The Mercerie, Venice

Culture & History

Learn the 1,000-year history of the Republic of Venice – traditionally known as La Serenissima – from the 8th to 18th centuries, and see all the main monuments on a guided walking tour. Admire the Renaissance church of Santa Maria Formosa and hear fascinating stories about the Basilica di San Giovanni e Paolo, where 25 of the doges of Venice were laid to rest. Hear about the role of the Great School of Charity and Captains of Fortune, see the house where Marco Polo lived and pass the historic Teatro Malibran. Return to Piazza San Marco via the Mercerie between the Rialto and San Marco districts. Enter the Doge's Palace to explore the seat of political power during the republic and see masterpieces of art in the splendid rooms. Marvel at the gold staircase and cross the Bridge of Sighs from the inside. End with an optional visit to a glass furnace.

Explore Venice through its narrow calli (alleys) and encounter countless bridges and picturesque squares at the heart of the city's social scene. Follow a professional guide on an unforgettable journey through the history of the "Serenissima" and discover famous sites and hidden gems. Get an animated description of majestic St. Mark’s Basilica in Piazza San Marco, and learn the function of the Doge's Palace. Hear about the ornate St. Mark's Clocktower and the 3 connected buildings of the Procuratie. Then, make your way to the Campo Santa Maria Formosa to see the Basilica di San Giovanni e Paolo, where all of the city's doges were buried after the 15th century. Go to the Scuola Grande di San Marco (“Great School of Charity”) to hear about the "Captains of Fortune," and then head back through the San Marco sestiere (district) to see the Teatro Malibran. Stroll down the famous Mercerie, the historic heart of commercial life in the city and now one of the main shopping streets of Venice between the Rialto Bridge and Piazza San Marco.

Take a walking tour with a professional private guide to explore one of the most celebrated piazzas in the world. St. Mark’s Square is surrounded on 3 sides by magnificent structures such as the 15th-century Clock Tower, the Procuratie Vecchie, Procuratie Nuove and Ala Napoleonica. On the fourth side stands the outstanding St. Mark’s Basilica, with its Clock Tower rising above the open area known as the Mercerie. Your guide will tell you about the history and architectural styles of the Clock Tower, the Bell Tower, the Correr Museum and the Bridge of Sighs. St. Mark’s Bell Tower is the highest structure in Venice. Originally built in the 9th century, it has been rebuilt several times since. It unexpectedly crashed to the ground in 1902 and was rebuilt following the original design, incorporating the ancient bells. The Bridge of Sighs connects the Palazzo delle Prigioni and Palazzo Ducale, or Doge’s Palace. It is called the Bridge of Sighs because in times past, convicts were forced to enter prison through this bridge. According to the legend when they had their last glimpse of Venice they would let out a sigh. Visit the interior of St. Mark's Basilica to admire its many treasures, including the Pala d’Oro, the statues, amazing glass and carvings.

Explore the incomparable architecture of Venice on a 90-minute walking tour of its major highlights, and discover a few hidden gems along the way. Departing from the spectacular St. Mark’s Square, dominated by the Basilica of San Marco, head off after a brief introduction to admire some of the most beautiful architecture in Venice. An experienced guide will escort you through the streets recalling the millennia of the Serenissima Republic as you walk from Piazza San Marco to Santa Maria Formosa and the church of Santi Giovanni e Paolo, referred to as the "Pantheon of Venice.” Pass the charitable Scuole Grandi (Great Schools of Venice) and hear about the heroic deeds of the famed Captains of Fortune. Discover where Marco Polo lived and worked in Venice, and admire the Teatro Malibran, one of the city’s most historic opera houses, where ancient and modern history meet at a wonderful corner of Venice Return to San Marco through the Mercerie, providing a vital connection between the Rialto and San Marco, and now the main shopping street in Venice, which you are free to explore at the end of your tour.

Discover Venice from land and water on a combined half-day tour of 3 distinct itineraries; a walking tour from St. Mark’s Square to the Rialto Bridge and market, a 30-minute gondola ride on some of the smaller canals and a guided visit to St. Mark’s Basilica. First, meet your guide near St. Mark’s Square for a walking tour from St. Mark’s to the Rialto Bridge. Your guide will reveal the magic and history of Venice outside some its most famous buildings. Admire the Byzantine façade of St. Mark’s Basilica and the imposing Doge’s Palace before you depart. Head towards Campo Santa Maria Formosa to learn the story of one of the most beautiful churches in Venice. See the former home of the explorer Marco Polo, and pass the Malibran Theatre, known for having the most extravagant stage in the city. Finally, walk to the Mercerie to discover a fascinating array of narrow streets where the valuable goods brought to the city from distant markets were sold. The second part of the tour includes a gondola ride to discover some new and not very well-known areas of one of the most beautiful cities in the world! The gondola tour will let you discover the Basilica della Salute, one of the finest examples of Baroque architecture, which offers a different perspective view according to the point from which it is observed. Re-group outside St. Mark's Basilica to skip-the-line to see its gilded interior around 30 minutes after the conclusion of the gondola ride. Learn the history of one of the world’s most iconic cathedrals, getting up-close to its gilded mosaics and the rarely seen Pala d’Oro (Golden Pall), one of the most accomplished works of Byzantine art. Get advantage of this combined tour, which covers three fascinating itineraries at a lower price than purchasing the individual ones!

Walk through the most characteristic and important place for the history of Venice through the millennium of the life of the Serenissima Republic, recalling the past full of charm of this unique city for an essential tour to understand Venice. Visit Piazza San Marco and learn about its origins, history and description of the main monuments such as Basilica San Marco, Palazzo Ducale, Bell Tower, Clock Tower and Procuratie. Visit Santa Maria Formosa Square and hear the history and anecdotes related to this wonderful and characteristic square with the Campo SS. Giovanni e Paolo, the "Doge’s Pantheon," the Great School of Charity and the Captains of Fortune. See Marco Polo’s House and Malibran Theatre and hear anecdotes about the past and recent history cross each other in this beautiful corner of Venice. Return to San Marco Square through Mercerie, a vital connection between Rialto and San Marco and the main street for city shopping. At the end, an optional visit to a Glass Furnace for a touch of the Venetian greatest art.

This walking tour will give you a comprehensive introduction to some of the most spectacular sights in the city, and includes a guided tour of both the Doge’s Palace and St. Mark’s Basilica. Setting off from St. Mark’s Square, with views of the Grand Canal, you will head through the narrow streets, laced with lovely canals and crumbling, historic houses. Stop and pause at sights such as the Chiesa Santa Maria Formosa, where the Holy Virgin is alleged to have appeared disguised as a voluptuous woman. Visit the former home of one of the city’s most famous sons at Marco Polo’s House, and walk through the Campo SS. Giovanni e Paolo, the second largest square in Venice. Return to San Marco through the Mercerie, and go inside the Palazzo Ducale, the seat of Venetian political power for centuries. Walk through splendid rooms lined with masterpieces of art. Your guide will show you the halls of power and then take you to the Bridge of Sighs, where the harsh reality of that power will come to life. End your visit at St. Mark’s Basilica, one of the most majestic cathedrals in the world. View masterpieces of Byzantine art, savor the beauty of the cathedral’s gold mosaics and marble inlays, and admire fine examples of religious art in the Treasury.

Skip the long lines to enter 2 of the most popular and spectacular buildings in Venice, the Doge's Palace and St. Mark's Basilica. Enjoy the ambiance of this charming part of Venice, and learn about its from your expert guide. Start your tour at the Doge’s Palace, the seat of Venetian political power for centuries. Here you will hear the history of how the Duke and his council made decisions that controlled the fate of this 1,000-year republic. Immerse yourself in the European Middle Ages, and see masterpieces of art adorning the walls of the Palace. Relive the anguish of the prisoners that crossed the Bridge of Sighs, and experience the inside of the prison cell that once hosted Giacomo Casanova. After your guided exploration of the Doge’s Palace, you will be taken on a tour of the inside of St. Mark's Basilica. The Cathedral displays some of the finest examples of Byzantine art in the world, and is the only cathedral of its kind in Italy. Take in the beautiful golden mosaics and marble floor inlays. Learn about the Basilica's history, and discover the Biblical symbolism behind the Cathedral’s art. Admire the Pala d’Oro, the high altar of the Basilica, decorated with thousands of gems and precious stones. During the walking tour you will see The Church and Campo of SS. Giovanni e Paolo - the "Pantheon” of Venice, the great charitable Scuola and the heroic deeds of the famed Captains of fortune; Marco Polo’s house and Teatro Malibran - where ancient and recent history meet in this wonderful corner of Venice.

Starting in St. Mark’s Square, this atmospheric walking tour will whisk you away from the crowded streets into the treasure filled pockets of the Castello area. A qualified guide will walk you through the hidden squares, winding canals and historical buildings providing you with a perfect introduction to the origins, symbols, traditions, architecture and life in present day Venice. The tour will start with a historical introduction of St. Marks’s Square and its architectural delights, allowing you to discover the history of the majestic St. Mark’s Basilica, the illustrious Doge’s Palace, once the seat of the power of the Republic of Venice, and the extraordinary, Renaissance clock tower. Leaving the square, you will be guided into the residential Castello area, allowing you to discover this part of Venice in all of its elegance, through its labyrinth of narrow alleys known as calli, its many bridges, winding canals and wide picturesque squares called campi. Discover campo Santa Maria Formosa and campo San Giovanni & Paolo, with its stunning Basilica, where the doges of Venice were buried. At the end of your walking tour, come back with your local guide in San Marco's square passing through the Mercerie, the shopping connection street between Rialto and San Marco.

Travel to the heart of Venice and its Byzantine art heritage with a combination of three tours. Discover the enchanting side of Venice through a morning walk, its Byzantine heritage through the St Mark's Basilica, and its deepest side through a romantic gondola ride. Go to the enchanting Venice made up of countless bridges, channels, and "campo" (little squares), the pulsing heart of a water city. Follow your experienced tour guide and learn more about Venice, it's past, and interesting facts about life in a city built on water. Campo Santa Maria Formosa, Campo, and Church SS. Giovanni e Paolo, and the Mercerie, are only some of the highlights which you will admire. Let yourself admire Venice from a unique perspective: the water. In an eye glimpse, it will be like being projected into another world, away from the crowded alleys of the historical center and ready to discover a deeper side of Venice. Discover not only one of Venice's most famous sites and symbols but also one of the world's most beautiful and breathtaking cathedrals: The St Mark's Basilica. Immerse yourself in the majestic interiors of the Basilica, learn more about Venice's history and in particular about its patron saint, St Mark.