San Marco

Extending from the Piazza San Marco to the Rialto bridge, the Sestiere San Marco comprises the historical and commercial heart of Venice. Aside from the Piazza—San Marco is the only square in Venice given full stature as a piazza and accordingly is often known simply as "the Piazza"—San Marco is graced with some of Venice’s finest and most ornate churches and best-endowed museums. San Marco is also the shopping district of Venice, and its mazes of streets are lined with Venetian glass, fine clothing, and elegantly wrought jewelry. Most of the famous Venetian glass producers have boutiques in San Marco, as do most Italian designers.