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)
- Acquire pre-reserved, skip-the-line entry into St. Mark's Basilica and the Doge's Palace
- Take 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 oppulent history and culture - subjects they truly have a passion for
- Greet mosaics of gold, frescoes by Veronese and Tintoretto, and masterpieces at every turn
- Traverese the Bridge of Sighs, the Doge's apartments, the Armory, and the New Prision
- 8 AM TIME ONLY: Exclusive entry to St Mark's Basilica before it opens
- 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
- Exclusive Early Entry to Doge's Palace (8 AM only)
- 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)
Take walks: Take the time to explore the history of Venice
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Verified Customer Reviews
Overall Rating
4.8 /5
based on 2248 reviews
Rating summary by category
Latest reviews
Excellent
Wonderful tour of St Marks and Doge's Palace. Just the right length and covered all the essentials. Tour guide was fantastic. She was knowledgeable and informative, but also paced the tour appropriately. Highly recommend.
Lisa ·
Oct 05, 2022
· United States
· Female
· 45 to 54 years
Excellent
We loved the Legendary Venice tour. Our tour guide was Susan, and she did a great job teaching the group about Doge’s Palace and St. Mark’s Basilica while keeping the group organized and together. She was very knowledgeable and pleasant. It was great to be in the tour that went to Doge’s Palace before it is open to the public. We had it to ourselves for most of the tour. The sound equipment worked well on the tour. The information to find the tour was very clear and easy to find. Customer support was also great help when I called with a question. Walks of Italy is a great company.
Steffani ·
Oct 05, 2022
· United States
· Female
· 45 to 54 years
Good
Should have been informed that the tour entailed many many steps. Very strenuois.
Marilyn ·
Oct 04, 2022
· United States
· Female
· 75 or older years
Great
Our guide was great! She was very knowledgeable and personable! I highly recommend the 8am tour. We had the doges palace all to ourselves! The basilica was nice but packed with multiple tours, the public and religious services going on at the same time.
Charles ·
Oct 03, 2022
· United States
· Male
· 55 to 64 years
Excellent
Hard to find the meeting point. From the picture online, it looked looked like it was under the red flag/ sign but address listed was across the way. Had to call customer service, who gave better details. Tour guide Matt was great.
Samantha ·
Oct 01, 2022
· United States
· Female
· 45 to 54 years
Meeting Point
Meeting Point
Piazza San Marco, 76, 30124 Venezia VE, Italy
Please meet 15 minutes prior to the tour start time.
FAQs
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.
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'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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