Water activity

Venice: Basilica and Doge's Palace Tour with Gondola Ride

4.4 / 5

49 reviews

Activity provider: Venice Events srl
Water activity

Venice: Basilica and Doge's Palace Tour with Gondola Ride

Activity provider: Venice Events srl

From US$ 134.66 per person

Enjoy a walking tour with skip-the-line access to St. Mark's Basilica and the Doge’s Palace followed by a classic gondola ride along the Venetian canals.

About this activity

Free cancellation
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Duration 2.5 hours
Check availability to see starting times.
Skip the ticket line
Live tour guide
English, Italian, French, German, Spanish

Experience

Highlights
  • Take a classic gondola ride along the Grand Canal and smaller canals
  • Discover the St. Mark's Basilica and the Doge's Palace with a local guide
  • Save time and money with a combo tour of Venice's best attractions
Full description

Make the most of your time in Venice with this multi-attraction tour that combines 3 of Venice's most important locations. Visit Saint Mark's Basilica and Doge's Palace, and enjoy a gondola ride along the canals. Meet your professional guide in front of the Clock tower (not the bell tower) in Saint Marks square. Start your combination tour by discovering the buildings in the square. Enter the Doge's Palace "Palazzo Ducale", a magnificent combination of Byzantine, Gothic and Renaissance architecture, the center of the Venetian Empire and the seat of the Venetian Government. Listen to your guide as you pass through its lavish chambers, which display masterpieces by Tintoretto, Titian, and Veronese. Hear about the different roles played by the Doge and his counselors, learn about the history of the Venetian legends as you walk through the passageways towards the prison cells whilst learning about the prisoners and Casanova, Venice's most intriguing escapee. Then continue into Saint Marks Basilica, which majestically symbolizes the lagoon and enshrines the city’s history and Saints relics. With its awe-inspiring gold mosaics, your talented guide will walk you through the church. At 1:00 PM, end the first part of the tour and you will enjoy 2 hours of free time to stroll around Saint Mark's square. You can have lunch (not included) or visit the Correr museum on your own (already included with the Doge's Palace ticket). Start the second part of your combined tour with a classic gondola ride at 3:00 PM or 5:15 PM. The appointment will be 15 minutes before the departure time behind the Correr museum in Saint Marks square (in front of the post office). On this unique exploration of the Venetian romantic canals, unwind and relax into the gentle rhythms and movements of the Grand Canal, appreciating the skill involved in steering the gondola through the intricate waterways of the city. As you sit back and take in the views, you will inevitably become involved in the friendly banter of the gondoliers, who are as much a part of Venetian culture as the gondola itself. ITINERARY Doge's Palace & Basilica departure at 10:45 AM From 1-3 PM 2 hours free time Gondola ride departure at 3:00 PM (all-year-round) or 5.15 PM (April - October only)

Includes
  • All admission fees
  • 30-minute shared classic gondola ride
  • 2-hour walking tour with a professional guide
  • Skip-the-line ticket for St. Mark's Basilica & the Doge's Palace
  • Pala d'oro
  • Hidden itineraries in the Doge's Palace
  • Hotel pick-up and drop-off
  • Guided gondola tour
  • Gratuities (optional)
Not suitable for
  • Wheelchair users

Select participants and date

Participants

Date

Meeting point

Meet at Calle larga de l’Ascension 1256 - 30124 next to the post office San Marco (opposite side of the Saint Marks Basilica). Look for the yellow sign "Meeting Point" on the wooden kiosk.

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Important information

What to bring

  • Comfortable shoes
  • Passport or ID card for children

Not allowed

  • Pets
  • Shorts
  • Baby strollers
  • Smoking
  • Luggage or large bags
  • Sleeveless shirts
  • Backpacks

Know before you go

  • Doge's Palace and Basilica tour departs at 10:45 AM
  • November - March, the gondola ride departs at 3:00 PM only
  • April - October, the gondola ride departs at 3:00 PM or 5:15 PM
  • Shoulders and knees must be covered in the Basilica
  • Backpacks are not allowed inside the Basilica and Doge's Palace
  • The tour may be affected in the case of high tide
  • From November 1st to March 31st there is no skip-the-line entrance to the Basilica
Customer reviews

Overall rating

4.4 /5

based on 49 reviews

Review summary

  • Guide
    4.4/5
  • Transportation
    4.3/5
  • Value for money
    4.2/5
  • Safety
    4.8/5

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Star rating:

A two-part activity. The indications to find the meeting point are good. We were grouped with other French people and with a guide who spoke French. Great guide who gave us very interesting explanations and who easily answers questions. The advantage is that you go through a wire cut for the basilica and the palace of the doges. The visiting time is good, we were afraid of being "rushed" but not at all. The gondola ride is very enjoyable. 5-seater gondolas, so we were alone on ours, with our children. The only negative point is that in the afternoon for the gondola, the vouchers no longer appeared in the application, luckily I had made screenshots! The price remains important but everything is organized, we don't worry about anything, the guide manages everything, as well as the other people who welcome you, everyone speaks French.

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November 10, 2022

Our guide was very knowledgeable and made the whole tour very interesting. She pointed out many features at the sites and told us interesting anecdotes about these features that we wouldn't have found in the guide books. The Gondola ride is a traditional must for a visit to Venice - to view Venice from a canal perspective. The whole experience was worth it.

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October 8, 2022

Do not miss! Very good circuit very good organization! Go to the meeting point as described on the booking form and from there everything is linked with the explanations in your language. I don't like group visits, but here I will change my preconceptions! Hats off to you Get Yourguide

July 24, 2022

Product ID: 65906