The buildings encircling the area, some dating back to the 14th century, are home to a great mix of private residences as well as restaurants, bars, a weekday market with flowers and produce, and off-beat shops that provide energy throughout the entire day. The nearby university also helps add vitality. With local residents, students at the nearby university, and vendors all sharing this space, one often gets to see a great cross-section of the community here. It attracts a large share of "locals" due to its location in the highly residential Dorsoduro district and it's distance from the major Venice tourist attractions.

Since there are no cars in Venice, the only way to get there is by walking. Conveniently, it is within walking distance from just about everywhere, though it is quite off the beaten path of Venice's major attractions. People tend to go out of their way just to walk through this area, regardless of where they are headed.

Campo Santa Margherita is a long courtyard that makes up the social heart of the Dorsoduro district of Venice. Like so many European squares, Campo Santa Margherita is named after the church that fronts it on one side, which was closed in 1810. Since then, the church has been used as a cinema and, most recently, an auditorium for the local university. The church’s prominent dragon motif corresponds to the story of Saint Margaret, who, after being swallowed whole by a dragon, made the sign of the cross while in its stomach. The dragon thereupon exploded, leaving her unharmed. A small stone kiosk in the courtyard dates to the 18th century and lists the minimum sizes for fish sold here when the square was a fish market. Also during this time, many canals were filled in to expand the size of this public space.