Castles · Tour
Twenty Minutes in the Basilica, the Republic's Courts, Thirty in a Gondola
Ratings collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
VeniceThe two buildings that matter in Venice, plus a 30-minute shared gondola, and the timings are stated rather than implied. Timed-entry tickets get you into St Mark's Basilica and the Doge's Palace with a guide. In the basilica: the mosaics and how a seafaring empire ended up building this. In the palace: the political history, and a longer stretch than most tours give to the crime and the legal system of the Republic, which is where the prison passages come in. Then the gondola, shared, out onto the canals.
What's included
- Timed entry ticket and guided tour of St. Mark’s Basilica (valued at €12 per person)
- Expert English-speaking guide
- Timed entry ticket and guided tour of Doge’s Palace
- 30-minute gondola ride (max 5 people shared experience)
Itinerary
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P.za San Marco, Venezia
Please Arrive 15 Minutes Early. Between the two big columns in St. Mark’s Square (columns of San Marco and San Teodoro) located on the south side of the square, near the canal. Your guide will be holding a "The Tour Guy" sign.
Basilica di San Marco
Timed-entry tickets get you into St Mark's Basilica, through the security line that everyone has to pass, and then about 20 minutes inside with the guide. Gold mosaics, domes and marble floors, and how a seafaring empire came to build a church like this one.
Palazzo Ducale
Across the square to the Doge's Palace, in on timed-entry tickets and past the general admission queue. Inside, the Venetian Republic under its elected magistrates, which was a stranger arrangement than the ceiling paintings suggest. This tour spends real time on how crime and justice worked in Venice, not just on the decoration. The Venetian art is there too, along with the Grand Staircase and the Bridge of Sighs.
Piazza San Marco
After the palace, the guide covers the rest of St Mark's Square: the bell tower from the outside, and the porticoes running around the piazza. Then a 20-minute break for a snack and a sit down.
Venice
Last, the gondola. In the hands of a gondolier, out onto the canals to see Venice from the water. The boats are shared, up to 5 people each.
P.za San Marco, Venezia
Not included
- Food and drinks
- Guide tips
Good to know
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- 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.
- 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 may be refused entry.
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- Your gondola ride is a shared experience, with each boat accommodating up to five guests. A professional gondolier will operate the boat, but please note that this portion of the tour is not guided. The ride lasts approximately 25 to 30 minutes, including the time needed to board and disembark.
- Up to 15 travelers per booking.
- Mobile or paper ticket accepted
- Guiding available in: en.
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