Piazza San Marco

This grand showpiece square beautifully encapsulates the splendor of Venice's past and its tourist-fueled present. Flanked by the arcaded Procuratie Vecchie and Procuratie Nuove, and two of the city's top sights – Basilica di San Marco and Museo Correr – it's filled for much of the day with admiring tourists. To see it in all its glory, without the crowds and souvenir stalls, get here at 6.30am when the rising sun first strikes the dome.