Piazza San Marco is the place most dear to the hearts of all Venetians, as well as to the hearts of its thousands of annual visitors. The square is as overwhelming as it is exhilarating; overwhelming for its size and the hordes of tourists it holds, and exhilarating because as squares go this one is nearly perfect in its shape and architectural details. Grandiose buildings and monuments define its boundaries, on its western side stands St. Mark’s Basilica, a uniquely Venetian Byzantium-Gothic building that was completed in 1094. Next to the Basilica stands, the luxurious Doge Palace constructed in 1419. Several museums also are found on the Piazza, including the Library of Sansoviniana, and the Correr Museum. The symmetry and beauty of St. Mark’s Square tends to leave even the most callus traveler dumbstruck. It was once described by Napoleon as the “Finest drawing room on Europe.” Our professional narrator guides visitors around the piazza explaining its extraordinary history, its magnificent buildings and telling captivating stories about the lives of the people involved.