Legendary Venice: St. Mark's Basilica & Doge's Palace Tour
7035 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 2805 Walks’ customer ratings
Overall rating
4.7/5
2805 reviews
Rating summary by category
Guide
4.8/5
Guest Support
4.7/5
Latest reviews
Excellent
Susan was an outstanding tour guide. Her passion and knowledge of the art and history greatly enhanced our experience and she was highly attentive to the group's needs. Taking the privileged tour before the museum opened to the masses was totally worth it. The booking process was seamless. We have used Walks of Italy in Rome and were so happy we booked with them in Venice. Highly recommended!
Verified·Andrew·Canada·Male·Jun 01, 2026
Excellent
Robbie was an awesome guide, had a great experience
Robbie was so lovely and knowledgeable. Would recommend the tour to anyone.
Tripadvisor customer·Inderjeet·May 31, 2026
Excellent
Roberta did an amazing job! Super knowledgeable and personable.
Tripadvisor customer·Blake·May 31, 2026
Reviews from our guests
Legendary Venice: St. Mark's Basilica & Doge's Palace Tour
Verified rating
4.7/5
based on 2805 Walks’ customer ratings
Guide
4.8/5
Guest Support
4.7/5
Total guest reviews
:
7035
guest reviews
Excellent6056
Great805
Good113
Average47
Poor14
Latest reviews
Excellent
Susan was an outstanding tour guide. Her passion and knowledge of the art and history greatly enhanced our experience and she was highly attentive to the group's needs. Taking the privileged tour before the museum opened to the masses was totally worth it. The booking process was seamless. We have used Walks of Italy in Rome and were so happy we booked with them in Venice. Highly recommended!
We had an excellent guide for our tour of the Doge's Palace and San Marco. It was very special to have the early entry, and to see the empty palace with a small group.
Early access for Doge’s Palace is a plus where you can enjoy the beautiful place with lesser crowd. Our tour guide, Susan, was awesome. She explained in details.
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.