Venice Deluxe Tour
Description
Semi-private walking tour of the main attractions in the St. Mark’s area, including skip-the-line entrance to the Doge’s Palace and St. Mark’s Basilica. Other highlights of this informative and entertaining 3-hour tour comprises hidden gems of Venetian architecture as well as insights into the history of Venice, its palaces and churches, and traditional crafts. The itinerary is designed to appeal to visitors looking for an authentic Venetian experience and the undivided attention of the passionate professional guide who is the heart and soul of this tour.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Your guide will illustrate all the major sights in this area that was the center of power in the days of the Venetian Republic, including the Doges' Palace and St. Mark's Basilica.
The centre of political power and the official residence of the Doge, the spectacular rooms are literally lined with priceless masterpieces. See the halls of power in which the government of the Most Serene Republic convened and visit the notorious Prison in which Casanova was jailed.
Once the Doge's private chapel, the Basilica is covered in golden mosaics and priceless treasures. The iconic domes of the exterior top a loggia with the famous golden horses.
The oldest bridge over the Grand Canal, still lined with shops as it was in the Middle Ages it affords a breathtaking view of the magnificent palaces lining the canal banks.
The spiral staircase of Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo is one of the hidden gems of Venice, tucked away in a side alley between the Rialto and St. Mark's Square
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- 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
- Large bags and rucksacks are also not allowed inside St Mark's Basilica.
- In case of high tides or religious ceremonies preventing access to the interior of the Basilica, an extended tour of the outside of the basilica will be given instead.
- The Doge’s Palace may also occasionally be closed to the public due to strikes, exceptional closures, state visits, or other special occasions. In that event, a possible alternative may be the Correr Museum in St. Mark’s Square with the Imperial Rooms and Venetian Collection. Entrance included in the Doge’s Palace ticket.
- Minimum numbers apply. There is a possibility of cancellation after confirmation if there are not enough participants to meet requirements. In the event of this occurring, you will be offered an alternative or full refund.
- The number of admission tickets available for the interior of St. Mark's Basilica is limited and operates on a first-come first-served basis. In the event of no availability, you will be offered an alternative or full refund.
- 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
- Access to St. Mark's Basilica now has a 72 hour cutoff time. Late bookings will be offered an alternative
- 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. Each traveler must present a valid passport or ID document that matches the name provided at the time of booking for successful entry to St. Mark’s Basilica.
- St Mark's Basilica tickets are priced at €12 per person for tour guides.
- Not recommended for travelers with mobility issues
Reviews(771)
What an amazing tour we had with Antonio! He was very informative, and we learned so much. We thoroughly enjoyed it!
William and I throughly enjoyed the tour with Antonio. His knowledge of his home city is amazing. And he's delightful to visit with.
If you are coming to Venice and only have time for one thing to do, this should be it. Not only will you learn a tremendous amount, but you won't wait in any long lines and to top it all off, you'll get a great cup of coffee and the best gelato in the city. To go into a bit more detail.... Antonio is incredibly knowledgeable. He knows all the history, but more than that, I even saw a couple of smaller Latin inscriptions in the courtroom of Doge's Palace that probably only the condemned ever noticed. As Antonio shared, his dad made him learn Latin and so he was able to translate what had been written hundreds of years ago. It actually added a whole new layer to an already fascinating story. Also, instead of waiting in a long line to get into the Palace, we strolled right in. A tourist waiting in the queue even offered to pay whatever we wanted to join our tour. We just smiled and walked through the entrance. The tour of the Basilica was fascinating as well. He was able to tell stories that appealed to all religions vs just Catholics which was unexpected and appreciated by our diverse small group. I can't forget that we stopped by a cafe and had not only some great coffee but after tasting gelato throughout the city, as promised, this was definitely the best. Oh and it just happened to be the cafe that the composer Wagner used to hang out at and play piano. Oh, and I almost forgot to mention the private glass blowing demonstration. Even our teens were mesmerized. Anyway, yes, it is an investment, but well worth it. You won't soon forget your tour or Antonio.
This is not a review ,it is an essay ! It was the first time that a client asked me to translate from Latin the small inscriptions over the stalls of the judges in the main courtroom in the Doge's Palace. I made an effort , it was not easy, but I did not run away and took up the challenge !Thank you for all your marvellous words of praise !
Antonio was an excellent tour guide. He gave us so much information about all of the sites we were seeing and was very welcoming and fun to listen to. My family enjoyed our tour very much and would highly recommend both the Venice tour and Antonio as a tour guide.
Then join me in the adventure ...what are you waiting for ? As these dear clients are telling you , you will have a lovely day in Venice !
Antonio was an amazing tour guide! He was born and raised in Venice and because of that he had an incredible depth of knowledge about the city’s history, culture, and landmarks. He took us around Venice and shared fascinating information everywhere we went. We visited St. Mark’s Basilica, the Doge’s Palace, and even watched glassmaking in Murano, and Antonio made each experience engaging and memorable. His passion for Venice really showed, and he made a lasting impact on me and my dad’s trip. I would highly recommend him to anyone looking for an authentic and informative Venice experience!
The person who is writing is a young man ( if I remember well ) and these are my favorite reviews : of course these" buds" are not normal people ....he and the others are endowed with great sensitivity and well educated, but I also find in my little groups adolescents who are simply eager to learn by nature ...and with them ...I give my best !!
We had a great time with Antonio! He gave us so many details and showed us all of the best paintings and rooms and views. He answered all of our questions and we had an amazing time. Would highly recommend going on a tour with Antonio!!
Thanks ! In my shrine of venetian treasures I have so many other pearls that I will show you next time when you return to our city ! Book me once more , in the future ,please !
The tour was simply beyond words. Everything we saw was breathtaking and awe inspiring in a sense that I have never experienced before. The admission fee wasn’t too bad, the length was perfect, the crowds weren’t overbearing, the staff was perfect, and Antonio went above and beyond necessary for our tour and gave us the best experience possible. I have traveled all over the world and I have never had a tour guide as good as him.
" The tour was simply beyond words " is the prologue and : " I have travelled the world and I have never had a tour guide as good as him " is the epilogue . What can I answer ? How may I thank you for writing these sentences ? No comment , just huge gratitude !!!
Antonio is like family. It's the second time we have taken this tour with him and it was again the best tour we've ever done. Antonio is warm, friendly, knowledgeable, and flexible. At ever stop, you could immediately tell that the docents and ushers love Antonio and hold him in very high regard. He modified the tour for us as it was just myself and my husband with him. We visited new places not on the original tour and repeated San Marco and the Doge. Antonio is the best and is an expert on Venice as it's his generational home. He loves Venice and his enthusiasm is contagious. What an amazing tour and man! Can't say enough superlatives about Antonio and the tour he takes you on. Run to sign up with Antonio. It will be the BEST tour you ever take and you too will fall in love with Venice.
Dear lady, our tours , it seems ,are a little like the magnificent rooms of the Doge's Palace : when you are in one of those gorgeous places you tend to think that the next hall cannot be more opulent ,and instead you step inside and the next hall is even more superb. Next time ,when you return, we will go further up and I shall take you to a building which is called " The Sistine Chapel of Venice ", carefull.....you micht lose your senses in that palace !
We have had multiple guided trips on your 3week holiday in Italy and this was the best tour yet. Antonio was an amazing guide and was so knowledgeable and really made it feel like it was a personal one on one guided tour. I would highly recommend you booking this tour with Antonio. The tour was 2.5 hrs long but I could have spend all day.
Even when I have ten persons listening to me , the clients have that feeling of exclusivity and personal care and total dedication that is the base of the success of my activity, I believe . I look at everyone in the eyes during my lectures in order to make them understand how much interested I am in their reactions and decide what are their preferences in the arguments . thank you for writing !
We had a great experience with Antonio and our tour of Venice. This is our first visit to Venice and Italy and we have been on many tours over the last two weeks. Antonio is one of the best if not the best tour guides we had. He is very knowledgeable about Venice and he wants to make sure that his clients have a great tour with him. He spent hours with us. Enjoyed some gelato together and later a glass of wine.. We felt like we made a great friend as well as meeting a great tour guide.
Once again the final phrase used by the clients is my predilcted . These lovely persons start celebrating the quality of the tour and the good company and the extras that they received and then they finish the narration saying .......well ,read their review and you will understand why I feel so touched and stricken !
