Legendary Venice Express: Doge’s Palace & St. Mark’s Basilica
2 hours
Max 20
Why take this tour?
Highlights
- Explore the Doge’s Palace and uncover its legendary history at the center of Venice's power.
- Walk across the Bridge of Sighs, following in the footsteps of Venetian prisoners to uncover the darker side of Venetian politics.
- Dive straight into the Doge's Palace and St. Mark’s Basilica without waiting in long lines.
- Gaze at the shimmering golden mosaic ceiling of Venice’s most famous church, St. Mark's Basilica.
- Maximize your time with a perfectly planned route that lets you see the best of Venice in just two hours.
- Sites Visited
- Doge’s Palace
- New Prisons
- Bridge of Sighs
- St. Mark’s Square (Piazza San Marco)
- St. Mark's Basilica
- Tour Includes
- Local English-speaking guide
- Skip-the-line ticket for St. Mark's Basilica (St. Mark's Basilica 12€)
- Pre-reserved ticket to the Doge's Palace (25€)
- Headset (when necessary)
Experience the best of Venice in just 2 hours at the Doge’s Palace & St. Mark’s Basilica.
Book Now
Verified Customer reviews
Latest reviews
Excellent
Guilian (Mr G) was an excellent guide! He provided so much knowledge and insight about the city of Venice. We would highly recommend this tour!
GetYourGuide customer · Peggy · May 17, 2026 Excellent
Alessandro, our guide, was great. Very energetic, passionate, informative, and helpful. The support team was great, also.
Viator customer · M · May 17, 2026 Excellent
This experience was very worth it, it gave us everything we needed to feel like we did Venice right. Fillippo was a wonderful tour guide.
Viator customer · Molly · May 17, 2026 Excellent
Matteo was an incredible guide…knowledgeable, fun, and made Venice come alive with history and local insight. He made the tour unforgettable, and I’d highly recommend him to anyone visiting Venice.
Viator customer · Scott · May 17, 2026 Great
Great experience walking tour, the sights were lovely and the guide was clear speaking and very informative. She did well to keep us out of the rain in certain spots but you can’t help the weather. When we reached the Gondola ride the sun came out which was perfect and the ride was just how we would have imagined.
When we arrived at the last venue we were told we had a 20 min break for toilet and a coffee, problem was some of the queues for the ladies toilets were at least 15 mins long which gave no time for coffee and a quick bite, I do feel that we should have been given longer maybe 30-45 mins on a busy day, I managed to queue for 2 bottles of water while my friend queued for the toilet, that was our break!
Overall we really enjoyed the tour despite the weather and the sites were beautiful, it was well organised and we learned a lot about Venice as a whole.
Viator customer · Sandra · May 17, 2026FAQs
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.
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 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.
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.
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