Legendary Venice: St. Mark's Basilica & Doge's Palace Tour
7001 reviews
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 Doge's Palace 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
St. Mark's Basilica terraces (exclusive 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 (St. Mark's Basilica + Museum 24€)
Exclusive access to the balcony of St. Mark's Basilica
Pre-reserved ticket to the Doge's Palace (25€)
Headset (when necessary)
Immerse yourself in centuries of Venetian lore.
Book Now
Verified Customer reviews
Verified ratings
4.7/5
based on 2800 Walks’ customer ratings
Overall rating
4.7/5
2800 reviews
Rating summary by category
Guide
4.8/5
Guest Support
4.7/5
Latest reviews
Excellent
Mose was an excellent guide.
Verified·Adam·Australia·Male·May 27, 2026
Excellent
This tour was fabulous. My wife and I enjoyed the beautiful art and history but most of all, our tour guide, Mose V. He took the experience to another level with his expansive knowledge of history, story telling and wit. I appreciated that he provided factual details and his own perspective on the history of what we visited. We highly recommend this tour and make sure you ask for Mose V!
Verified·Alexander·USA·Male·May 27, 2026
Excellent
Roberta was fantastic. I went on several Walks tours while I was in italy and she was the best guide. Book your Venice tour with Roberta if you can!
Tripadvisor customer·Katie·May 24, 2026
Excellent
Had a wonderful time with Iole! She was very knowledgeable, kind, and enthusiastic about the history and culture of the sites we visited. She led the tour at a great pace, helping us to focus on the highlights of the sites but also stopping for questions when asked. We had a wonderful experience and would highly recommend this tour.
Tripadvisor customer·Osmel·May 24, 2026
Excellent
Yaly was the best very organized and lovely. Really good stories teller
Tripadvisor customer·Areej·May 24, 2026
Reviews from our guests
Legendary Venice: St. Mark's Basilica & Doge's Palace Tour
Verified rating
4.7/5
based on 2800 Walks’ customer ratings
Guide
4.8/5
Guest Support
4.7/5
Total guest reviews
:
7001
guest reviews
Excellent6024
Great803
Good113
Average47
Poor14
Latest reviews
Excellent
This tour was fabulous. My wife and I enjoyed the beautiful art and history but most of all, our tour guide, Mose V. He took the experience to another level with his expansive knowledge of history, story telling and wit. I appreciated that he provided factual details and his own perspective on the history of what we visited. We highly recommend this tour and make sure you ask for Mose V!
Had a wonderful time with Iole! She was very knowledgeable, kind, and enthusiastic about the history and culture of the sites we visited. She led the tour at a great pace, helping us to focus on the highlights of the sites but also stopping for questions when asked. We had a wonderful experience and would highly recommend this tour.
Tripadvisor customer·Osmel·May 24, 2026
Excellent
Yaly was the best very organized and lovely. Really good stories teller
Tripadvisor customer·Areej·May 24, 2026
Excellent
Iole was the BEST TOUR GUIDE EVER!!!!! So patient and knowledgeable!!!! Book with her!
Tripadvisor customer·Leah·May 24, 2026
Excellent
Roberta was fantastic. I went on several Walks tours while I was in italy and she was the best guide. Book your Venice tour with Roberta if you can!
Tripadvisor customer·Katie·May 24, 2026
Excellent
Susan, our tour guide was a wealth off formation. Very passionate, patient and very knowledgeable about Venice’s history.
It was good like the host and guide it was easy to find was not lying
Tripadvisor customer·Antonio·May 23, 2026
Excellent
Mateo was absolutely amazing! Highly recommend this tour he has so much knowledge and was so funny. Must do in Venice
Viator customer·Kylee·May 23, 2026
Excellent
Amazing experience with Chiara. She is a very knowledgeable tour guide. Even though the tour was quick she took us to all the main spots and explained everything in detail. I recommend booking with her always! I learned so much about Venice's history, which definitely made me view Venice differently. Its rich in history.
Viator customer·Argentina·May 23, 2026
Excellent
The guide Roberta was one of the best guides we had while in Italy. She was personable, explained everything very well, and made sure all the guests were well taken care of during the tour. While the tour lasted 3 hours, Roberta included a short break for a coffee, restroom, and rest our feet.
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.
Do I need to bring my passport/ID with me?
Yes! All guests (including children) must bring a government-issued ID/passport on the day of their tour. Failure to bring an ID can result in the security staff refusing your entrance to the monument. The full names of all participants are required at the time of booking and must match the names on their ID/passport. Name changes are not permitted.
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!
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].
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.
What happens if there's a private event at the Doge's Palace and/or St. Mark's Basilica?
On rare occasions access may be restricted due to private events inside the Doge's Palace and/or St. Mark's Basilica. Unfortunately this is a situation beyond our control. Our tour guides will make modifications to ensure you still have an excellent experience, but no refunds will be issued. We appreciate your understanding.
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.
What's the cancellation policy for my St. Mark's Basilica tour?
This experience is refundable up to 7 days before your tour. Thank you for understanding.
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.
Will the tour route be modified in the event of high tide/"acqua alta"?
If the local municipality restricts access due to high tide and there are no walkways available, it is the client’s responsibility to bring appropriate footwear (e.g., boots). The guide will modify the itinerary to include alternate dry paths whenever possible.
No refund will be provided if high tide prevents certain parts of the tour, but adjustments to the route will be made for client safety and comfort.
Take a step off the normal tourist path on the Doge's Palace Secret Itineraries Tour: An all-access adventure into the rooms Venetian dukes tried to hide.