The Palace of Doges is a significant historical site in Venice, with many travelers arriving to hear about the strict rule of the Venice Doges from an expert local guide. The palace is most often visited on a 2- to 5-hour Venice tour, and can be combined with a stop at St. Mark's Basilica, once the private chapel of the Doges. Inside the palace, admire the many paintings by Titian, Tintoretto, and Veronese, and climb the narrow staircases to visit the Doge's apartments and the prison cells, as well as the ducal notary. Outside is the Bridge of Sighs and the beautiful columns along the piazzetta.
The popular Secret Itineraries tour allows visitors, accompanied by a guide, into chambers of the palace not open to the general public. You'll see the secret chancellery where the delicate work of governing was done, the secret archives, the torture room, and the cell from which the famous writer Giacomo Casanova made his escape.