All Venice Tours

Legendary Venice: St. Mark's Basilica & Doge's Palace Tour

3920 reviews

3 hours

Max 20

Walks-20170810-Legendary Venice - 16x9-0013

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 (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.

Book Now

Total Customer Reviews: 3920

Verified Ratings

4.7 /5

based on 2663 Walks’ customer ratings

Rating summary by category

Guide

4.8/5

Guest Support

4.7/5

Latest reviews

Excellent

We really enjoyed our experience - thanks to our guide. German name lady - very funny and knowledgeable. We were interested in learning more about the history of Venice and we achieved our goal. Thank you very much!

Verified · Laura · Jul 25, 2024 · Canada · Female · 45 to 54 years

Excellent

Matteo was amazing! Our 4th tour with devour/walks, and he was our favorite.

Verified · Ginger · Jul 08, 2024 · USA · Female · 25 to 34 years

Excellent

I come from Puerto Rico. First time visiting Italy. Didn’t want to miss any important historic building. Found Walks on Google and booked our tour. Made such a difference. No waiting in line, you get an ear piece to listen to the guide, friendly, knowledgeable, passionate tour guide (Alessandro), learned so many interesting facts about the Basilica & Dodge’s Palace. So happy with my decision to book this tour with Walks !

Verified · Blanca · Jul 04, 2024 · USA · Female · 45 to 54 years

Excellent

Martina was an exceptional guide. Very knowledgeable!

Verified · Joy · Jun 13, 2024 · USA · Female · 45 to 54 years

Excellent

This was a wonderful tour that let us experience the Doge's Palace without the crowds. Elena was a great guide – knowledgable and friendly! Her interesting stories held the attention of my 13-year old girls and helped us appreciate everything we were seeing.

Verified · Ning · Jun 12, 2024 · USA · Female · 45 to 54 years

FAQs

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.

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.

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 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 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 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].

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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