San Giorgio Maggiore

San Giorgio Maggiore is a small island in the Venetian Lagoon, facing St. Mark's Square across the Bacino di San Marco, crowned by a gleaming white church designed by the Renaissance architect Andrea Palladio. Its bell tower offers one of the most complete views in Venice -- looking back across the water at St. Mark's Square, the Doge's Palace, and the Grand Canal all at once -- a vantage point the crowded square itself can never quite match.

San Giorgio Maggiore is reached by vaporetto from San Marco or Zaccaria, a crossing of only a few minutes. The church itself is free to enter; a separate ticket covers the elevator ride up the bell tower, which is the main reason most visitors make the trip.