tend to have bird seed at the ready and sit down and just wait for all the pigeons to flock to them and cover them. It looks pretty cool but not my cup of tea.. pretty extreme lengths to get a new profile picture perhaps... haha!
If you ever get the chance to visit make sure you see it by day and night because each brings a different experience. By day you will of course have to visit all the sites, so the Museo Correr and the Basilica. I went into the Basilica on one of my first days there and it was unlike anything I have ever seen before. I wish I could show you but pictures are not allowed and I totally understand why as it's such a wonderful place of respect. The ceilings are beautiful and according to my History of Venice class at university they were painted by artists from all over Europe and actually consist of real gold and jewels which were stolen by merchants and brought back to Venice. It is free entry but you can pay about three euros if you want to see the treasury or do a confession. We donated to light a candle and say a prayer which was lovely. As I said the amount of respect which floods through the building really is something so it was nice to say one for our loved ones.
Then by night it almost becomes romantic?! People are walking around with roses and all the buildings are lit up, then add in the jazz music in the background and you will know what I mean. I am yet to actually eat or drink at one of the cafes there yet just because of the prices. You really do pay the price to sit in the square so if you are on a budget I wouldn't. We saw it was about fourteen euros for a espresso at one of the cafes and then about a two minute walk out of the square everywhere is selling them for one euro. Still I get why tourists would pay it to say they have done it, all a part of the experience! I have however picked up a ice cream (or ten) at a place just after the clock tower and well, they are incredible. All hail gelato!
We have actually walked through the square at all times of day, once we were on our way home from a night out at about six in the morning and people where still there. Then at the same time there were guys sweeping up ready for the next day. We stopped and had a chat with them and they were Venetians. They had wonderful English (we found out after our poor attempts at Italian) and were telling us just how much they love and cherish the square. It was so nice to hear about how much of a sacred place it really is.
Then attached to the square there is Piazza Ducale and the Doge's palace. I still need to visit all of the places properly before I go into depth but to be honest we are all waiting for the bulk of tourism to go down just a little bit so we can get in.
But it really is a social, political and religious capital and is cannot be compared to anything else. I am hoping to learn more and more about it during my time here so I will keep you updated! But check out my instagram for regular picture updates if you are interested, it is linked to my blog on the right!
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