Best of Venice Private Tour: St. Mark's Doge Palace Gondola Ride
Description
Enjoy an exclusive tour of Venice with a private expert guide, and make the most of this incredible city and see all of the highlights. Begin in Saint Mark's Square for a perfect view of Saint Mark’s Basilica and the Doge’s Palace, the private chapel of the dukes of Venice until the 19th century. Get privileged access, and skip the long lines to enter the grand basilica and enjoy up-close views of the golden mosaics. Then skip the lines to the Doge's Palace to travel through 7 centuries of history as you see the palace prisons and court rooms, and stop on the Bridge of Sighs to see the last view of Venice that prisoners saw before they were locked in their cells. Your guide will then give recommendations for lunch, and after a short break continue your tour. Walk to the covered Rialto Bridge and discover the house where Marco Polo once lived. Go to the Renaissance church of the Campo Santa Maria Formosa, where you will end your perfect day true Venetian style in a private gondola ride
Tour Options
Itinerary
Your experience of Venice begins in the iconic St Mark's square where you will also meet your guide.
Next, skip the long lines and enter this beautiful and ornate basilica as your guide provides you with anecdotes of its history. An original, valid photo ID is required for entry to St. Mark's Basilica. Photocopies are not accepted.
Next make your way to the Doge's Palace again with VIP entry, the political center of Venice. Your expert guide will share the secrets of the private hidden apartments, and you will see impressive halls such as the Hall of Great Council. The tour takes a more sinister turn as you visit the prison, as well as an extensive private weapons collection. Upon exiting, you will stop at the notorious Bridge of Sighs. After this visit, your guide will provide you with some great recommendations to stop to eat and have refreshments before continuing on your tour. The rest of the day will be spent on foot exploring the narrow winding streets to unexpected squares and bridges. Visit the Rialto bridge and see Marco Polo's house before stopping in Campo Santa Maria Formosa for your private gondola ride.
Your guide will escort you to your very own private gondola ride - the best way to complete a day in Venice! They will ensure you will have everything you need before embarking on a relaxing journey through the canals on your gondola.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- 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
- Offered in: English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, and Italian. Please specify under “Additional notes” if you wish to book the tour in a language other than English.
- Places of worship have strict dress code requirements for entry. All participants are required to have shoulders and knees covered (no tank tops or short dresses) to enter.
- There is no photography allowed in St Marks basilica.
- The itinerary described above is a suggested order of the various experiences. These may vary according to your personal requests or preferred starting time.
- An original, valid photo ID is required for entry to St. Mark's Basilica. Photocopies are not accepted.
- Please provide the full names of all travelers when booking. Failure to present a voucher with all travelers’ full names at the ticket office prior to entry may result in denied entry to the attraction.
- The ticket includes a cost to enter St. Mark’s Basilica valued at 30 EUR per person.
Reviews(114)
Lara was amazing!!! So happy we booked with liv tours and the experience was amazing! We woke up a little late and they were amazing!!
Ottavia was INCREDIBLE! She was so informed, and I asked questions constantly and she had an answer for everything ! I was equally entertained and educated. She was also incredibly kind and patient with my parents and accommodated their needs for an elevator
Ottavia Pedrocco was such a great tour guide: knowledgeable, charming, thoughtful and enthusiastic. Made for an awesome trip around Venice that was a highlight of our vacation.
Nico was an extremely informative guide. He catered to our family the perfect tour of Venice.
Very informative and thorough, great personality, no waiting in lines, definitely would recommend to everyone
The tour was exceptional. The guide provided wonderful insight into Venetian history while walking through the city, above and beyond just the basic information about St. Mark’s and Doge’s Palace. Absolutely recommend for any first time tourists!
Tulia was knowledgeable, courteous and fun to listen to. I appreciated the time she took with us and the attention to details. It was like a customized tour for our interests. Thank you!!
Great experience with Nico! He was very knowledgable and passionate. Highly recommend.
Amazing. She was absolutely lovely and the pace was perfect.
Filipo did an excellent job teaching us about Venice, as this was our first time there! He was very personable and knowledgeable! Thanks to Filipo!
