Winding around and around the narrow streets and bridges of Venice, one begins to wonder, "will I ever get there?" Taking time to enter shops and looking for one-of-kind treasures while staring up at building signs indicating to go here for St. Marks Square, in Italian of course, I never thought I would get there. But then all of sudden you hit a narrow passage (among the several hundred other ones) and all you can see is straight in front you. As you come to the end of passage you see St. Mark's Basilica to your left, but nothing prepares you when you look to your right and realize that here you are, right here, in St. Mark's Square. First walking into the square was absolutely breathtaking! I was absolutely amazed at the sheer size and the fact that I was right here!

During Venice's heyday, dozens of victims either lost their heads or were strung up here, many of them first subjected to torture. One, for example, had his teeth hammered in, his eyes gouged out, and his hands cut off before being strung up. If you stand with your back to the canal, looking toward the south facade of St. Mark's, you'll see the so-called Virgin and Child of the Poor Baker, a mosaic honoring Pietro Fasiol (Faziol), a young man unjustly sentenced to death on a charge of murder.

Caveat: Wear a hat and keep moving! Pigeons here in Italy, and in Europe in general, I find to be particularly brave. Pigeons will land on you like you're a statue! I've seen it happen! Wear a hat to protect yourself from any stray excrement. If you should ignore my warning and go without a hat and find yourself a target, Rick Steve (travel journalist, whose book we consulted along our trip) warns to wait until it has dried and then you can easily flake it off instead of it running all throughout your hair.

Sure, there's no doubt you'll end up in St. Mark's Square while in Venice. And, yes, it's even more beautiful in person than it is in all the books. But if you're like us and you don't have a lot of time, there are three things you must do.

First of all, buy some food and feed the pigeons. You won't be able to help giggling as the birds swarm around you! (It's also probably the cheapest thing you'll do during your stay!)

Second, take the elevator to the top of the campanille. The view is AMAZING! You get a 360-degree view of the tiled rooftops and intricate canal system of Venice, as well as the surrounding sea and islands. It's a great place to take a breather and take it all in. It's also a great way to START your visit and exporation of Venice because it gives you a wonderful perspective of the city's layout.

Third, come back at night, when the orchestras are playing, and have some gelato. Truly, you will feel like you are in heaven. It's pure magic!

Certainly, on every vacation, you can't do everything. We chose do skip the Doge's Palace, although we did get an inside peek of beautiful St. Mark's Basilica. If you have time, go in the morning because the line won't be as long and you won't get as hot dressing appropriately. They are very strict--knees and shoulders MUST be covered or they turn you away, even if you've been standing in the long line.

Vaperetto stop St. Marco: Probably the most famous destination in Venice, St. Mark’s Square does not disappoint. You walk into the square and the basilica of St. Mark draws your attention as the spires stick up against the sky. You’re surrounded by archways and columns – oh, and pigeons. Honestly, I was expecting something more like Alfred Hitchcock’s "The Birds." Compared to my expectations, the pigeon population – while large – didn’t seem unmanageable. I think, however, you’re asking for trouble – and possible pigeon poop in your hair or on your outfit – if you boldly defy the request to not feed the pigeons. One hint of food and there’s a large swarm of them.

I didn’t get to go into the basilica, as it’s only open on Sundays from 2-4pm, and the line when we arrived on Sunday at 3:30 was at least still an hour and a half wait to get in. I chalked that one up to "you’ve seen one church you’ve seen them all" and continued on to visit the Doge’s Palace and Giotto’s Bell Tower.

I think the best time of day in St. Mark’s Square is evening. The square is lit up, and dueling orchestras play to earn the attention – and bar business – of listeners. If you’re tired and in need of a beer or some wine, follow the advice that we got from our Rick Steves’ book and spend 6-10 € and pull up a chair and enjoy. If you’d rather pop from orchestra to orchestra (when one orchestra takes a break for instance), hover behind the seating areas for free and move on as you wish. My friend and I chose the latter, and went from orchestra to orchestra clapping, singing along, and yes, even sometimes dancing (it’s encouraged.)

Even if you’re only in Venice for a short while, and can’t visit the insides of the buildings in St. Mark’s Square – the view of the outside and the realization of "I’m in Venice!" is worth a trip.

St. Mark's Square is an easy walk from Hotel Rialto. The Square has been called "the most beautiful room in Europe". I'm not sure I concur, what with all the pigeon poop & all. Still...you must go. Dominating the Square is St. Mark's Basilica, requiring a quote from many. It has been described as "an Oriental building serving under a Christian flag", as a "link between east & west", & as "the joining place". My favorite quote, though, is of Mark Twain describing the domes of St. Mark's as a "warty bug taking a walk".

This is the place to be. Except I have a fear of pidgeons so I tend to stay away from the center of the place, where they have vendors selling pidgeon food. There are a lot of places you can sit and order drinks and lunch but they are super expensive. We found some little shops that sold wonderful sandwiches and beer and we just took them and sat in the square and enjoyed the music and people watching. There are vendors set up here selling souveniers but they are pricier than the stalls near the Rialto Bridge.