Legendary Venice St. Mark's Basilica and Doge's Palace: An insightful journey into Venetian history
4.7
3,960 Ratings
Venezia
Embark on an insightful journey into Venetian history as you explore the legendary St. Mark's Basilica and the Doge's Palace. Skip the line and discover the stories behind these iconic structures with an expert guide.
Duration: 3 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Piazza San Marco - 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.
  • Basilica di San Marco - Get special access into the pristine St. Mark’s Basilica, skipping past the long lines and straight into its opulent interior. Wander beneath the mosaics in the company of a local guide who’s especially skilled at reviving the past through storytelling and expert knowledge. Marvel at the mosaics and more of the basilica’s treasures, then take a walk out onto the balcony for a once-in-a-lifetime view overlooking Piazza San Marco, the Doge’s Palace, and the Venetian lagoon.
  • Doge’s Palace - Weave your way through the Doge’s Palace, where pre-reserved tickets once again get you past the lines and inside what was once the political heart of the Venetian empire for hundreds of years. Walk through the Doge’s private apartments and learn how politics and crime went hand in hand—even in medieval Venice. Finally, like many other (unlucky) Venetians before you, you’ll wander over the Bridge of Sighs—and learn why this romantic icon is a little grimmer than you may have heard—before finishing your exploration in the New Prisons.
What's Included
  • Skip-the-line ticket for St. Mark’s Basilica
  • Local English-speaking guide
  • Exclusive Early Entry to the Doge’s Palace (8 AM only)
  • Exclusive access to the balcony of St. Mark’s Basilica
  • Pre-reserved ticket to the Doge’s Palace
  • Headsets when necessary
What's Not Included
  • Gratuities
  • Hotel Pick-Up/Drop-Off
  • Lunch
Additional Information

Embark on a historical journey in Venice, featuring a tour of its most celebrated landmarks—St. Mark’s Basilica and the Doge’s Palace—while a knowledgeable guide enlightens you on the tales associated with these signature sights. Avoid the crowd at the renowned St. Mark’s Basilica, take a tour inside its mosaic-covered interior and even gain exclusive access to the balcony offering a view of Piazza San Marco—a privilege only a handful gets! Afterwards, proceed to the Doge’s Palace and immerse yourself in the political core of a mighty dynasty.

  • Unfortunately we are unable to accommodate guests with mobility impairments, wheelchairs or strollers on this tour.
  • Backpacks are prohibited inside St. Mark’s Basilica.
  • Walks complies with all local government regulations. Please refer to Italy government guidelines for the most up to date information.
  • Tour in English only
  • St. Mark’s Basilica can be subject to unforeseen closures due to liturgical celebrations or high tides. In this event, your guide will give the tour from the exterior of the Basilica or we will contact clients as soon as possible to arrange a suitable alternative.
  • Due to the religious nature of the Basilica, all individuals regardless of gender must cover their shoulders and knees. A scarf or shawl is acceptable. The activity provider cannot be held responsible for those denied entry
  • On certain dates, most travelers staying outside of Venice who are planning to visit for the day will be required to pay a €5 access fee. For further details (including exemptions) and to learn what days this fee is applicable, please visit: https://cda.ve.it
Location
Museo Correr
Piazza San Marco
Correr Museum (Museo Correr) in Piazza San Marco. Meet under the portico just outside the entrance of the museum. Your guide will be holding a Walks sign. Please note that the tour meeting time is 15 minutes prior to the start time.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.7
(3960 Ratings)
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Vivian_t
May 17, 2024
8 AM and FANTASTIC tour of Doges Palace & St Mark’s in Venice - Tour guide Roberta was superb in her knowledge of Venice’s >2000 years of advanced enlightenment. Being able to view the Doges’ Palace and St. Mark’s Basilica without crowds made the 8 am start worth the early wake-up!
Review provided by Viator
Sara_v
May 9, 2024
Great tour - Roberta was an excellent guide. Her knowledge and personality shined. She connected with everyone on the tour. We were pleased with the entire experience.
Review provided by Viator
Shahveer1
Apr 11, 2024
Great - Great trip. Loved the city and the vibes. The guide was good and informative. Would love to come back to Venice and explore again
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jg77_13
Apr 7, 2024
Very informative guide and excellent tour - Fantastic tour with Georgina, she was so knowledgeable, pleasant and helpful. This was the perfect balance of information and history. It was a 3 he tour but felt easygoing and interesting. I would really recommend it.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Bryancw8414yl
Apr 5, 2024
Fascinating - Rrrroberrrrta was a great tour guide. She clearly has a lot of love for her city and knows so much about the history and her pride shows through.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Kitephil
Apr 3, 2024
Fantastic tour with Martina - Great tour with Martina. She's an art history expert and knew everything. Definitely take the 8am tour, it's so nice to be the first ones into the Doge's Palace before the hordes of people arrive.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Connector05943355669
Apr 4, 2024
Trip Advisor contracts w/ a guide service that is awesome. Trip Advisor was not awesome and caused great stress to us. - 5 rating for the guide and her company. 1 rating for trip advisor who caused great stress and was not helpful sorting out a problem. The guide’s company was great!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Susie_m
Apr 25, 2024
Viator ruined our experience - Tour guide lona was great but whoever was in charge of bookings was woeful. We arrived early for the tour. We had our confirmation and the money had come from our account. To our horror, we were not on the list. Viator had us booked on a different date. Tour organiser Antonella was great, there were no tickets for us and she was trying to organise. I got so worked up that l ended up in tears. Lucky for us there were some no shows and they were happy to fit us in but we missed the introductory talk and l was so upset that l did not fully appreciate the tour afterwards.
Review provided by Viator
Lisa_s
May 12, 2024
No reply from Viator - We ask the Water Taxi Ticket office which Water Taxi takes us to Venice St. Mark's Basillaca. We got on this Water Taxi with extra time. This Ticket office person told us the wrong Water Taxi !!!! We emailed your office, to inform you, once we realized the mistake by the ticket office .... "you DID NOT email us back or call us"! We arrived the Meeting place approximately 15 minutes late. No response from you & our tour guide was gone. We were very willing & very capible to meet up with the guided tour. Therefore, we paid to go thru the Basilica on our own. We've been on over 20 excursions in the past 3 weeks and YOUR excursion is the only 1 we've had a problem with. ☆ We are now asking for a "Full refund" !!!! Please advise!
Review provided by Viator
Tahtraveler1
Apr 1, 2024
Excludes most important part of St Marks Basilica! - Supposedly you can see St Marks Basilica. But you can’t. It skips the most important part, and doesn’t say it’s excluded. Get to see from a distance but as you can see other tours go up close. Pala d’Oro. Can’t see it. Pick another tour.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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1 Adult
June 2024
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