St. Mark's Square (Piazza San Marco)

Lonely Planet says Piazza San Marco (St. Mark's Square) "beautifully encapsulates the splendour of Venice's past and its tourist-fuelled present." Along the square, visitors will find St. Mark's Basilica and the Doge's Palace, as well as throngs of visitors, (throngs of pigeons for that matter), and vendors selling souvenirs.

You can also find a number of restaurants, ideal for wine sipping and people watching, lining the piazza's perimeter. Restaurant prices tent to run high, but some travelers insist the ambience is worth it. Others, however, were highly disappointed with the teeming piazza, calling it a tourist trap. You should be able to avoid the heaviest crowds by visiting in the late afternoon or evening.