Legendary Venice: St. Mark's Basilica & Doge's Palace Tour
3 hours
Max 25
Why take this tour?
Highlights
- Enjoy a truly VIP experience in and around the famed St. Mark's Square (Piazza San Marco).
- 8 am time slot only: Take advantage of early access to the basilica before it opens to the public, a VIP experience arranged specially for our groups.
- Skip the long lines and earn privileged access into St. Mark's Basilica and the Doge's Palace.
- Drink in the surrounding views over Venice with exclusive access to the terraces of St. Mark's Basilica.
- Let an expert local guide lead you through Venice's opulent history and culture—subjects they truly have a passion for.
- Marvel at mosaics of gold, frescoes by Veronese and Tintoretto, and masterpieces around every turn.
- Traverse the Bridge of Sighs, the Doge's apartments, the Armory, and the New Prisons.
- Sites Visited
- St. Mark’s Square (Piazza San Marco)
- St. Mark's Basilica (Exclusive Balcony Access)
- Bell Tower in St. Mark's Square (exterior)
- Marciana Library (exterior)
- Doge’s Palace
- New Prisons
- Bridge of Sighs
- Tour Includes
- Local English-speaking guide
- Skip-the-line ticket for St. Mark's Basilica
- Exclusive access to the balcony of St. Mark's Basilica
- Pre-reserved ticket to the Doge's Palace
- Headset (when necessary)
Immerse yourself in centuries of Venetian lore.
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Verified Customer Reviews
Overall Rating
4.8 /5
based on 2439 reviews
Rating summary by category
Latest reviews
Excellent
Our tour guide Francesca was incredible. She was knowledgeable, fun, and humorous. She truly made the experience memorable and we cannot compliment her enough. Please give her a raise.
Janell ·
May 20, 2023
· United States
· Female
· 35 to 44 years
Excellent
Our tour of St. Mark’s Basilica and Doge’s Palace was wonderful and enjoyable! Our guide Alasandro was very knowledgeable and provided excellent information on the history for both St. Mark’s Basilica and Doge’s Palace. I would highly recommend this tour while visiting Venice!!
Denyse ·
May 19, 2023
· Canada
· Female
· 55 to 64 years
Excellent
This tour was Fantastic! Giuliano our tour guide was Awesome! He never stopped giving us information about all the sites and even some more great stories when we would need to wait for others to pass bye. I would recommend him as a guide if you can request one. Very personable with true knowledge of everything and more dealing with this tour and Venice in general. Be prepared though, the tour is quite extensive. While we had a great time if you’re not ready for a good walk, you may get a little tired. I would however recommend this tour not be missed if you have the time!
Rod ·
May 18, 2023
· United States
· Male
· 45 to 54 years
Excellent
Nico was a great tour guide! Knowledgeable and infectiously passionate about the history of Venice. Really enjoyed the tour!
Sharon ·
May 18, 2023
· United States
· Female
· 25 to 34 years
Excellent
Our tour of St. Marks Basillica and Doge Palace was wonderful. Our guide was very knowledgeable and kept things moving at a good pace. We learned a lot about the beautiful city of Venice. Highly recommend!
Candice ·
May 17, 2023
· United States
· Female
· 45 to 54 years
Meeting Point
Meeting Point
Piazza San Marco, 76, 30124 Venezia VE, Italy. Meet your guide under the portico just outside the entrance of the Correr Museum (Museo Correr). Your guide will be holding a green Walks sign.
Please meet 15 minutes prior to the tour start time.
FAQs
Is this tour wheelchair accessible?
No. Unfortunately, due to site restrictions we cannot accommodate wheelchairs on this tour. If you use a wheelchair and book this tour by accident, we are happy to offer you credit for a future tour that is wheelchair accessible anywhere in the world, or a full refund.
What can I bring into the Doge's Palace?
You are permitted to enter the Doge's Palace with handbags and small backpacks. But any large backpacks or luggage are not permitted inside. You have to check them in the cloakroom.
Does St. Mark's Basilica have a dress code?
Yes. Because it is a holy place, St. Mark's Basilica insists that both men and women wear clothing that covers their shoulders and knees. They can and will refuse entry to anyone who does not meet this standard and we can't do anything about it, so come prepared.
Does the Doge's Palace accommodate wheelchair users?
The Doge’s Palace is not wheelchair-friendly. Some parts are accessible, but the Secret Rooms, Prisons, and Armory and not. Our route, in particular, is not wheelchair-friendly so we do not recommend that wheelchair users take this tour.
Is this tour accessible to people in wheelchairs?
Unfortunately the terrace of St. Mark's Basilica, the prisons, and the armory of the Doge's Palace are not wheelchair-accessible, meaning we can't accept wheelchair user on this tour. For those interested in wheelchair friendly tours in Venice, please contact our Customer Care team at [email protected]
Can I take a bag with me into St. Mark's Basilica?
You can only take small bags into St. Mark's. Anything bigger than a purse - backpacks or luggage - is prohibited. There is no coat check either, so do not bring any large bags with you.
What can I bring with me on this tour?
St. Mark's Basilica has very tight rules about what you can and cannot bring inside. Anything bigger than a purse - including backpacks or luggage - is NOT allowed inside the Basilica. There is no coat check either, so do not bring any bags larger than a purse with you.
Do guests always see the sights on this tour in the same order?
No. Sometimes the tour runs in reverser order. However, we never take any sights out of the itinerary so you are always going to see St. Mark's Basilica, St. Mark’s Square, Doge’s Palace (general access rooms), New Prisons, and Bridge of Sighs.
What's so special about the 8:00 am tour time?
The 8:00 AM tour time offer a unique and exclusive benefit - enter St. Mark's Basilica before it opens! With just your small group you enter through a side door and spend time alone in the Basilica. A truly once-in-a-lifetime experience, and created for Walks guests only. The 8:00 AM tour time is the only time with this special access, although the later times are also skip-the-line!
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