Guided tour of Doge's Palace and St Mark's Basilica with gondola ride
Must Do

Guided tour of Doge's Palace and St Mark's Basilica with gondola ride

4.6/5

Excellent
20 reviews
from
£124.00
Free cancellation
Language: English, French, Spanish, German
Mobile voucher accepted
Duration: 2 hours 30 minutes
Why you’ll love this…
  • Cross the Bridge of Sighs and reach the prison cell of Giacomo Casanova
  • Admire masterpieces by Tintoretto, Titian and Veronese in the Doge's Palace
  • Marvel at the golden mosaics and marble inlay flooring in the Basilica
  • Enjoy a nice gondola ride and explore Venice from its charming canals
What to expect

Meet your guide in front of the Clock Tower in Piazza San Marco and start your combination tour discovering the buildings in the square.

Access the Doge's Palace, a combination of Byzantine, Gothic and Renaissance architecture, the center of the Venetian Empire and the seat of the Venetian Government. Your guide will tell you everything about it 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, and discover Venetian legends as you walk through the eerie, narrow passageways toward the prison cells. Learn about the prisoners and Casanova, perhaps Venice's most famous and intriguing escapee. Later, visit Saint Mark's Basilica, which symbolizes the lagoon and enshrines the city’s history and Saints' relics.

At 1:00 pm you will end the first part of the tour and have approximately 2 hours of free time to stroll around Piazza San Marco, have lunch, or visit the Correr Museum on your own. In the afternoon, you'll enjoy an exploration of the Venetian romantic canals on a gondola. Unwind and relax while you appreciate the skill involved in steering the gondola through the intricate waterways of the city.

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What's included
  • check Entrance fees
  • check Guided tour
  • check Headsets (to hear the guide)
  • check Gondola ride
What's not included
  • x_not_included Food and drinks
  • x_not_included Tips (optional)
  • x_not_included Hotel pick-up/drop-off
Where

Calle larga de l'Ascension, 1256, 30124 Venice VE, Italy

Meeting point:
Meet your guide next to the post office San Marco (opposite side of Saint Mark's Basilica). Look for the yellow sign "Meeting Point" on the wooden kiosk. Leaving Piazza San Marco behind you, it's the one on your right (not the newspaper shop on the left). If arriving by boat, take Vaporetto line N1 or N2, get off at San Marco (Vallaresso) boat stop, walk directly down “Calle Vallaresso” street and turn right into Piazza San Marco at the end of the street. Please arrive 15 minutes prior to departure.
What to remember

Not suitable for:

  • people with mobility impairments

Not allowed:

  • no bare shoulders or knees. An appropriate dress code is required when visiting the Basilica
  • backpacks are not allowed inside the Basilica and Doge's Palace

Know in advance:

  • Please note that on certain days between April 25, 2024, and July 14, 2024, visitors to Venice are required to pay, directly to the Municipality of Venice, an access fee (5€/person), except for specific exemptions (i.e. Minors under the age of 14 are excluded from the payment of the access fee; please bring an ID card for the proof of the age). For dates, payment methods, to benefit from exemptions, and for all related information, please check the official website for the "Venice access fee" from the "Comune di Venezia". Please pay the access fee online before attending the tour
  • Doge's Palace and Basilica tour departs at 10:45 am; gondola ride departs at 3:00 pm or 5:15 pm. From April to October the gondola is available at 3.00 pm or 5.15 pm. From November to March the gondola is available at 3.00 pm only
  • The gondola tour is not guided, and it can be shared with a maximum of 6 people per gondola
  • On very few occasions Saint Mark's Basilica may be closed due to religious ceremonies, public holidays, private events or high water
  • At the end of the tour, keep your Doge's Palace ticket to visit Museo Correr, Museo Archeologico Nazionale and Monumental Rooms of the Biblioteca Nazionale Marciana in Piazza San Marco
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Provider
VENICE EVENTS srl
Booking fee
Good news! No extra fees are applied to this booking.
Cancellation policy
Receive a 100% refund if you cancel up to 72 hours before the experience begins.

What people say about this experience

Excellent

4.6 /5

Based on 20 reviews from verified customers


Review categories

Value for money

4.1/5

Safety

4.6/5

Staff

4.6/5

Service

4.6/5


65%
35%
0%
0%
0%

Sort by:

  • M

    Michelle

    Verified booking

    3.8

    30 September 2025

    Travelled with family


    Guide very knowledgable but difficult to understand. Gondola was fantastic but a bit disorganised

  • J

    Jake

    Verified booking

    4.2

    5 April 2025

    Travelled as a couple


    The guided tour and instructions to get there were great. The tour was very interesting and the guide full of knowledge. Nowhere in the instructions did it mention where to meet for the gondola ride, nor the time. Also, the fact we paid over £100 each to then have to share a gondola with strangers is very poor if you ask me! We could’ve gotten a private one for €90. I expected better!

  • J

    JJ

    Verified booking

    4.6

    3 April 2025

    Solo traveller


    I went from one trip straight to another. I could have done with a rest and a coffee in between! Other than that all went smoothly

  • T

    TUI Musement Traveler

    Verified booking

    5

    20 September 2025

    Excellent tour with knowledge guide. Well organised and well looked after

  • T

    TUI Musement Traveler

    Verified booking

    4

    15 August 2025

    Knowledgeable guide called Elizabeth, was friendly and helpful. Meeting place wasn’t clear on arrival and no information at the end of the morning in relation to meeting for gondola ride. Overall an enjoyable day

  • M

    M.M

    Verified booking

    5

    18 April 2025

    Travelled with a group of friends


    Ohne sich einzustellen haben wir in einer kurzen Zeit sehr viel gesehen und erfahren. Auf Grund dessen, haben wir mehr Zeit für andere Aktivitäten gehabt.

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