St. Mark’s Basilica & Doge’s Palace Half-Day Tour with Gondola Ride
Experience Venice’s top 3 must-dos, back-to-back, with skip-the-line tickets and an expert guide
See Venice’s most famous landmarks in one unforgettable morning or afternoon! Skip the lines at St. Mark’s Basilica, a 1,000-year-old masterpiece filled with gold mosaics, and wander through the Doge’s Palace, where centuries of Venetian rulers once made their decisions. Then, relax and sightsee on a small-group gondola ride. With an expert local guide leading the way, this is the ultimate, stress-free way to experience the best of Venice in just a few hours.
What You Get With This Tour
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Doges, domes, and canals in one go
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Expert, English-speaking guide
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Tickets and tour of St. Mark’s Basilica
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Tickets and tour of Doge’s Palace
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30-minute shared gondola ride
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Guide tips
Tour Itinerary
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1
Your tour begins in St. Mark's Square
Meet your guide in St. Mark’s Square. Look for the exact location on your booking voucher. -
2
Step inside St. Mark’s Basilica
Skip the long ticket lines and spend about 20 minutes inside St. Mark’s Basilica. Admire gold mosaics, domes, and marble floors while your guide explains how Venice’s seafaring empire shaped this sacred landmark. -
3
Explore the Doge’s Palace
Steps away from the basilica, the Doge’s Palace is all about power and politics. Skip the lines and follow your guide through lavish chambers where Venice’s leaders ruled with unmatched ambition. -
4
Cross the Bridge of Sighs and enter the prisons
Follow the corridor across the Bridge of Sighs and hear the legend behind its name. Then descend into the palace prisons and dungeon, where cramped cells reveal punishments, plots, and Casanova’s escape story. -
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Take a quick break before your gondola ride
After the palace, take a 20-minute break to sit down, use the restroom, or grab a quick snack nearby. -
6
Sightsee on a shared gondola ride
After exploring Venice by land, you’ll take to the water for a 30-minute gondola ride along the Grand Canal or under the Bridge of Sighs. With only a few fellow travelers aboard, it’s a perfect, peaceful finale. -
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Your tour ends near St. Mark’s Square
Returning to St. Mark’s Square by gondola, you’ll find yourself right where the adventure started. Turns out, a day of skipping lines, secret stories, and canal views is the ultimate way to meet Venice properly!
Additional Information
Good to know:
Dress Code: Knees and shoulders must be covered for both men and women to enter St. Mark’s Basilica; entry may be refused otherwise. Please avoid wearing sandals, hats, shorts, skirts, or tops that expose your shoulders.
ID Requirement: A valid government-issued ID is required for entrance to St. Mark's Basilica. The name on your ticket (entered at check-out) must match the name on your ID, or you will be refused entry.
Accessibility: This tour involves extensive walking, standing, and climbing stairs. It is unfortunately not wheelchair accessible and not suitable for guests with mobility issues.
Weather Advisory: Doge's Palace and St. Mark’s Basilica may be closed unexpectedly and without much notice due to adverse weather events, maintenance, or safety reasons. If this occurs, you will be notified as soon as possible.
Bag Policy: Large backpacks or bags aren’t allowed inside the attractions; please leave them at your accommodation.
Check-in: Arrive 15 minutes early for check-in at the meeting point so the group can enter sites on time.
Your 3.5-hour tour includes:
Expert English-speaking guide
Skip-the-line entry and guided tour of St. Mark’s Basilica
Skip-the-line entry and guided tour of Doge’s Palace
30-minute gondola ride (max 5 people shared experience)
Maximum group size of 25
What to bring:
Covering for knees and shoulders
Government issued-ID
Comfortable shoes
Camera
Water bottle
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Customer Reviews
Tour was excellent. Good paces The English speaking guide, Fillipe,was so knowledgeable about Venetian history, culture and art and humorous too. I would recommend this tour.
Marco was a wonderful guide.
Grazia is a warm and knowledgeable tour guide. We enjoyed the tour of Doge's Palace and St. Mark's Basilica with her. She shared the history of these remarkable sites. We learned so much!
If you are going to Venice book a tour with Elena, she was amazing and can’t recommend her enough.
Marco has a great sense of humor which makes the tour more fun.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if I have concerns about my mobility on this tour?
Unfortunately, this tour is not wheelchair accessible and is not suitable for guests with mobility issues due to extensive walking, standing, and stairs.
Does this tour skip the line?
Yes, this tour skips the long ticket line. However, you will still need to pass through security.
What if it rains?
Our tours run rain or shine! If the weather is particularly bad the gondola may not run due to safety concerns, in which case a partial refund will be provided.
Is lunch included in the price of the tour?
No, lunch is not included in the price of your tour, but your guide will have lots of recommendations for tasty places to eat.
How long is the gondola ride?
The gondola ride is about 30 minutes long and the gondolier will decide which canals to float through.
Do I have a private gondola just for myself?
Not exactly—but it’s still special! Each gondola seats up to 5 people and is shared only with others from your tour group, never with random strangers. It’s a fun and comfortable way to enjoy the canals together
Does this tour include an entry ticket to St. Mark's Basilica?
This product includes an entry ticket to St. Mark's Basilica, for which our cost is 12 euros per person.
Is this tour family friendly?
Yes. Keep in mind it includes lots of walking and standing, plus stairs inside the sites.
Do I need to follow a dress code?
Yes. Knees and shoulders must be covered to enter St. Mark’s Basilica, and entry may be refused if you do not meet the dress code.
What is the gondola ride like?
The gondola is a sightseeing tour and you will either glide along the Grand Canal or through smaller canals that go under the Bridge of Sighs. Please note that the gondolier does not provide commentary.
