San Marco, Venice

Venice is one of the world’s great tourist destinations. But it can also be a difficult place to navigate. Bounce makes things easier by providing luggage storage in Venice and over 100 cities around the world. By partnering with local businesses, bounce make sure you always have a place to keep your things.

About San Marco Venice

The Piazza San Marco, known as Saint Mark Square in English, has to be one of the world’s most iconic tourist destinations. Work first began on the basilica in the square in  836 AD. It is undoubtedly the most famous square in Venice and the only one that can legitimately be called a piazza.

The basilica is recognized as one of the world’s greatest examples of Italo-Byzantine architecture and Napoleon described the piazza as ‘the most elegant salon in Europe.’

In many ways, this is the heart of Venice and one only has to look at the list of nearby buildings and sites to understand why. Here you will find the Doge’s Palace, St. Mark’s Campanile, Torre dell Orologio and Jacopo Sansovino’s Biblioteca. What better place from which to start a Venetian adventure? And what better way to enjoy yourself than dropping off your bags at a nearby luggage storage locker?

Things to do in San Marco

Venice awaits you but you are now at its heart and there is plenty to keep you occupied before you even leave the piazza. Be aware, however, that this is one of the most powerful tourist magnets in the world and you will not be alone.

• See the spiritual heart of the city at Saint Mark’s Basilica. This impressive church was completed in 1092 and is both awe-inspiring and ostentatious at the same time. With its ornate towers, stunning frescos, and impressive façade, this has to be a good place to start your visit. It is probably fair to say that no visit to Venice would be complete without entering this historical place of worship. Bear in mind that it remains one of the most important religious buildings in Italy, and in order to gain access, you will need to ensure that no services are taking place.
• Get the perfect photograph at the Rialto Bridge. The piazza is connected to San Polo by the Rialto Bridge which carries pedestrians across the Grand Canal. The bridge is a stunning piece of architecture that makes it one of the most famous bridges in the world. It frames the canal perfectly and you won’t be able to resist taking photographs. If you feel like a coffee or drink at the time, you might be wise to move away a block or two so that you don’t find yourself paying eye-wateringly extortionate prices.
• Experience Venetian culture at the Doge’s Palace. For more than a thousand years, the Doges were the highest authority in Venice and the Doge's Palace is another must-see that you can reach without even leaving the piazza. Today the Palace no longer houses dukes or other royalty, but instead offers visitors something of a cross between a museum and an art gallery. Everything about this building oozes opulence that would seem totally over-the-top were it not situated in such a famous position.
• It may seem unusual to recommend yet another bridge in the confines of such a small area, but the Bridge of Sighs cannot go without mention. Connecting the Doge’s Palace with Prigioni Nuove across the Rio di Palazzo, rumour has it that condemned prisoners would sigh as they looked from the bridge down onto the canal as they were led away from the palace to a life of imprisonment.
• Get above it all in St. Mark’s Tower. Standing beside so many other grandiose buildings, the San Marco Campanile appears to be somewhat understated, despite its height of 98.8 m. Made of plain sand-coloured brick, the tower holds a statue of the Angel Gabriel and the bell housing is quietly ornate in its own right. Take an elevator ride to the top for one of the most panoramic views of Venice.

Travel options in Venice

Getting around Venice on public transport is famously difficult and can be expensive too. That said, there are some options.

• Vaporetto are effectively buses that travel on water. There are twenty-one different routes and you have the option of buying day passes or weekly passes. Single tickets can also be purchased and they are valid for a certain period of time. Always validate your ticket or face the risk of a hefty fine.
• Traghetto look like large gondolas and are used for getting from one side of the canal to the other without having to get caught in the bottlenecks that frequently develop at the city’s four bridges. Each crossing costs two euros.
• Water taxis are privately run boats and they can be expensive. The trip from the airport to town, for example, costs in the region of one hundred euros. Because they can carry as many as ten passengers, one possibility is to share the ride and split the cost, thus mitigating some of the pain.
• No mention of public transport in Venice would be complete without a nod to the famous gondolas. It is probably best to think of this not so much as a mode of public transport, but more as a romantic interlude. Prices are set annually and are not for the fainthearted.

Luggage storage in San Marco

This is an awesome city to visit and one that will give you memories that will last you a lifetime. Unfortunately, at times, it can seem like the rest of the world is in search of the same memories as you are. You definitely do not want to attempt to move around burdened with luggage. The simplest solution is to locate the nearest Bounce locker rental facility and abandon your luggage there so that you are free to fully enjoy what may very well be one of the most memorable visits of your life.

Things to do in and around San Marco

• Murano glass is famous the world over. It is only made on a small island linked to Venice which is a popular tourist attraction. You can opt for a guided tour which will take about two hours and which will cost about thirty euros per person. Another possibility is to wander the island on your own. There you will find many of the factories happy to welcome you in as they go about their fascinating work. You will see the glass both being made and blown, by experts that have been doing so for generations.
• Le Fenice Teatro is one of the most renowned opera houses in the world. Built in the 18th-century, it includes five floors of lodges sumptuously decorated in gold and red. It has played host to operas by the likes of Rossini, Bellini and Verdi. Seeing an opera here will give you prestigious after-dinner stories to tell for years to come. At a more modest level, guided tours of the building are offered daily and will enable you to at least sample some of the building’s luxuriousness.
• The Lido is a small island that separates Venice from the Adriatic Sea. This is the sort of place to go if you need a breather from the madding crowd or want to experience a little of life the way that locals do. Here you can dine in local restaurants, admire the view of Venice from a distance and stroll along the tidal beach.