Legendary Venice Doge's Palace & St. Mark's with Exclusive Access
- 2–3 hours
- Skip the line
- Free cancellation up to 72h before
- 2 languages
Highlights
With skip-the-line tickets and an expert guide, you’ll explore Venice’s top two landmarks, St. Mark’s Basilica and the Doge’s Palace, in just two unforgettable hours. Wander the gilded council rooms in the Doge's Palace, cross the Bridge of Sighs, uncover enthralling stories of power and politics, and marvel at the golden mosaic ceiling in St. Mark's Basilica. Note: If you select the Private Legendary Venice option (max 6 people) or Legendary Venice with Terraces option at time of booking, you’ll have the once-in-a-lifetime chance to admire beautiful views from the balcony over St. Mark's Square. These options have a tour duration of 3 hours.
Inclusions
What's included
- Pre-reserved ticket to the Doge's Palace (25 €)
- Local English-speaking guide
- Bell Tower in St. Mark's Square (exterior)
- New Prisons
- Marciana Library (exterior)
- Exclusive access to the balcony of St. Mark's Basilica (if option selected)
- Spanish Speaking guide (if option selected)
- Skip-the-line ticket for St. Mark's Basilica (St. Mark's Basilica + Museum 24€)
- Bridge of Sighs
- St. Mark’s Square (Piazza San Marco)
- Exclusive Early Entry to the Doge's Palace (if option selected)
What's not
- Gratuities
- Hotel Pick-Up/Drop-Off
Itinerary
Begin in the world-famous St. Mark’s Square (Piazza San Marco) and take a moment to appreciate the breathtaking space laid out in front of you. Your guide will lay the foundation for your experience, setting the scene of centuries of Venetian history under the famed arched portico.
Start your day at Palazzo Ducale, or Doge's Palace, home to the doge, or duke, of Venice and his seat of government. As your guide leads you through its grand chambers and council rooms, they'll point out paintings by renowned Venetian masters such as Veronese and Tintoretto. You'll hear how Venice was ruled from within these walls and about some of its famous prisoners, including Casanova. You'll even walk in their footsteps as you cross the Bridge of Sighs from the palace and into the grim New Prisons. Note: Step inside the Doge’s Palace before it opens to the public to wander the empty chambers—an exclusive early access experience only available if you select Exclusive Access Upgrade option. The Exclusive Access Upgrade option also includes a tour of St. Mark's Basilica and special access to the terraces with incredible privileged views of St. Mark's Square.
It's a short walk next door to St. Mark's Basilica, Venice's most important church. Skip the long lines and marvel at a breathtaking blend of Eastern and Western architecture, specifically the magnificent shimmering golden mosaic ceiling. As you tour the basilica, your guide will reveal the fascinating (and often scandalous) stories behind the basilica’s greatest treasures, including how many were brought to Venice under mysterious circumstances. Note: If you select the Private Legendary Venice option (max 6 people), Legendary Venice with Terraces or Exclusive Access Upgrade option at time of booking, you’ll have the once-in-a-lifetime chance to admire beautiful views from the balcony over St. Mark's Square.
Cancellation
Free cancellation up to 72 hours before the experience starts, for a full refund.
Reviews
4.7
- 55,067
- 4499
- 3143
- 271
- 1183
Ratings come from 5,963 reviews collected by our booking partner. They are travellers' own words, in the order they were written — never reordered to flatter the experience.
Showing reviews written in English.
1Very disappointing. We...
Very disappointing. We were in Venice for one day and half the tour was cancelled. Tour representative was disrespectful about our country through the tour.
5Thanks to Giuliano that gave us an amazing experience
We had a great experience due to our tour guide Giuliano !! He is so knowledgeable and has a great sense of humor ~! A good tour guide makes all the difference!! This is the best tour I had in Europe trip thanks to Giuliano!!!
5Best Tour and Tour Guide Ever
Guiliano was the best tour guide ever! Explains everything within the tour with humor, wit, and very interesting information and back stories. The tour flew by and we came away with a deeper appreciation of Venice and its history. Very highly recommended to book with Guiliano if you can!
5Thorough and Speedy!
Great time with Giuliano! Very knowledgeable and funny. Fit a lot in 2 hours.
5Great tour
Juliano was informative and also funny. He kept us engaged the whole time.
3St Marks tour without St. Mark
They were not able to get tickets for Saint Marks, which is the whole reason why we booked the tour, that was very disappointing. On the other hand, Felipe was an amazing guide funny interesting knowledgeable.
Know before you go
- Meeting point
- Please arrive 15 minutes prior to the start of your tour, your guide will be holding a green Walks sign. This tour meets at Correr Museum in Piazza San Marco 52. Your guide will be waiting under the portico just outside the entrance of the museum.
- Pickup
- Everyone meets at the starting point; there is no pickup.
- Ticket type
- Mobile or paper ticket accepted
- Group size
- Up to 25 travellers
- Operated by
- Walks - Italy & Spain
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Unfortunately due to the nature of this tour it is not suitable for guests with mobility impairments or with wheelchairs, or strollers.
- Sites visited during this tour are subject to occasional closures due to holy observances, high tides, and/or flooding. If a site closes, your guide will tour the exterior of the site. If time permits, we will reach out to you prior to your tour. 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). For last-minute closures, modifications may be communicated at the tour start time.
- 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.
- If access is restricted due to private events inside St. Mark's Basilica and/or Doge's Palace, we cannot be held responsible. This is a situation beyond our control. No refund will be issued.
- St. Mark’s Basilica can be subject to closures due to particular liturgical celebrations, especially during major religious holidays such as Easter or Christmas. In the event that the Basilica is closed, explanations will be provided from the outside.
- Please note that a photo ID is required to visit the St. Marks Basilica. Failure to bring an ID can result in the security staff refusing your entrance to the monument.
How it compares in Venice
- Its from-price is 56% below the median of the 1991 experiences we list in Venice.
- Its length is typical for the group.
- By number of reviews it ranks 3 of 1991.
About Venice
Venice floats on a lagoon of more than a hundred islands, a city of canals, palaces and bridges with no cars, where every walk ends somewhere unexpected.
The Grand Canal sweeps through the city in a great reversed S, lined with palaces and crossed by the Rialto Bridge. Near its mouth, Piazza San Marco gathers St Mark's Basilica with its golden mosaics, the Doge's Palace, the Bridge of Sighs and the tall brick campanile. Water buses and gondolas show the city from the angle it was built to be seen.
Top-ranked sights in Venice: St. Mark's Square (Piazza San Marco), St. Mark's Basilica (Basilica di San Marco), Grand Canal.
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