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 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 2779 Walks’ customer ratingsOverall rating
4.7 /5
2779 reviewsRating summary by category
Latest reviews
Excellent
Our guide, Iola, was fantastic! She was friendly, knowledgeable, and entertaining. She made sure to explain the historical dynamic between the church and the Doges. St. Mark’s Basilica is stunning, inside and outside. We were able to visit the prison area and walk across the Bridge of Sighs. She really brought the history of the church and palace to life!
Another wonderful tour with Walks!
Verified · Tracey · USA · Female · Apr 26, 2026 Excellent
The guide was very knowledgeable and easy to communicate with. She was always attentive to the needs of everyone.
Verified · Jerome · USA · Male · Apr 25, 2026 Excellent
Our Legendary Venice Tour was amazing. I spent hours researching the best available tour and chose this one. Included in the tour were skip the queue tickets for both St. Mark’s Basilica and the Doge’s Palace. And we were able to go up to the outside balcony area to get fabulous views over St. Mark’s Square and also to go inside the Bridge of Sighs into the prison. Our tour guide Tulia was a lovely lady and so very knowledgeable. The tour lasted a full 3 hours and she fed us information for the whole of that time. You definitely need a tour guide if you want to understand all about the Doge ls and how the palace was run. All in all excellent value for the money. Worth paying for the extra parts that were included.
Verified · Sally · Female · Apr 24, 2026 Excellent
TUlia our tour guide was amazing…excellent historian you can tell she loves her job she was patient with group and families
Verified · Dawn · USA · Female · Apr 23, 2026 Excellent
Great tour, got a lot more from seeing both the basilica and the palace than if we had just gone alone. Engaging and informative guide!
GetYourGuide customer · Heidi · Apr 23, 2026
Reviews from our guests
Legendary Venice: St. Mark's Basilica & Doge's Palace Tour
Verified rating
4.7 /5
based on 2779 Walks’ customer ratingsTotal guest reviews
:
6818
guest reviews
Excellent 5854
Great 790
Good 113
Average 47
Poor 14
Latest reviews
Excellent
Our guide, Iola, was fantastic! She was friendly, knowledgeable, and entertaining. She made sure to explain the historical dynamic between the church and the Doges. St. Mark’s Basilica is stunning, inside and outside. We were able to visit the prison area and walk across the Bridge of Sighs. She really brought the history of the church and palace to life!
Another wonderful tour with Walks!
Verified · Tracey · USA · Female · 55 - 64 years · Apr 26, 2026 Excellent
The guide was very knowledgeable and easy to communicate with. She was always attentive to the needs of everyone.
Verified · Jerome · USA · Male · 45 - 54 years · Apr 25, 2026 Excellent
Our Legendary Venice Tour was amazing. I spent hours researching the best available tour and chose this one. Included in the tour were skip the queue tickets for both St. Mark’s Basilica and the Doge’s Palace. And we were able to go up to the outside balcony area to get fabulous views over St. Mark’s Square and also to go inside the Bridge of Sighs into the prison. Our tour guide Tulia was a lovely lady and so very knowledgeable. The tour lasted a full 3 hours and she fed us information for the whole of that time. You definitely need a tour guide if you want to understand all about the Doge ls and how the palace was run. All in all excellent value for the money. Worth paying for the extra parts that were included.
Verified · Sally · Female · 55 - 64 years · Apr 24, 2026 Excellent
TUlia our tour guide was amazing…excellent historian you can tell she loves her job she was patient with group and families
Verified · Dawn · USA · Female · 55 - 64 years · Apr 23, 2026 Excellent
Great tour, got a lot more from seeing both the basilica and the palace than if we had just gone alone. Engaging and informative guide!
GetYourGuide customer · Heidi · Apr 23, 2026 Excellent
The tour was brilliant from start to finish, our guide Chiara was absolutely fabulous! She was captivating to listen to, she brought the history to life. I highly recommend this tour if you are in Venice, it was brilliant!
GetYourGuide customer · Eleanor · Apr 23, 2026 Great
Esta basílica era diferente das outras que visitamos. Estilo diferente. Belos pisos. O Palácio do Doge tinha muitos quartos diferentes, prisão, salas de armas, (até mesmo soube que as crianças usavam armaduras) e muitos mais quartos com arte magnífica e pinturas.
Viator customer · Cheryl · Apr 23, 2026 Excellent
Tulia with walks tours was simply amazing she is full of great history and gave a tour of st marks and the Doge that was easy to follow but full of great imagery that I felt I was transported
Tripadvisor customer · Passport11970434927 · Apr 22, 2026 Excellent
Ciara was a fantastic guide - she made it easy to digest and notice the details in what are two very stunning but overwhelming buildings! Would definitely recommend others to join a tour to get the most from visiting.
Tripadvisor customer · Heidi · Apr 22, 2026 Excellent
This was a great tour. Our guide Tulla was very knowledgeable and thorough. I would highly recommend Walks tour.
Tripadvisor customer · Luis · Apr 22, 2026FAQs
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'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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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 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.
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