Guided tour of Doge's Palace and St Mark's Basilica with gondola ride
Must Do

Guided tour of Doge's Palace and St Mark's Basilica with gondola ride

4.7/5
Excellent
Based on 16 reviews
from
£118.00
Free cancellation
Language: English, Italian, French, Spanish, German
Mobile voucher accepted
Duration: 2 hours 30 minutes
Why you’ll love this…
  • Cross the Bridge of Sighs and reach the prison cell of Giacomo Casanova
  • Admire masterpieces by Tintoretto, Titian and Veronese in the Doge's Palace
  • Marvel at the golden mosaics and marble inlay flooring in the Basilica
  • Enjoy a nice gondola ride and explore Venice from its charming canals
What to expect

Meet your guide in front of the Clock Tower in Piazza San Marco and start your combination tour discovering the buildings in the square.

Access the Doge's Palace, a combination of Byzantine, Gothic and Renaissance architecture, the center of the Venetian Empire and the seat of the Venetian Government. Your guide will tell you everything about it as you pass through its lavish chambers, which display masterpieces by Tintoretto, Titian and Veronese. Hear about the different roles played by the Doge and his counselors, and discover Venetian legends as you walk through the eerie, narrow passageways toward the prison cells. Learn about the prisoners and Casanova, perhaps Venice's most famous and intriguing escapee. Later, visit Saint Mark's Basilica, which symbolizes the lagoon and enshrines the city’s history and Saints' relics.

At 1:00 pm you will end the first part of the tour and have approximately 2 hours of free time to stroll around Piazza San Marco, have lunch, or visit the Correr Museum on your own. In the afternoon, you'll enjoy an exploration of the Venetian romantic canals on a gondola. Unwind and relax while you appreciate the skill involved in steering the gondola through the intricate waterways of the city.

Read more
What's included
  • check Entrance fees
  • check Guided tour
  • check Headsets (to hear the guide)
  • check Gondola ride
Where

Calle larga de l'Ascension, 1256, 30124 Venice VE, Italy

Meeting point:
Meet your guide next to the post office San Marco (opposite side of Saint Mark's Basilica). Look for the yellow sign "Meeting Point" on the wooden kiosk. Leaving Piazza San Marco behind you, it's the one on your right (not the newspaper shop on the left). If arriving by boat, take Vaporetto line N1 or N2, get off at San Marco (Vallaresso) boat stop, walk directly down “Calle Vallaresso” street and turn right into Piazza San Marco at the end of the street. Please arrive 15 minutes prior to departure.
What to remember

Not suitable for:

  • people with mobility impairments

Not allowed:

  • no bare shoulders or knees. An appropriate dress code is required when visiting the Basilica
  • backpacks are not allowed inside the Basilica and Doge's Palace

Know in advance:

  • Please note that on certain days between April 25, 2024, and July 14, 2024, visitors to Venice are required to pay, directly to the Municipality of Venice, an access fee (5€/person), except for specific exemptions (i.e. Minors under the age of 14 are excluded from the payment of the access fee; please bring an ID card for the proof of the age). For dates, payment methods, to benefit from exemptions, and for all related information, please check the official website for the "Venice access fee" from the "Comune di Venezia". Please pay the access fee online before attending the tour
  • Doge's Palace and Basilica tour departs at 10:45 am; gondola ride departs at 3:00 pm or 5:15 pm. From April to October the gondola is available at 3.00 pm or 5.15 pm. From November to March the gondola is available at 3.00 pm only
  • The gondola tour is not guided, and it can be shared with a maximum of 6 people per gondola
  • On very few occasions Saint Mark's Basilica may be closed due to religious ceremonies, public holidays, private events or high water
  • At the end of the tour, keep your Doge's Palace ticket to visit Museo Correr, Museo Archeologico Nazionale and Monumental Rooms of the Biblioteca Nazionale Marciana in Piazza San Marco
Read more
Provider
VENICE EVENTS srl
Booking fee
Good news! No extra fees are applied to this booking.
Cancellation policy
Receive a 100% refund if you cancel up to 24 hours before the experience begins.

What people say about this experience

Excellent

4.7/5

Based on 16 reviews from verified customers

69%
31%
0%
0%
0%

Review categories

Value for money

4/5

Safety

4.6/5

Staff

4.6/5

Service

4.6/5

  • Anonymous

    From United States of America - June 2025

    Excellent

    Overall rated

    5/5

  • Anonymous

    From United States of America - April 2025

    Excellent

    Overall rated

    5/5

    Visite très intéressante de ces 2 monuments. Bravo à notre guide Monica qui a su captiver son auditoire par ses explications et sa bonne humeur . Nou ...

  • M.M

    From Germany - April 2025

    Travelled with a group of friends

     

    35 - 44 years old

    Excellent

    Overall rated

    5/5

    Ohne sich einzustellen haben wir in einer kurzen Zeit sehr viel gesehen und erfahren. Auf Grund dessen, haben wir mehr Zeit für andere Aktivitäten geh ...

  • Jake

    From United States of America - April 2025

    Travelled as a couple

     

    18 - 24 years old

    Excellent

    Overall rated

    4/5

    The guided tour and instructions to get there were great. The tour was very interesting and the guide full of knowledge. Nowhere in the instructions ...

  • JJ

    From United Kingdom - April 2025

    Solo traveller

     

    35 - 44 years old

    Excellent

    Overall rated

    5/5

    I went from one trip straight to another. I could have done with a rest and a coffee in between! Other than that all went smoothly

  • Markus65

    From United States of America - November 2024

    Travelled with family

     

    35 - 44 years old

    Excellent

    Overall rated

    5/5

    Der Treffpunkt war etwas kompliziert beschrieben so das wir eine Zeitsuchen mussten

You might also like

Tour privato in gondola a Venezia fuori dai percorsi battuti
Attività

Tour privato in gondola a Venezia fuori dai percorsi battuti

Scopri i canali di Venezia e la realtà della città con questo tour privato in gondola. Scegli tra diverse durate dei tour per sfruttare al meglio il viaggio.

free cancellation
Available in:

en, it 

Tour del Palazzo Ducale per piccoli gruppi con una guida locale
Attrazioni e tour guidati

Tour del Palazzo Ducale per piccoli gruppi con una guida locale

Prenota questo tour per piccoli gruppi di Palazzo Ducale a Venezia. Segui la guida locale attraverso i luoghi più importanti del palazzo e attraversa il Ponte dei Sospiri per raggiungere le prigioni.

free cancellation
Available in:

en 

Galleria Peggy Guggenheim e tour del sestiere Dorsoduro a Venezia
Attività

Galleria Peggy Guggenheim e tour del sestiere Dorsoduro a Venezia

Scopri la vita di una delle figlie adottive di Venezia, Peggy Guggenheim, e come ha rivoluzionato il panorama artistico della città in questa visita guidata...

free cancellation
Available in:

en, it, fr, es, de 

Doge's Palace Private Tour With a Local Guide
Escursioni e tour in giornata

Doge's Palace Private Tour With a Local Guide

Book tickets on this private tour of Venice's UNESCO-listed Doge's Palace. Follow an expert local guide around the palace, the Bridge of Sighs and the New Prisons.

free cancellation
Conferma Istantanea
Tour privato della Galleria dell'Accademia di Venezia e del Sestiere Dorsoduro
Attività

Tour privato della Galleria dell'Accademia di Venezia e del Sestiere Dorsoduro

Prenota i biglietti per esplorare il meglio dell'arte veneziana in questo tour privato personalizzabile. Gira all'interno della prestigiosa Galleria dell'Accademia e visita il sestiere Dorsoduro.

free cancellation
Available in:

en, it, fr, es, de 

Tour privato delle principali attrazioni di Venezia con biglietto salta fila per il Campanile di San Marco
Attività

Tour privato delle principali attrazioni di Venezia con biglietto salta fila per il Campanile di San Marco

Prenota questo tour privato personalizzabile alla scoperta del meglio di Piazza San Marco a Venezia con un esperto locale. Riceverai anche biglietti salta fila per il campanile.

free cancellation
Available in:

en, it, fr, es, de 

Tour privato di Venezia fuori dai sentieri battuti
Attrazioni e tour guidati

Tour privato di Venezia fuori dai sentieri battuti

Prenota ora per esplorare le gemme nascoste, la cultura e le tradizioni di Venezia in questo tour privato personalizzabile. Con la tua guida potrai dare un'occhiata anche ai luoghi d'interesse locali.

free cancellation
Available in:

en, it, fr, es, de 

Tour privato di Venezia con ingresso salta fila alla Basilica San Marco
Must see
Attività

Tour privato di Venezia con ingresso salta fila alla Basilica San Marco

Scopri il meglio di Venezia in un tour guidato di due ore e goditi un biglietto salta fila per visitare la splendida Basilica di San Marco!

free cancellation
Available in:

en, it, fr, es, de 

Abbonamento salta fila per i trasporti pubblici ACTV fino a 7 giorni
Top seller
Attrazioni e tour guidati

Abbonamento salta fila per i trasporti pubblici ACTV fino a 7 giorni

Acquista i biglietti turistici del trasporto pubblico ACTV per scoprire il meglio di Venezia.

Validity Flexible
Conferma Istantanea
Biglietti salta fila per il Palazzo Ducale e i musei di Piazza San Marco
Monumenti

Biglietti salta fila per il Palazzo Ducale e i musei di Piazza San Marco

Acquista i biglietti salta fila per i musei di Piazza San Marco a Venezia. Visita il Palazzo Ducale, il Museo Correr, il Museo Archeologico Nazionale e altro.

Flexible
Salta La Coda