Venice St. Mark's Basilica & Doge's Palace Private Tour: Skip the Line Access to Iconic Sites

Experience the beauty and history of Venice’s iconic sites with a private tour of St. Mark’s Basilica and Doge’s Palace. Skip the line and explore the stunning architecture, golden pala Oro, and masterful paintings by Titian, Giorgione, and Tintoretto.

Duration: 3 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Piazza San Marco - Meet your guide at the column with a lion on the top
  • Basilica di San Marco - skip the line entrance to the basilica, visit to the Pala Oro : the only example in the world of Gothic goldsmith’s work of considerable size that has remained intact, The Museum and The Marcian quadriga with the four horses which can be reached along the exhibition of a series of stone fragments and capitals from the late antique and mid-Byzantine era.
    The four horses, until 1977 on the loggia of the Basilica of San Marco, after restoration, were replaced by reproductions and admitted to the museum in 1982 for conservation reasons.
  • Doge’s Palace - the former site of the Venetian government, and have a preferential entrance into the building. Here your professional guide will walk you through important institutional rooms of the Doge’s Palace, where you will see the masterpieces painted by Titian, Tintoretto and Veronese.
  • Ponte dei Sospiri - Pass through the famous Sights bridge and learn why it was called like this
What's Included
  • Private tour
  • Skip-the-line entrance to Doge’s Palace
  • Guidance from a professional art historian
  • Skip-the-line access to St. Mark’s Basilica, Pala d’Oro, Horses of Saint Mark, and the museum
What's Not Included
  • Gratuities
  • Transportation to/from attractions
  • Food and drinks
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off
Additional Information

This guided tour includes visits to the key rooms within the Doge’s Palace and St Mark’s Basilica, including sites like the golden Pala Oro and the Museum with the Horses Loggia. The Doge’s quarters, the Bridge of Sights and the Prisons will also be part of the exploration and the artistry of Titian, Giorgione, and Tintoretto will be marveled at. The guide will also facilitate expedited entry into St Mark’s Basilica to marvel at its splendid architecture and mosaic work. The Pala d’Oro, positioned behind the main altar, is a unique example of large Gothic jewellery that is still in its original condition. The Museum provides the opportunity to observe the opulence of the works of Flemish and Medicean tapestry whilst the Horses Loggia is the final stop on the museum tour. Up until 1977, this was the location of the Basilica of San Marco but was replaced following restoration work and transferred to the museum in 1982 due to necessity for preservation.

  • 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
  • Child under 18 old must provide valid ID to have reduced price to museums
  • Food and drinks are not allowed in the museums or churches
  • It is forbidden to enter the Basilica with luggage, backpacks or voluminous bags.
  • 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
P.za San Marco, 3
Piazza San Marco
Guide will wait for you by the column with a lion on Top - the column is near the water
Cancellation Policy

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

Customer Ratings
4.6
(69 Ratings)
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Andrew_r
Aug 11, 2024
Excellent tour - The tour guide’s knowledge was superb and the whole tour was thoroughly educational and entertaining
Review provided by Viator
Richard_c
Jul 3, 2024
See this one - The guide was tremendous, .(red-haired woman). Very knowledgeable and kind! I do not hesitate to recommend her and this tour for those interested in the history of Venice!
Review provided by Viator
Alison_s
Apr 7, 2024
Excellent tour ! - The tour guide was so knowledgeable and the Basilica and Palace are absolutely beautiful . I had my 84 year old Mother with me so skipping the lines was essential and our guide was thoughtful about using the lifts and sitting down . Well worth it !
Review provided by Viator
Cheryl_b
Oct 11, 2023
St Marc's Basilica - Monica, was a fabulous tour guide. Extremely knowledgeable. The private tour made the exoerience exceptional. Lots if time to I teract as we toured St Marc's Basilica abd Dogo Palace. I highly recommend iit.
Review provided by Viator
379jeninem
Sep 29, 2023
Everything you want to know and more!!! - Tullia‘s knowledge of both the history and the art was like having an encyclopedia that elegantly and patiently explained all that this tour offered. I couldn’t imagine experiencing it any other way. She was magnificent!!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Ana_g
Sep 25, 2023
Perfect Afternoon in Venice - We thoroughly enjoyed our afternoon with Isabella - she was an engaging, knowledgeable and patient local guide. I was with my elderly mother and aunt and Isabella adjusted the tour seamlessly to take into account the fact that they tired easily and had limited mobility (e.g., finding an elevator where possible to avoid large staircases). She was right on time and led us through St. Mark's Basilica and the Doge Palace at a comfortable pace, stopping to answer our myriad of questions. Would recommend this tour to anyone who is looking to delve into the history of these two attractions rather than blaze through quickly.
Review provided by Viator
Aurelieabuja
Aug 18, 2023
Very good visit - We had Argentina as our guide and she was really good! Even our teenagers liked it because it was really interesting and got them involved by asking a lot of questions and giving anecdotes. She was able to completely adapt to our family because I had told her that the other members of the family were not suited to visits… she even took us to eat the best tiramisu and the best ice cream in town!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Tamar_k
Jul 23, 2023
Golden highlight of our trip! - We had an incredible tour despite starting in what seemed to be a tornado! Our guide kindly made sure we were dry and safe as possible. Somehow he refocused us and we were able to fall in love with the magic and beauty of the magnificent Place and Basilica. We not only saw magnificent examples of artistry and architecture, but also heard the historical lessons that accompanied the inspiration for them. It was fascinating to see the juxtaposition of these magnificent rooms and opulence surrounding and on top of the prison cells. To see how the Dukes, Senators and Noblemen lived during the Republic was fascinating. Of course, the opulence of the Cathedral with the incredible mosaics, artistry and spiritual devotion was incredibly moving. The Square is a magnificent place and we were lucky to learn all about it from such an incredible Guide. Thank you!
Review provided by Viator
Thomas_w
Apr 23, 2024
Not worth the price!! Skip this Tour... - Tour guide was knowledgeable but the tour was way over priced. First, we paid for a 3 hour tour and got 2 1/2. The price also did not even include access to the St Marks tomb inside the "St. Mark's Basilica"!! How is that possible?? This was the most expensive private tour we had through out Italy and would rank it near the bottom for the sites we saw, the access to the special features, and the value for the price. If you want to see these 2 buildings, take the small group tours. There is no value in spending the extra money to use this private tour company.
Review provided by Viator
Marciano_p
Mar 25, 2024
Bad! - Tour operator cancelled us just two hours before actual meeting time, and then only partially refunded our payment! 😡
Review provided by Viator
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up to 15 guests
1 Adult
October 2024
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