Private or Semi Doge's Palace & Saint Mark's Basilica Guided Tour
Description
With this Exclusive Experience you will enjoy a comprehensive and engaging Tour of Venice's two most famous sites, Saint Mark's Basilica and the Doge's Palace, and all of it in your very own Private Group with your very own Private Guide! Savor the privileges of an intimate and personalized tour, which affords you the possibility of going at your own pace, and asking all the questions you wish! Enjoy Skip-the-line access to one of the world's most famous basilicas and to Venice's most important and historical Palazzo. Highlights include the tens of thousands square feet of Golden Mosaics adorning the interior of the Basilica, the Bridge of Sighs, and the scary prisons of the Doge's Palace, its impressive Gun Room and magnificent Hall of Great Council.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Your Doge's Palace and Saint Mark's Tour will begin in beautiful Piazza San Marco, where you will meet your Private Tour Guide. Begin your adventure into two of Venice's most famous sites in this most iconic and picture perfect square, learning all about its architecture, history and anecdotes.
Your first official stop will be Saint Mark's Basilica. Enjoy exclusive and privileged skip the (long) line access, and enter straight into what is also known as the Golden Basilica. Here, your Private guide will show you and guide you through the interior of this incredible church, musing on its history, anecdotes, and the many eras it has seen in its hundreds of years of existence. You will surely be stunned by the thousands and thousands of square feet of pure golden mosaics that completely cover the basilica's interior. There is quite literally no other place like this! An original, valid photo ID is required for entry to St. Mark's Basilica. Photocopies are not accepted.
Exit the Basilica, and continue your tour by enjoying once again exclusive skip the line access to the Doge's Palace, the seat of Venice's government for centuries. You will be amazed by the secret stories your guide shares as you walk through the Doge’s private, luxurious apartments and powerful halls, such as the Hall of the Great Council. Then, continue to explore the palace with a visit to the scary, dark and gory prison. After seeing the impressive collection of weapons, you will stop at the notorious Bridge of Sighs. Enjoy the view and snap some perfect pictures for your album at home.
After seeing the impressive collection of weapons, you will stop at the notorious Bridge of Sighs. Enjoy the view and snap some perfect pictures for your album at home.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Wheelchair accessible
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- 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
- 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(377)
Filippo provided such a wonderfully interesting and engaging private tour of the Doge’s Palace and Saint Mark’s Basilica. The tour was supposed to include access to the secret passages and rooms, but they were closed last minute due to the heat wave. We were a little concerned it would feel lacking without them for our teen and tween, but there was no need. We saw so much and Filippo tied everything together throughout. As far as the two sites, Doge’s Palace had so much architectural and historical intrigue while Saint Mark’s was incredibly beautiful. I could’ve looked at the floor mosaics all day! (There was time to stop for a water/snack and use the bathroom at the palace. Be sure to cover knees and shoulders for the church.) Thank you to Filippo. Highly recommend.
This tour was absolutely fantastic and one of the highlights of our time in Venice. Having skip-the-line access to both St. Mark's Basilica and Doge's Palace made the experience seamless and allowed us to spend our time enjoying these incredible landmarks instead of waiting in line. Our guide was wonderful. She was engaging, knowledgeable, and passionate about Venice's history, bringing each site to life with fascinating stories and details that we never would have learned on our own. She kept the tour interesting from beginning to end and was happy to answer questions along the way. From the breathtaking golden mosaics inside St. Mark's Basilica to the grand halls of Doge's Palace and the iconic Bridge of Sighs, every stop was unforgettable. I highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting Venice. It was well organized, informative, and absolutely worth it.
Fantastic time with a great guide! Shannon did a great job keeping the tour moving while also giving great insights and tidbits about both the Basilica and the palace. Plus she is from America originally so was able to connect with our group full of Americans well too. Very easy to understand and knowledgeable. Perfect length to get a good sense of both places without taking forever. Worth the price of admission for sure!
Nico was a fantastic guide! His knowledge was evident in every area. He was friendly, energetic, and made for a great experience. Highly recommend!
Pam was amazing. She was so knowledgeable and gave us such an amazing and informative tour. This company keeps their tours small--so small that there was only one other couple on our tour, and since they didn't show up, we got a private tour. Saint Mark's and Doge's Palace are two of the most iconic sites in the unique city of Venice. It would have been impossible to appreciate the history, art, and culture that is represented in this places if we hadn't had such a well-informed guide. The tour was interesting and engaging, not stiff and formal. We now have a much deeper understanding of the history, government, and culture of the city state of Venice under the Doge system.
Grazia (Grace) was very knowledgeable and helpful. I would recommend 100%. Accommodating and friendly.
Nico was great! He took us to the important sites, he gave us a lot of history but yet in a fun way!
Nico was the best guide we had on our multiple tours around Italy. He shared his deep knowledge of the history of Venice and some very interesting details of the art and architecture. He even shared some of his favorite spots to eat in Venice. GRAZIE MILLE! Steph & Tommy
Tullia was the best and most interesting tour guide we have ever had! She was also the greatest photographer!
A well paced, enjoyable, informative tour of St Marks and Doges Palace. Ottavia was very knowledgeable and great at engaging our three boys. A trip highlight!
