Legendary Venice: St. Mark's Basilica & Doge's Palace Tour
3 hours
Max 25
Why take this tour?
Highlights
- Enjoy a truly VIP experience in and around the famed St. Mark's Square (Piazza San Marco).
- 8 am time slot only: Take advantage of early access to the Doge's Palace before it opens to the public, a VIP experience arranged specially for our groups.
- Skip the long lines and earn privileged access into St. Mark's Basilica and the Doge's Palace.
- Drink in the surrounding views over Venice with exclusive access to the terraces of St. Mark's Basilica.
- Let an expert local guide lead you through Venice's opulent history and culture—subjects they truly have a passion for.
- Marvel at mosaics of gold, frescoes by Veronese and Tintoretto, and masterpieces around every turn.
- Traverse the Bridge of Sighs, the Doge's apartments, the Armory, and the New Prisons.
- Sites Visited
- St. Mark’s Square (Piazza San Marco)
- St. Mark's Basilica
- St. Mark's Basilica terraces (exclusive access)
- Bell Tower in St. Mark's Square (exterior)
- Marciana Library (exterior)
- Doge’s Palace
- New Prisons
- Bridge of Sighs
- Tour Includes
- Local English-speaking guide
- Skip-the-line ticket for St. Mark's Basilica (St. Mark's Basilica + Museum 24€)
- Exclusive access to the balcony of St. Mark's Basilica
- Pre-reserved ticket to the Doge's Palace (25€)
- Headset (when necessary)
Immerse yourself in centuries of Venetian lore.
Book Now
Verified Customer reviews
Verified ratings
4.7 /5
based on 20 Walks’ customer ratingsOverall rating
4.7 /5
20 reviewsRating summary by category
Latest reviews
Excellent
This tour hits the two most amazing sites in Venice. A very thorough walk thru and explanation of the history and art descriptions. Nico is a superb guide.
Viator customer · Ken · Oct 21, 2025 Excellent
Roberta was a fantastic tour guide. She seems to really care and enjoy the topics she speaks about. It was a fantastic tour with lots of great access and interesting history, would greatly recommend.
Viator customer · Luke · Oct 20, 2025 Excellent
We loved "skip the line" as there was a large crowd that was touring that day. Our tour guide was amazing and was adaptable to the interests of our group. Wear comfy shoes - there are quite a lot of stairs, but all well worth the views.
Viator customer · Karl · Oct 20, 2025 Excellent
Great tour with Roberta!! Very educated and enthusiastic!! Love this tour of St. Mark’s Basilica and Doge’s Palace! Learned alot!
Viator customer · Rick · Oct 20, 2025 Excellent
Our guide was very down to earth and extremely knowledgeable, We saw alot of guides running through areas whilst our guide took her time and asked if we had any questions or queries throughout the full tour, the only gripe I had was paying over £100 per person and we didn't get into the area directly beside the tomb of St Mark, this was an extra 10 Euro charge that we had to pay after the tour ended, this was the main reason I took the tour and I feel we shouldn't have had to pay another fee to see what I would say is the main reason anyone would want to tour St Marks Basilica. Other than this the tour was very informative and never rushed so I would definitely recommend but just know you need to pay extra to get close to St Marks sarcophagus.
Tripadvisor customer · Scott · Oct 18, 2025
Reviews from our guests
Legendary Venice: St. Mark's Basilica & Doge's Palace Tour
of Walks customers highly recommend this tour to friends or family Source: Walks Customers' Post-Tour Net Promoter Score Survey
Verified rating
4.7 /5
based on 20 Walks’ customer ratingsTotal guest reviews
:
3828
guest reviews
Excellent 3461
Great 366
Good 0
Average 1
Poor 0
Latest reviews
Excellent
This tour hits the two most amazing sites in Venice. A very thorough walk thru and explanation of the history and art descriptions. Nico is a superb guide.
Viator customer · Ken · Oct 21, 2025 Excellent
Great tour with Roberta!! Very educated and enthusiastic!! Love this tour of St. Mark’s Basilica and Doge’s Palace! Learned alot!
Viator customer · Rick · Oct 20, 2025 Excellent
We loved "skip the line" as there was a large crowd that was touring that day. Our tour guide was amazing and was adaptable to the interests of our group. Wear comfy shoes - there are quite a lot of stairs, but all well worth the views.
Viator customer · Karl · Oct 20, 2025 Excellent
Roberta was a fantastic tour guide. She seems to really care and enjoy the topics she speaks about. It was a fantastic tour with lots of great access and interesting history, would greatly recommend.
Viator customer · Luke · Oct 20, 2025 Excellent
Our guide was very down to earth and extremely knowledgeable, We saw alot of guides running through areas whilst our guide took her time and asked if we had any questions or queries throughout the full tour, the only gripe I had was paying over £100 per person and we didn't get into the area directly beside the tomb of St Mark, this was an extra 10 Euro charge that we had to pay after the tour ended, this was the main reason I took the tour and I feel we shouldn't have had to pay another fee to see what I would say is the main reason anyone would want to tour St Marks Basilica. Other than this the tour was very informative and never rushed so I would definitely recommend but just know you need to pay extra to get close to St Marks sarcophagus.
Tripadvisor customer · Scott · Oct 18, 2025 Excellent
Fantastic tour! A must do if visiting Venice. Our guide Francesca was very knowledgeable of Venetian history. She shared interesting stories which enriched our tour experience.
Viator customer · Kevin · Oct 17, 2025 Excellent
Excellent
GetYourGuide customer · Belinda · Australia · Oct 16, 2025 Excellent
This tour was very thorough and impressive historically and architecturally. Great guide - extremely knowledgeable. Impressive and shouldn’t be missed while in Venice
Tripadvisor customer · Coastal67952995788 · Oct 16, 2025 Excellent
Fantastic tour! Do not miss this one. Nico is the best! I learned more on this tour then past visits.
Viator customer · Deborah · Oct 15, 2025 Excellent
My only recommendation would be that the tour guide use some sort of identifier in crowded spaces. I almost lost her a couple of time. Thankfully, 5 friends were also on the tour, so I I couldn’t find her, I could eventually see my travel mates.
Verified · Rachel · USA · Female · 55 - 64 years · Oct 13, 2025FAQs
Is this tour accessible to people in wheelchairs?
Unfortunately the terrace of St. Mark's Basilica, the prisons, and the armory of the Doge's Palace are not wheelchair-accessible, meaning we can't accept wheelchair user on this tour. For those interested in wheelchair friendly tours in Venice, please contact our Customer Care team at [email protected].
Do guests always see the sights on this tour in the same order?
No. Sometimes the tour runs in reverser order. However, we never take any sights out of the itinerary so you are always going to see St. Mark's Basilica, St. Mark’s Square, Doge’s Palace (general access rooms), New Prisons, and Bridge of Sighs.
What's so special about the 8:00 am tour time?
The 8:00 AM tour time offer a unique and exclusive benefit - enter St. Mark's Basilica before it opens! With just your small group you enter through a side door and spend time alone in the Basilica. A truly once-in-a-lifetime experience, and created for Walks guests only. The 8:00 AM tour time is the only time with this special access, although the later times are also skip-the-line!
Can I take a bag with me into St. Mark's Basilica?
You can only take small bags into St. Mark's. Anything bigger than a purse - backpacks or luggage - is prohibited. There is no coat check either, so do not bring any large bags with you.
What's the cancellation policy for my St. Mark's Basilica tour?
This experience is refundable up to 7 days before your tour. Thank you for understanding.
What happens if there's a private event at the Doge's Palace and/or St. Mark's Basilica?
On rare occasions access may be restricted due to private events inside the Doge's Palace and/or St. Mark's Basilica. Unfortunately this is a situation beyond our control. Our tour guides will make modifications to ensure you still have an excellent experience, but no refunds will be issued. We appreciate your understanding.
Will the tour route be modified in the event of high tide/"acqua alta"?
If the local municipality restricts access due to high tide and there are no walkways available, it is the client’s responsibility to bring appropriate footwear (e.g., boots). The guide will modify the itinerary to include alternate dry paths whenever possible.
No refund will be provided if high tide prevents certain parts of the tour, but adjustments to the route will be made for client safety and comfort.
Does St. Mark's Basilica have a dress code?
Yes. Because it is a holy place, St. Mark's Basilica insists that both men and women wear clothing that covers their shoulders and knees. They can and will refuse entry to anyone who does not meet this standard and we can't do anything about it, so come prepared.
Do I need to bring my passport/ID with me?
Yes! All guests (including children) must bring a government-issued ID/passport on the day of their tour. Failure to bring an ID can result in the security staff refusing your entrance to the monument. The full names of all participants are required at the time of booking and must match the names on their ID/passport. Name changes are not permitted.
What can I bring with me on this tour?
St. Mark's Basilica has very tight rules about what you can and cannot bring inside. Anything bigger than a purse - including backpacks or luggage - is NOT allowed inside the Basilica. There is no coat check either, so do not bring any bags larger than a purse with you.
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