This place takes my breath away. It did the first time I saw it, it does every time I see it, without fail. That it inspires such a reaction from me astounds me. What gets to me most is the mosaic work on both the inside and outside. From far away, you see magnificent pieces of art, and when you are up close, you see millions of quarter inch square tiles pieced together into this tapestry of unparallelled beauty. There was such talent, artistry, and dedication put into the making of these mosaics. How did anyone dream these up, I have no idea. It's just plain awesome. Awesome.
On a typical day tourists line up to gain entrance to the Basilica. My recommendation is get up early to beat the lines. Being inside the church without the huge crowds is worth the effort. St. Mark's is definitely on the Venice must-see list. After touring the inside, go upstairs so you can walk out onto the loggia for a breathtaking view of the Piazza, the Doges Palace, the Campanile and the lagoon.
I was proposed to right here in St. Mark's square at midnight a few years ago, so you can see why this spot is special to me!
