Photos: Benreis, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 6uy7t44t (photo 2024), Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0 Fred Romero from Paris, France, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Photo credits
Photos: Benreis, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 6uy7t44t (photo 2024), Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0 Fred Romero from Paris, France, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
St Mark's Square before the crowds
Your local guide
Alessandro Marino
View profile
Highlights
- The square, almost empty
- A clock tower's moving figures
- A bell tower rebuilt from scratch
- Venice's grandest square, calm for once
- An early look before the crowds
About this tour
This session walks St Mark's Square at an hour before the crowds arrive. You see the arcades and the clock tower's mechanical figures with hardly anyone else in view, then reach the base of the bell tower and hear how it collapsed and was rebuilt exactly as before. It is a calmer look at Venice's busiest square.
We start with a sound check as the square opens up, since even early mornings can bring the odd delivery cart through. I move to the bell tower for the second stop and take your questions about the square's buildings as we go. A short note on the square's history follows by message afterwards.
It suits anyone who prefers a quiet session over a crowded one. It also works well as an early addition before a longer day of sightseeing.
Included
- Live video walk with a local guide
- Questions to your guide all the way
- A short list of places to visit later
Not included
- Internet connection
- Travel to the city
Itinerary
-
Welcome and sound check 5 min
The guide joins the video call, checks the picture and sound with you, and gives you a quick sense of Venice before heading out.
-
St Mark's Square, empty 15 min
The camera crosses the square while it is still nearly empty, and I point out the arcades on three sides and the clock tower's mechanical figures above the entrance.
-
Campanile base 15 min
We reach the base of the bell tower, and I explain how the original collapsed suddenly in 1902 and was rebuilt exactly as it stood before.
-
Your questions 7 min
Time to ask anything about Venice: prices, safety, food, or whatever you are curious about.
-
A short list to keep 3 min
Before you go, the guide sums up with a few things worth remembering: a dish to try: Risotto al nero di seppia and Cannaregio, worth a slower look.
Good to know
- A stable wifi or mobile connection makes the picture smoother than a shaky one.
- Any phone, tablet or laptop with a camera works. You watch, the guide does the walking.
- Times are shown in Rome time, so check the time where you are before you book.
- The session is not recorded, and recording it yourself is not allowed. Feel free to take your own notes.
- Ask questions any time, out loud or in the chat. The guide will pause to answer.
- Sessions run in small groups, up to 10 people, so there is room for everyone to ask something.
Questions about this tour
What will the session cover?
The guide walks through Venice, showing you St Mark's Square, empty and Campanile base live on camera, plus whatever else you would like to see.
What happens if my connection drops?
Rejoin with the same link within a few minutes and the guide will catch you up on anything you missed.
Can I ask the guide questions during the session, or is it a fixed script?
Anything, any time. Sessions leave room for your own questions throughout, not just at the end.
How it works
- You get one join link after booking.
- Join from any device: phone, tablet or laptop.
- We meet on Google Meet; the link comes with your booking. I walk Venice live with my phone.
Times shown in Rome time (CET)
Cancellation
Flexible
- Cancel up to 24 hours before the start: full refund.
- Cancel less than 24 hours before the start, or no-show: no refund.
- If the guide cancels or the date does not reach its minimum group: full refund.
- Cancel in My Account → Bookings; the refund is calculated from the start time in the tour's local time.
Reviews
No reviews yet. Reviews appear here after travellers have completed this tour.
How reviews work
Only travellers who booked and paid through Locals Guide and whose tour took place can leave a review, within 60 days of the tour. Every review is marked "Verified booking". We check reviews before they appear and publish positive and negative ones alike; we remove only reviews that break our rules (insults, personal data, unrelated content). Guides cannot pay for, edit or hide reviews, and ratings are the plain average of all published reviews.
Next: Mon 26 Oct · 10 seats left From 19,00 €
Book