St Mark's Basilica

8,000 square meters of gold-ground mosaics inside a Byzantine-Greek-cross plan that has no equal in Europe. The bronze horses in the upper loggia were looted from Constantinople in 1204; the originals are inside (the outdoor ones are copies). The Pala d'Oro — a gold and enamel altarpiece studded with 1,927 gemstones — costs €5 extra and is worth it. Pre-book the €6 priority entry online or you'll queue an hour. No bags, no shoulders, no shorts.

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