Venice in a Day with St. Mark's Basilica, Doge's Palace, & Gondola Ride
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!
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Verified Customer reviews
Verified ratings
4.7 /5
based on 955 Walks’ customer ratingsOverall rating
4.7 /5
955 reviewsRating summary by category
Latest reviews
Excellent
covers the core tourist parts of Venice . it’s a long tour and is about 6 hours - so brace for it . the tour guide was exceptional.
Viator customer · Pradeep · Dec 20, 2025 Excellent
There is a lot of walking but Grace was a great commentator. She did a wonderful job and we learned a lot!!!
Viator customer · Kimberly · Dec 20, 2025 Excellent
This is a tour that you should take when you first arrive in Venice. Our Guide was very knowledgeable and very personable!
Viator customer · Tom · Dec 18, 2025 Great
The basilica, doge palace and gondola ride are worth it, the rest is unnecessary. It felt like time was being filled up to justify the cost. The guide was great. Doing a shorter tour would be better and it gives you more time to explore. The bell tower was worth going up but of course is not on this tour.
Tripadvisor customer · Jenny · Dec 17, 2025 Excellent
Filippo is the best! Such a wonderful tour guide and very knowledgeable! He has a fun personality and had a lot of jokes, which made the tour lively!
Tripadvisor customer · Jennifer · Dec 16, 2025
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 family Source: Walks Customers' Post-Tour Net Promoter Score Survey
Verified rating
4.7 /5
based on 955 Walks’ customer ratingsTotal guest reviews
:
4138
guest reviews
Excellent 3665
Great 430
Good 25
Average 12
Poor 6
Latest reviews
Excellent
There is a lot of walking but Grace was a great commentator. She did a wonderful job and we learned a lot!!!
Viator customer · Kimberly · Dec 20, 2025 Excellent
covers the core tourist parts of Venice . it’s a long tour and is about 6 hours - so brace for it . the tour guide was exceptional.
Viator customer · Pradeep · Dec 20, 2025 Excellent
This is a tour that you should take when you first arrive in Venice. Our Guide was very knowledgeable and very personable!
Viator customer · Tom · Dec 18, 2025 Great
The basilica, doge palace and gondola ride are worth it, the rest is unnecessary. It felt like time was being filled up to justify the cost. The guide was great. Doing a shorter tour would be better and it gives you more time to explore. The bell tower was worth going up but of course is not on this tour.
Tripadvisor customer · Jenny · Dec 17, 2025 Excellent
Tour was great very informative. Fillipo was kind friendly and funny. I would highly recommend taking this tour even in winter.
Tripadvisor customer · Sam · Dec 16, 2025 Excellent
We had a wonderful time and learned so much on the tour. It was obvious our guide was very knowledgeable about the city and loved sharing its history. Truly a benefit to be here in winter to be part of a small group to have plenty of opportunity to ask questions.
Viator customer · Paul · Dec 16, 2025 Excellent
What a wonderful day. Filippo was a very knowledge tour guide. We learned so many historical facts and truly enjoyed this tour. I would highly recommend!
Viator customer · Stephanie · Dec 16, 2025 Excellent
Filippo is the best! Such a wonderful tour guide and very knowledgeable! He has a fun personality and had a lot of jokes, which made the tour lively!
Tripadvisor customer · Jennifer · Dec 16, 2025 Excellent
We enjoyed our tour with Filipo. We loved every thing we saw and he was very educational and funny! We would recommend him to anyone e
Tripadvisor customer · Erika · Dec 16, 2025 Excellent
If you're looking for the best way to see Venice in a day, look no further than the excellent hands of Nico and Walks of Italy! Our family had limited time to see this incredible city before departing for a cruise, and this thoughtfully planned itinerary was the perfect balance of maximizing our time and seeing as much as possible, without being too overwhelming. We had never booked a private tour through an independent company before, and after this experience we would not hesitate to do it again.<br /><br />We have no shortage of great things to say about our guide, Nico, who was arguably one of the best guides we've had the pleasure of meeting. From the moment we met him at the pickup point, we could instantly tell we were in excellent hands. Nico's incredible wealth of knowledge and warm personality was evident throughout the entire day—he answered all of our questions with a great sense of humor and allowed us ample time to rest and take pictures during the tour.<br /><br />All in all, we could not be happier with this once-in-a-lifetime experience. It was without a doubt the highlight of our trip!
Tripadvisor customer · Damian · Dec 16, 2025FAQs
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 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.
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 gondola ride if I use a wheelchair?
No. Unfortunately, gondolas are not wheelchair accessbile.
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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