Legendary Venice: St. Mark's Basilica & Doge's Palace Tour
3 hours
Max 25
Why take this tour?
Highlights
- Enjoy a truly VIP experience in and around the famed St. Mark's Square (Piazza San Marco).
- 8 am time slot only: Take advantage of early access to the Doge's Palace before it opens to the public, a VIP experience arranged specially for our groups.
- Skip the long lines and earn privileged access into St. Mark's Basilica and the Doge's Palace.
- Drink in the surrounding views over Venice with exclusive access to the terraces of St. Mark's Basilica.
- Let an expert local guide lead you through Venice's opulent history and culture—subjects they truly have a passion for.
- Marvel at mosaics of gold, frescoes by Veronese and Tintoretto, and masterpieces around every turn.
- Traverse the Bridge of Sighs, the Doge's apartments, the Armory, and the New Prisons.
- Sites Visited
- St. Mark’s Square (Piazza San Marco)
- St. Mark's Basilica
- St. Mark's Basilica terraces (exclusive access)
- Bell Tower in St. Mark's Square (exterior)
- Marciana Library (exterior)
- Doge’s Palace
- New Prisons
- Bridge of Sighs
- Tour Includes
- Local English-speaking guide
- Skip-the-line ticket for St. Mark's Basilica (St. Mark's Basilica + Museum 24€)
- Exclusive access to the balcony of St. Mark's Basilica
- Pre-reserved ticket to the Doge's Palace (25€)
- Headset (when necessary)
Immerse yourself in centuries of Venetian lore.
Book Now
Verified Customer reviews
Verified ratings
4.7 /5
based on 2772 Walks’ customer ratingsOverall rating
4.7 /5
2772 reviewsRating summary by category
Latest reviews
Excellent
We booked through a travel agency, so I'm not sure what the cost was for any individual excursions we made. If I had it to do over again I'd request our guide, Kiara, 1000%! She was passionate and knowledgeable and elevated the tour to an experience! The tour was 3 hours and had some tight areas and steep stairs. Bring your best walking shoes, and be prepared to learn! The only issue was the earpieces were heavy/bulky and there was some interference at times. We've taken other tours that had solo ear buds and that was a better experience, but it was still an overall amazing time and I'd highly recommend it for adults or HIGHLY mature children.
Tripadvisor customer · sledge1067 · Apr 12, 2026 Excellent
Highly recommend this tour.Filipe was an informative guide
Verified · Louise · Canada · Female · Apr 11, 2026 Excellent
Great way to see the key areas, learn a bit of Venice history, and have some fun on the way. Great tour guide (Valentina S).
Tripadvisor customer · Albert · Apr 11, 2026 Excellent
Valentina S made our visit of Venice very special by sharing stories of the Golden Basilica and the Doge’s palace. We learnt so much and her narration was fun and memorable
Tripadvisor customer · Jian · Apr 11, 2026 Excellent
Carolina was very kind and informative. She knew a lot of history and answered all of my questions. Highly recommend!
Tripadvisor customer · Andrea · Apr 11, 2026
Reviews from our guests
Legendary Venice: St. Mark's Basilica & Doge's Palace Tour
Verified rating
4.7 /5
based on 2772 Walks’ customer ratingsTotal guest reviews
:
6771
guest reviews
Excellent 5810
Great 787
Good 113
Average 47
Poor 14
Latest reviews
Excellent
We booked through a travel agency, so I'm not sure what the cost was for any individual excursions we made. If I had it to do over again I'd request our guide, Kiara, 1000%! She was passionate and knowledgeable and elevated the tour to an experience! The tour was 3 hours and had some tight areas and steep stairs. Bring your best walking shoes, and be prepared to learn! The only issue was the earpieces were heavy/bulky and there was some interference at times. We've taken other tours that had solo ear buds and that was a better experience, but it was still an overall amazing time and I'd highly recommend it for adults or HIGHLY mature children.
Tripadvisor customer · sledge1067 · Apr 12, 2026 Excellent
Highly recommend this tour.Filipe was an informative guide
Verified · Louise · Canada · Female · 55 - 64 years · Apr 11, 2026 Excellent
Valentina was excellent. She was personable and very knowledgeable.
Tripadvisor customer · savjaket · Apr 11, 2026 Excellent
Valentina S. was incredible!! Truly the most informative tour guide available. She taught us so much about the incredible history and culture of Venice.
Tripadvisor customer · Clara · Apr 11, 2026 Excellent
Carolina was very kind and informative. She knew a lot of history and answered all of my questions. Highly recommend!
Tripadvisor customer · Andrea · Apr 11, 2026 Excellent
Valentina S made our visit of Venice very special by sharing stories of the Golden Basilica and the Doge’s palace. We learnt so much and her narration was fun and memorable
Tripadvisor customer · Jian · Apr 11, 2026 Excellent
Great way to see the key areas, learn a bit of Venice history, and have some fun on the way. Great tour guide (Valentina S).
Tripadvisor customer · Albert · Apr 11, 2026 Excellent
I would highly recommend this tour.. no so much for little kid with little patience..
Tripadvisor customer · Greta · Apr 10, 2026 Excellent
We were on a great tour with Chiara. She explained everything very well and is extremely nice. She gave us time to look at stuff for ourselves. Would recommend.
Tripadvisor customer · Nils · Apr 10, 2026 Excellent
Me and my Mom had a wonderful time on the tour. Filippo was truly amazing, made the whole experience very fun and interesting.<br />Highly recommended!!!
Tripadvisor customer · Magdalena · Apr 10, 2026FAQs
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.
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.
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 can I bring with me on this tour?
St. Mark's Basilica has very tight rules about what you can and cannot bring inside. Anything bigger than a purse - including backpacks or luggage - is NOT allowed inside the Basilica. There is no coat check either, so do not bring any bags larger than a purse with you.
Is this tour accessible to people in wheelchairs?
Unfortunately the terrace of St. Mark's Basilica, the prisons, and the armory of the Doge's Palace are not wheelchair-accessible, meaning we can't accept wheelchair user on this tour. For those interested in wheelchair friendly tours in Venice, please contact our Customer Care team at [email protected].
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.
Do guests always see the sights on this tour in the same order?
No. Sometimes the tour runs in reverser order. However, we never take any sights out of the itinerary so you are always going to see St. Mark's Basilica, St. Mark’s Square, Doge’s Palace (general access rooms), New Prisons, and Bridge of Sighs.
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.
What's so special about the 8:00 am tour time?
The 8:00 AM tour time offer a unique and exclusive benefit - enter St. Mark's Basilica before it opens! With just your small group you enter through a side door and spend time alone in the Basilica. A truly once-in-a-lifetime experience, and created for Walks guests only. The 8:00 AM tour time is the only time with this special access, although the later times are also skip-the-line!
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.
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