Venice Tour: Skip-Line St Mark’s & Gondola Ride
+15 photos
At a glance
- Duration
- 3 hours
- Price from
- $113 / person
- Location
- Venice, Italy
- Rating
- 4.6 / 5 · 532 reviews
- Languages
- EN, EN
- Group
- Up to 20 people
- Cancellation
- Free cancellation up to 3 days before
- Confirmation
- Instant
- Ticket
- Mobile or paper ticket accepted
- Operator
- Walks - Italy & Spain
- Meeting point
- Please arrive 15 minutes prior to the start of your tour, your guide will be holding a yellow WalksDevour sign. This tour meets outside the entrance of the Church of San Giacometto at Campo San Giacomo di Rialto (also known as Campo San Giacometto).
Description
A first-timer to Venice, or don’t know where to begin your explorations? Over the course of this tour, experience many of the city’s top highlights. See the Rialto Bridge, fish market, historic mansions, and a quirky bookshop on a city walk before admiring the shimmering gold mosaics inside St. Mark’s Basilica. Plus enjoy a relaxing gondola ride and explore areas of the city that many tour groups miss. If you're short on time or want an introduction to Venice in just 2.5 hours, select the Welcome to Venice Express option at time of booking. Note: This option does not include a gondola ride.
Schedule & prices
- Runs
- Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, and Sat
- Start times
- 9:30 AM, 10:00 AM, 11:00 AM, 2:00 PM, and 3:00 PM
- Next available
- Thu, Nov 5
- Adult (ages 15+)
- $113
- Child (ages 2–14)
- $107
- Infant (ages 0–1)
- Free
Prices change with the date; the lowest is shown.
Prices are per person when two book together; a solo traveller pays $741.
Larger groups pay less per person.
Out at sunset: the 2:00 PM departure is under way when the sun sets, around 4:43 PM in the coming weeks.
From the operator’s live schedule on Viator, checked Oct 31.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Mercati di Rialto
Meet near the Rialto Bridge and learn why it was initially considered a very bad idea to build it. Take a quick look at the Rialto Fish Market to learn about the long fishing history of the city and its famous cuisine. Get a couple of restaurant recommendations from your local guide!
Continue your walking tour to discover some of the city’s hidden gems. You'll learn what it is like to live on the island today as you meander through hidden alleyways. See a remarkable statue by Verocchio on the Campo San Giovanni and Paolo, where you will also see a variety of typical Venetian architectural styles.
Museo di Palazzo Grimani
Pause to admire a unique mansion that belonged to a powerful Venetian family.
Libreria Acqua alta
You'll learn what it is like to live on the island today as you meander through hidden alleyways, stopping along the way at a quirky Venetian bookstore with a stunning canal view and friendly resident cats. Your guide will wait outside, allowing you few minutes inside to explore on your own.
Basilica di San Marco
With pre-reserved entry, you’ll bypass the often long lines and head inside this extraordinary church. Your expert guide will bring the basilica to life—revealing how its unique blend of eastern and western design came to be, uncovering the dramatic story of how St. Mark’s relics arrived in Venice, and helping you appreciate the shimmering gold mosaics that make this place unlike anywhere else in the world.
Your guide will then leave you to enjoy a 30-minute (approximately) gondola ride with a professional gondolier. Limited to only 5 people per gondola, this experience will be both intimate and relaxing. Punt through the quieter canals of Venice as you relax and enjoy the city at its best! Note: the Welcome to Venice Express option does not include a gondola ride.
What's included
Included
Famous local bookstore
Rialto Fish Market
Local English-speaking guide
Skip-the-line access to St. Mark's Basilica (12€)
Rialto Bridge
Expertly guided walking tour
Palazzo Grimani (exterior)
Gondola Ride (if option selected)
St. Mark’s Square (Piazza San Marco)
Not included
Gratuities
Hotel Pick-Up/Drop-Off
Guide (during gondola ride)
Traveller Ratings
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
4.6
532 reviews
How it compares in Venice
- Starting price $113 is 12% below the typical $128 for tours of similar length in Venice
- Price over the last 29 days: $112–$114
Excurgo comparison of 1,944 Viator tours, recalculated daily.
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Unfortunately due to the nature of this tour it is not suitable for guests with mobility impairments or with wheelchairs, or strollers.
- The Rialto Fish Market is closed on Sundays.
- This is a walking tour. Guests should be able to walk at a moderate pace without difficulty.
- Large bags, trolleys and backpacks cannot be accommodated on this tour.
- During times of high tides, flooding, or heavy rain, the gondola ride may be substituted for another experience.
- The full names of all participants must be provided at the time of booking and must match the names on the ID/Passport. Name changes are not permitted.
- Please note that a photo ID is required to visit the St. Marks Basilica. Failure to bring an ID can result in the security staff refusing your entrance to the monument.
- St. Mark’s Basilica can be subject to closures due to particular liturgical celebrations, especially during major religious holidays such as Easter or Christmas. In the event that the Basilica is closed, explanations will be provided from the outside.
- Please note: This tour offers multiple options. Take a moment to choose the one that best suits your interests.
Cancellation
If you cancel at least 3 full day(s) before the scheduled departure time, you will receive a full refund.<br>If you cancel within 3 day(s) of the scheduled departure, you will receive a 0% refund.
3+ days before100% refund
0–3 days before0% refund
Frequently asked questions
How long does Venice Tour: Skip-Line St Mark’s & Gondola Ride take?
Venice Tour: Skip-Line St Mark’s & Gondola Ride lasts about 3 hours. The itinerary has 6 stops.
How much does Venice Tour: Skip-Line St Mark’s & Gondola Ride cost?
Prices start at $113 per person for this Venice experience, booked through Viator with the price shown before checkout. That is the per-person price when two book together; a solo traveller pays $741. There are 2 booking options, so the final price depends on the option you choose.
What days does Venice Tour: Skip-Line St Mark’s & Gondola Ride run?
According to the operator’s current schedule, it runs on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, starting at 9:30 AM, 10:00 AM, 11:00 AM, 2:00 PM, and 3:00 PM.
How much does Venice Tour: Skip-Line St Mark’s & Gondola Ride cost for children?
Children aged 2–14 pay from $107, adults from $113. Infants go free.
Can I cancel Venice Tour: Skip-Line St Mark’s & Gondola Ride for free?
Yes. Cancel at least 3 days before the start for a full refund. Later cancellations are non-refundable.
Where does the tour start?
The meeting point is Please arrive 15 minutes prior to the start of your tour, your guide will be holding a yellow WalksDevour sign. This tour meets outside the entrance of the Church of San Giacometto at Campo San Giacomo di Rialto (also known as Campo San Giacometto). Hotel pickup is not part of this experience.
What languages is Venice Tour: Skip-Line St Mark’s & Gondola Ride offered in?
The experience is available in EN, EN.
Is this a private or a group tour?
It is a small-group experience with a maximum of 20 participants.
Is the tour suitable for children?
Unfortunately due to the nature of this tour it is not suitable for guests with mobility impairments or with wheelchairs, or strollers.
Is the tour wheelchair accessible?
Unfortunately due to the nature of this tour it is not suitable for guests with mobility impairments or with wheelchairs, or strollers.
Will my booking be confirmed immediately?
Yes, bookings are confirmed instantly.
Reviews(532)
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
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from$113
4.6(532) Free cancellation