Venice in a Day with St. Mark's Basilica, Doge's Palace, & Gondola Ride
4400 reviews
6 hours
Max 20
Why take this tour?
Highlights
Acquaint yourself with the history of the city
Explore the backstreets of Venice and marvel at the landmarks nestled within
Enjoy a 30-minute gondola ride through the city's canals
Tour St. Mark's Basilica and familiarize yourself with the story behind it
Explore the Doge's Palace, the heart of political power in Venice
8:30am tour: Enjoy a relaxed 6-hour guided tour of Venice with a break for lunch (not included although your guide will share recommendations) with max 20 people
8:15am tour: If you're short on time, choose the 8:15am tour when booking to visit all of Venice's highlights in just 4 hours (without a lunch break) and with max 25 people
Sites Visited
St. Mark’s Square (Piazza San Marco)
Skip-the-Line Access to St. Mark's Basilica
Gondola ride
Doge’s Palace
New Prisons
Bridge of Sighs
Rialto Bridge
Rialto Fish Market
House of Marco Polo (exterior)
Tour Includes
Local English-speaking guide
Expertly guided walking tour
Skip the line ticket for St. Mark's Basilica (12€)
Pre-reserved ticket to the Doge's Palace (25€)
Gondola Ride
Headset
Take a day to explore Venice; by land & water!
Book Now
Verified Customer reviews
Verified ratings
4.7/5
based on 968 Walks’ customer ratings
Overall rating
4.7/5
968 reviews
Rating summary by category
Guide
4.8/5
Guest Support
4.7/5
Latest reviews
Excellent
Shannon was amazing! She was very knowledgeable and the tour was organized perfectly. We had a wonderful time!
Tripadvisor customer·Traci·Apr 19, 2026
Excellent
i loved it so much it was such a fun experience and elena was a excellent tour guide
Tripadvisor customer·Yasma·Apr 18, 2026
Excellent
Mattias was lively, friendly and very knowledgeable. He covered a lot of Venetian history, geography and politics in a short time.
Tripadvisor customer·Richard·Apr 18, 2026
Excellent
Great guide! Definitely add the gondola
Tripadvisor customer·Alyssa·Apr 18, 2026
Excellent
Shannon was a great guide, and we learned so much.
Tripadvisor customer·Keith·Apr 18, 2026
Reviews from our guests
Venice in a Day with St. Mark's Basilica, Doge's Palace, & Gondola Ride
of Walks customers highly recommend this tour to friends or familySource: Walks Customers' Post-Tour Net Promoter Score Survey
Verified rating
4.7/5
based on 968 Walks’ customer ratings
Guide
4.8/5
Guest Support
4.7/5
Total guest reviews
:
4400
guest reviews
Excellent3918
Great439
Good25
Average12
Poor6
Latest reviews
Excellent
Shannon was amazing! She was very knowledgeable and the tour was organized perfectly. We had a wonderful time!
Tripadvisor customer·Traci·Apr 19, 2026
Excellent
Elena was fantastic. Knowledgable, friendly and funny. She was ready to provide us with every extra info and recomendations we could possibly need regarding our short stay in Venice. The tour itself was comprehensive and very plesant. We certainly recomend it! Elli and Alexander
Tripadvisor customer·Sono·Apr 18, 2026
Excellent
i loved it so much it was such a fun experience and elena was a excellent tour guide
Tripadvisor customer·Yasma·Apr 18, 2026
Excellent
Great guide! Definitely add the gondola
Tripadvisor customer·Alyssa·Apr 18, 2026
Excellent
Shannon was a great guide, and we learned so much.
Tripadvisor customer·Keith·Apr 18, 2026
Excellent
Mattias was lively, friendly and very knowledgeable. He covered a lot of Venetian history, geography and politics in a short time.
Tripadvisor customer·Richard·Apr 18, 2026
Excellent
Fabulous ...well paced and not too strenuous. Managed to get a real feel of the city and how to navigate it. Very much enjoyed information provided by local guide and this made the Doge's Palace visit meaningful. Skipping the queues at the basilica and the palace also added to the experience. Genuinely loved the day but only thing that took the edge off was the much anticipated gondola ride. Desperate to ride in a gondola but having to share with other people and ride sideways detracted from the experience so much so that I had to pay extra the next day to enable me to have the experience that I had imagined. However, we genuinely enjoyed the day and though expensive, glad we did it.
Viator customer·Helen·Apr 17, 2026
Excellent
Amazing tour. Roberta was excellent. She was energetic, enthusiastic and informative.
Tripadvisor customer·Elina·Apr 17, 2026
Excellent
Ariana was super informative and did an amazing job teaching us about Venice
Tripadvisor customer·Jarrod·Apr 16, 2026
Great
Celui-ci est en fait une bonne tournée. Intéressant. Le guide est génial, avec un très bon sens de l'humour, sauf quelques minuscules appels de mauvais jugement qu'il a fait à mon avis. Peut-être que c'est moi, je ne sais pas, toi le lecteur sois le juge.
Je suis sûr qu'il ne voulait pas de mal, mais il a fait deux blagues sexuelles insipides en présence de mineurs dans le groupe. S'il n'y avait pas de mineurs, je suppose que ce n'était pas un problème.
Le premier était sur place où il y a un trou dans le mur où les gens dans le passé pouvaient glisser leurs plaintes et accusations de crimes afin que les juges de Venise puissent enquêter et rendre justice. Il parlait du trou dans le mur, et quelqu'un l'utilisait de façon inappropriée et il a dit quelque chose du genre "mauvais pote de trou..." faisant clairement une blague à connotation sexuelle.
L'autre exemple était en sortant du palais des Doges il y a une statue masculine faisant face avec le dos montrant un derrière serré nu. Alors il a dit quelque chose du genre "Peut-être que les dames peuvent nous dire si c'est un bon derrière...". Je paraphrase.
Peut-être que c'est un truc italien, ou vénitien, et c'est tout à fait normal, ou peut-être qu'il pensait que tout le monde est adulte dans le groupe mais j'ai senti que j'avais besoin de mentionner cela.
P. S. Alors que nous marchions sur la place principale, il y avait de très grands groupes scolaires qui faisaient la queue pour entrer quelque part et ils interféraient avec notre trajectoire de marche, alors il a dit "ah les voilà, les groupes scolaires, mon ennemi mortel... ", ce qui était très drôle, mais il a poursuivi en disant "ce n'est pas une ville où les enfants doivent faire le tour... ", mais il y avait des enfants dans sa tournée, lol.
No. Unfortunately, gondolas are not wheelchair accessbile.
Will the gondola ride take place in inclement weather?
Safety is our top priority. Unforeseen circumstances such as bad weather (heavy rain, strong wind, high tide) many prevent the gondola ride from taking place. If the gondola ride cannot occur due to any operational or safety reasons such as these beyond our control, no refund will be provided.
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 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.
Can I bring a stroller into the Doge's Palace?
No. The Doge's palace is full of staircases and narrow corridors. Strollers are not allowed inside.
What if the weather is bad (rain, snow, hail, etc.) on the day of my tour?
Our tours run rain or shine so please dress for the elements. We also ask you to please remember hats and sunscreen if you are taking this tour in the summer as it might be very hot.
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.
Does my guide accompany me on the gondola ride?
No. During your gondola ride you will be alone with maximum 5 other people and your Venetian gondoliere. This experience is much better as quiet time. Just sit back, relax and soak up the beauty of the city's canals.
Is this tour wheelchair accessible?
No. Unfortunately, due to site restrictions we cannot accommodate wheelchairs on this tour. Guests should be prepared for a moderate level of physical activity, including standing for extended periods and climbing stairs, which may not be suitable for travelers with certain health conditions or mobility limitations.
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.
Can I get a refund if, due to inclement weather, I choose not to participate in the walking tour on the day of?
If the client chooses not to attend the walking tour due to adverse weather, no refund will be issued. However, the client may still participate in the second part of the tour if they notify us in advance.
Is lunch included on this tour?
No. But your guide is always happy to offer you plenty of recommendations for great places to eat in the vicinity that will suit any price point.
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.
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