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Venice Doge's Palace & St Mark's Basilica guided Tour: Detailed exploration of iconic landmarks
4.4
138 Ratings
Venezia
Experience the grandeur of Venice’s iconic landmarks on a guided tour of the Doge’s Palace and St. Mark’s Basilica. Explore the rich history and stunning architecture of these historic sites.
Duration:
2 hours, 15 minutes
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- Piazza San Marco - Your guide will provide you with a wealth of information regarding Saint Mark’s Square and then accompany you on a detailed tour of the Golden Basilica from Saint Mark’s square, once the private chapel of the Doge of Venice, the only one of its kind in Italy, thanks to the sumptuous golden mosaics and impressive marble inlay flooring.
- Basilica di San Marco - During the tour you will be able absorb the atmosphere whilst listening to your guide who will describe the biblical scenes represented throughout the building, together with history and particularities of this ancient Basilica.
Visit Saint Mark’s Basilica first floor museum and see the famous horses and admire Saint Mark’s Square from the Basilica’s terrace.
- Doge’s Palace - Continue your tour and skip the line inside the Doge’s palace. Once inside the Palace, you will visit the halls where the Duke (Doge) and his Council controlled the fate of the Serene Republic, whilst surrounded by hundreds of artistic masterpieces and discover the political history of Venice and its people. You will be able to admire the paintings realised by some of the most important artists of the Italian Renaissance, amongst them, the world’s largest oil painting by Tintoretto.
- Ponte dei Sospiri - Passing through the famous Bridge of Sighs, you will reach the new prisons. The bridge was given its name by the English poet Lord Byron, probably referring to the last breath of the prisoners, who had their last view of the lagoon and of Venice from the window of this bridge, before they were to be imprisoned.
- Museo Correr - At the end of the tour, keep your Doge’s Palace ticket to visit on your own: Museo Correr, Museo Archeologico Nazionale and Monumental Rooms of the Biblioteca Nazionale Marciana in Saint Mark’s square, opposite side of the Saint Mark’s Basilica.
What's Included
- Personal audio system and headset for tour commentary
- Multilingual tour provided in: English, French, German, Spanish, Italian
- Entrance fees
- Saint Mark’s Basilica first floor museum and the terrace
- Guided tour of Doges Palace, Saint Marks Basilica and Saint Marks square
What's Not Included
- Gratuities
- Pala d’oro (€ 5,00)
Additional Information
Combined journey to the Saint Marks Basilica and the Doge’s Palace:
-
Our expert guide will share interesting insights about Saint Mark’s Square and then guide you on an in-depth exploration of the Golden Basilica, formerly the personal chapel of the Doge of Venice. You’ll be able to marvel at the golden mosaics and stunning marble inlay floors.
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The second part of your journey will take you to the Doge’s Palace, accompanied by our guide. Inside, you will get to experience the grand halls where the Duke (Doge) and his Council decided the destiny of the Serene Republic. You will appreciate the artwork made by some of the most renowned artists of the Italian Renaissance, including the world’s largest oil painting by Tintoretto. After crossing the famous Bridge of Sighs, you will enter the new prisons.
- A dress code is required to enter places of worship and selected museums. No shorts or sleeveless tops allowed. Knees and shoulders MUST be covered for both men and women. You may risk refused entry if you fail to comply with these dress requirements
- Back packs are not allowed inside the Basilica and the Doges Palace
- Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately
- 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
TU.RI.VE. Meeting Point
Calle larga de l'Ascension
15 min before in Calle larga de l’Ascension - 30124 next to the post office San Marco (opposite side of the Saint Marks Basilica).
Look for the yellow sign "Meeting point" on the wooden kiosk and the Turive assistant.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.4
(138 Ratings)
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Janelle_e
Sep 13, 2024
Worth it - Very nice tour and knowledgeable guide. On a day with some strange weather and st. Marks square under water, it was a great way to continue appreciating the city and culture
Review provided by Viator
Horacio_m
Sep 1, 2024
Excellent! Tour to recommend - Very good and interesting tour to the Doge’s Palace; the tour guide lady was excellent, providing al her knowledge and answer all questions. 👍👍
Review provided by Viator
Katie_w
Aug 29, 2024
Excellent experience - Excellent. Would recommend and tour guide was brilliant.
Easy to find and a very informative trip.
Nice time spent in both venues.
Review provided by Viator
Adriene_c
Aug 27, 2024
Absolutely beautiful apartment - Our 3 bedroom apt was huge and decorated beautifully. The apt was situated perfectly for shopping and dining. It was a beautiful place to stay at and I would stay there again.
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Darlene_p
Aug 24, 2024
Covers important facts about the history of the Square. - I'll start by saying arrive early.The signage isn't the best to find your meeting point to no fault of the tour operator.
San Marco's square very crowded.
All that being said Our guide was Fantastic it was money well spent.
I would recommend to this tour.
Review provided by Viator
Kari_r
Aug 20, 2024
Great tour! - As others have pointed out, this tour seems a bit disorganized at first. Just arrive early and be a little patient. Check in at the northernmost hut in the Calle large de l'Ascenion, the street to the west of St Mark's Square, just on the other side of the entrance to the Museo Correr. There are lots of numbered tours leaving from this point, just need to wait for your tour. Our guide, Rosanna, was fantastic. She navigated us through the church and the palace, giving us ample time to see what we needed (including the lighting of the Basilica at 11:30a) and provided great commentary along the way. I would recommend you keep eyes on your tour guide - it's very busy, and easy to fall behind - but a very informative tour with a very knowledgeable guide.
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Karen_m
Aug 5, 2024
Great value - Our guide was fantastic! He explained everything with passion and concisely. One of out favorite tours on our trip!
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Marty_s
Aug 2, 2024
Our Tour guide I think... - Our Tour guide I think her name is Edie was amazing! The Basilica and Doge's palace were a site to be seen. You really learn a lot of history by going the route of a tour guide. I highly recommend this tour.
Review provided by Viator
Mark_m
Sep 12, 2024
Nice Tour- - Our tour guide was very nice and did give alot of information. However, he did speak english. His accent was very heavy and his english was hard to understand. He would speak fast and it was almost impossible to understand
Review provided by Viator
Michelle_a
Aug 16, 2024
Great guide but too expensive considering it was shared with so many people. - The guide Giovanna, was excellent. She had lots of energy and is clearly very well informed. However, I felt it was very pricey considering we shared our experience with so many others. I was expecting a much smaller group for the price we paid. There were also a couple of other clients who hadn't read the details regarding the dress code for the Basilica and we wasted a little time waiting for them to purchase scarves to cover themselves. This needs to be made clearer to customers to avoid such delays.
Review provided by Viator
