Mention Venice and the first thing that pops to mind is the St. Mark’s Square. There are several squares in the world that are equal if not greater tourist magnets but Piazza San Marco, better known to the world as St. Mark's Square differs from other squares. Its architecture will leave you completely mesmerized and most importantly its beautifully preserved as vehicular traffic and its partner, corroding smoke, are kept away piazza.

The Piazza San Marco is a tourist destination for all seasons and time – summer or winter, night or day, visitors can bask its in its unparallel beauty. But the best time to visit the piazza is on a hot day. The patterned floor, the many stalls, the scores of pigeons, the laid back locals enjoying the weather and many tourists scanning architecture is definitely a glorious sight for the traveling eye.

Napoleon called the Piazza San Marco "the finest drawing room in Europe." It is perhaps wrong to hold this magnificent square within such a small word. The piazza goes way beyond the average living room – it envelops the visitor in history and culture while at the same time giving each visitor a comfortable nook to enjoy the surroundings. The square also represents the focal point of Venice's water transport system.

The name St. Mark's Square is misleading, as it isn’t actually a square. It is a trapezoid, which makes it appear even more spacious.

The square was laid out in the 11th Century. Its area was divided in half by a canal. This canal was filled up a century later, which resulted in its current shape. In the 16th century a major building project was started followed by the replacement of the old bricks by new stones in the 17th century.

You can see the Ala Napoleonica from the piazza. Napoleon had this wing built in the early 1800s to house a state ballroom. Today, the Museo Correr (The Museum of the City and Civilization of Venice) is housed here.

The Procurators of St. Mark used to occupy the Procuratie Vecchie. They were the highest officials of the Republic after the Doge. This buildings has been renovated several times and today shops and other businesses occupy its ground floor. You must visit the Café Quadri here. It was very popular in the early 19th century with the Austrian occupation troops. This is followed by the Torre dell’Orologio. This clock tower has been yelling the cisitors the time since 1499.

The most important and most glorious structure of the square is without doubt the Basilica di San Marco. Its Byzantine domes, mosaics, and plundered treasure from the Near East and Asia add to its grandiose.

To the right of the Basilica is the Palazzo Ducale, or Doge's Palace. This Venetian Gothic looks a bit unwieldy at first but despite its warehouse-like upper stories being supported by two layers of delicate stone arches, it is a striking structure.

The Campanile is a 325-foot guard tower from the 8th Century. It collapsed in 1902 and was rebuilt. For a great view of the city and lagoon you should take the elevator to the top. Close to the Campanile you'll see tourists and locals alike taking a break and having at drink at Café Florian. This café has a long history. It was opened in 1720 and has been a favourite of many writers including Byron and Henry James.

A word of caution - The Square gets flooded during high water, locally known as acqua alta. This happens only certain times a year and at these times you can use the temporary walkways to reach the basilica. The city council is currently planning to elevate the square’s pavement to stop the flooding.