Venice

Legendary Venice St. Mark's Basilica with Terrace Access & Doge's Palace

Badge of ExcellenceVenice, Italy
Small Group Legendary Venice St Marks Basilica and Doges Palace
Likely to Sell Out

From $115.30

Select Date and Travelers

up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)

  • 3 hours
  • Offered in: English

Overview

Delve into Venetian history on this tour that showcases two of the city's most iconic structures and sheds light on the stories behind them both. Enjoy skip-the-line access to both popular attractions. Your first stop is legendary St. Mark's Basilica. Wander around the mosaic-covered interior and Byzantine treasures while a local guide fills you in on how this collection came to be. Enjoy the stunning view on Piazza San Marco with your special access to St Marks' balcony, then continue to the Doge’s Palace to explore the former political heart of Venice.
  • Skip-the-line access and tours of St. Mark's Basilica and Doge's Palace
  • Explore two of the floating city's most iconic sites and learn the stories behind them
  • Visit the opulent apartments and the Hall of the Great Council at Doge's Palace with a guide
  • Take a walk over the Bridge of Sighs
  • Enjoy special access to the first floor terrace of St. Mark's for panoramic views over the city

Why Travelers Choose This Tour

Take in amazing views from the St. Mark’s Basilica terrace—a panorama that most visitors never see.

What's Included

  • Local English-speaking guide
  • Skip-the-line ticket for St. Mark's Basilica
  • Headsets when necessary
  • Exclusive access to the balcony of St. Mark's Basilica
  • Pre-reserved ticket to the Doge's Palace
  • Exclusive Early Entry to the Doge's Palace (8 AM only)
  • Gratuities
  • Hotel Pick-Up/Drop-Off
  • Lunch

Meeting And Pickup

Meeting point

  • Museo Correr
    P.za San Marco, 52, 30124 Venezia VE, Italy

    Correr Museum (Museo Correr) in Piazza San Marco. Meet under the portico just outside the entrance of the museum. Your guide will be holding a Walks sign. Please note that the tour meeting time is 15 minutes prior to the start time.

End point

  • St. Mark's Square
    Piazza San Marco, 30124 Venezia VE, Italy

    Tour ends in St. Mark's Square (Piazza San Marco).

What To Expect

Arrive at the entrancee to St. Mark's Basilica. As a member of a pre-booked tour, skip the lines and bypass the large crowds on your way into the building.

Follow your guide through the basilica to discover the mosaics and Byzantine treasures that wait inside. Plus, listen to your guide as they share the history and stories behind the site.

Next, stop at the balcony to enjoy viewing a panoramic vista before proceeding to Doge's Palace, the former political center of Venice.

Take time here to explore the apartments and the Hall of the Great Council, then take a walk across the Bridge of Sighs. Soak up the atmosphere of these landmarks until your tour comes to an end.

Piazza San Marco

15 minutesAdmission Ticket Free

Basilica di San Marco

45 minutesAdmission Ticket Included

Doge's Palace

2 hours Admission Ticket Included

Additional Info

  • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
  • Not wheelchair accessible
  • Near public transportation
  • Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
  • Unfortunately we are unable to accommodate guests with mobility impairments, wheelchairs or strollers on this tour.
  • Backpacks are prohibited inside St. Mark's Basilica.
  • Walks complies with all local government regulations. Please refer to Italy government guidelines for the most up to date information.
  • Tour in English only
  • St. Mark's Basilica can be subject to unforeseen closures due to liturgical celebrations or high tides. In this event, your guide will give the tour from the exterior of the Basilica or we will contact clients as soon as possible to arrange a suitable alternative.
  • Due to the religious nature of the Basilica, all individuals regardless of gender must cover their shoulders and knees. A scarf or shawl is acceptable. The activity provider cannot be held responsible for those denied entry
  • 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
  • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 20 travelers

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

  • For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
  • If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
  • Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
  • Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.

Traveler Photos

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Traveler Tips


I would recommend bringing a hat or sunglasses and water.
We recommend an early morning tour (9am), as crowds really build throughout the day.
Keep in mind, at cafe there (15 min break) you must inform them if you plan to sit down w/ your drink or food.
Reviews by Viator travelers. We perform checks on reviews

Reviews

4.5
3,786 reviews
Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews
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Reviews by Viator travelers.
Showing 1-10 of 3,786 reviews
Best tour guide ever. Alessandro!!
Traci_M, Mar 2024
Our tour guide was awesome. His passion and love for Venice made the whole experience. Amazing. Love him.
Super great
Lisa_A, Mar 2024
Amazing tour guide, very good and had many stories to tell. It was a good afternoon spent and I recommend it to all. Only thing bad - we did not stop at the giftshop of the Doge Palace, our guide said we would return there later. But after leaving the Basilica there was no way to return to the Doge’s giftshop. A little dissappointed.
Wonderful tour of St Marks and Doge Palace
Afshan_K, Mar 2024
The tour was great, and our group tour guide was kind, funny and knowledgeable. I definitely recommend this tour!
A must-do tour for any trip to Venice!
Karyn_R, Mar 2024
This was fascinating to hear the history behind the Basilica and Doge palace. Our host, Matteo, was very entertaining, passionate and knowledgeable and shared so many interesting details. Definitely a worthwhile tour!
St Mark’s and Doge Awesome Tour
Prina_H, Mar 2024
This is long overdue review, but our guide in Venice, Mose, was not only knowledgeable, but very engaging. We had an awesome time with all the information and still in awe of the work that went into the Basilica. Highly recommended.
Great, a must in Venice
Charlotte_A, Mar 2024
Our tour guide was knowledgeable and thorough. Such and intetesting venue and skip the line was a huge bonus!
Great tour
Linda_G, Mar 2024
Trip was very informative and our guide had excellent English. The tour was excellent. There was some ambiguity about “redeeming “ our voucher. The message seemed to imply that tickets had to be collected before our tour. This was not the case! Perhaps Viator should look at the wording in their emails.
Experiences better with a guide
Angela_W, Mar 2024
Our tour guide was friendly, funny and knowledgeable. She was also kind and patient. We skipped the lines and had commentary along the way. Questions were welcomed and all answered.
Fantastic tour!
Helena_P, Mar 2024
Annette was fantastic!!! Great tour!! Very informative… clear and spoke very eloquently. Loved it!!!
Wow! Great tour from start to finish!
Julie_L, Mar 2024
Pamela did a wonderful job navigating our group through the Doges Palace and Basilica. We learned important Venician history, as well as fun & interesting tidbits of the lives of the Doges and some life lessons as a Venetian back in the day. Thank you Pamela!!
Enjoyable and informative!
Carol_A, Mar 2024
A wealth of information - so informative! Loved every minute! The view was spectacular and the history amazing!
Interesting, very knowledgeable guide and great with the headphones.
Charles_B, Mar 2024
Amazing tour that went so quickly. Huge amounts of info provided by the guide who moved us swiftly through the crowds. Nice amount of rest time and easy to follow with headphones.
Well worth a try
Ian_N, Mar 2024
Alessandro’s knowledge and passion for history made the tour throughly enjoyable and educational. His explanation of Venetian history and culture was very enlightening.
Better than a book
Mariah_G, Mar 2024
The tour guide was so incredibly knowledgeable! They were a history major and this was clearly their passion. We learned so much!
Response from Host, Mar 2024
Dear Mariah, Thank you for sharing your experience with us. We're delighted to hear that you found our Legendary Venice tour to be better than a book, and that our guide's expertise made your visit to St. Mark's Basilica and the Doge's Palace truly memorable. Your feedback is greatly appreciated. If you have any further comments or if there's anything else we can assist you with, please feel free to reach out to us at feedback@walks.org. We look forward to the opportunity to welcome you back on another adventure in the future. Best regards, Jhonas. Walks and Devour Tours.
Enlightening and informative tour
John_M, Mar 2024
We loved our tour guide, she was so friendly and cheerful. She was also very organized and knowledgeable, we enjoyed all the Venetian history she shared with us.
Response from Host, Mar 2024
Dear John, Thank you for your glowing review. We are delighted to hear that you found our Legendary Venice tour enlightening and informative. It's wonderful that you enjoyed the company of our friendly and cheerful guide, as well as appreciated their organization and knowledge. If you have any further feedback or would like to share more about your experience, please don't hesitate to reach out to us at feedback@walks.org. We appreciate your support. Kind regards, Jhonas. Walks and Devour Tours.
Excellent tour
Louise_M, Mar 2024
Excellent tour! Lots of facts and historical information. The tour guide was very helpful and explained everything in great detail.
A must do in Venice
norma_l, Mar 2024
Pamela was very knowledgeable and friendly. I really liked all the history from both places. Skipping the lines is a must. Both places had lines and you will wait a while if you don’t book something like this.
This tour was a great way...
Maria_S, Mar 2024
This tour was a great way to spend the morning in Venice. Nico, our host, was knowledgable and friendly. Our group of four (two adults & two teens) appreciated the pace of the tour and the details given.
Unmissable tour
Susie_N, Mar 2024
Guilliano was an incredible guide. His knowledge made this experience FABULOUS!! Highly recommend this tour - you see the Doge Palace, walk the Bridge of Sighs, see St Mark’s Basilica, climb to the terrace & get a great view of St Marks square
Wonderful!
Faten_H, Mar 2024
Our guide was amazing, she was very knowledgeable, funny and well organised. It was a great experience.
Response from Host, Mar 2024
Dear Faten, Thank you for your kind words about our Legendary Venice St. Mark's Basilica and Doge's Palace tour. We are happy to hear that your experience was great and that our guide made it memorable for you. If you ever plan to explore more with us or have any feedback to share, feel free to reach out to us at feedback@walks.org. Best regards, Jhonas. Walks and Devour Tours.
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