Venice Tour: Skip-Line St. Mark's & Gondola Ride

Highlights

• Guided Walking Tour
• St. Mark's Basilica
• Optional Gondola Ride

What's included

Itinerary

1. 1

   Mercati di Rialto

   30min

   Meet near the Rialto Bridge and learn why it was initially considered a very bad idea to build it. Take a quick look at the Rialto Fish Market to learn about the long fishing history of the city and its famous cuisine. Get a couple of restaurant recommendations from your local guide!

2. 2

   Stop 2

   50min

   Continue your walking tour to discover some of the city’s hidden gems. You'll learn what it is like to live on the island today as you meander through hidden alleyways. See a remarkable statue by Verocchio on the Campo San Giovanni and Paolo, where you will also see a variety of typical Venetian architectural styles.

3. 3

   Museo di Palazzo Grimani

   Pass by

   Pause to admire a unique mansion that belonged to a powerful Venetian family.

4. 4

   Libreria Acqua alta

   10min

   You'll learn what it is like to live on the island today as you meander through hidden alleyways, stopping along the way at a quirky Venetian bookstore with a stunning canal view and friendly resident cats. Your guide will wait outside, allowing you few minutes inside to explore on your own.

5. 5

   Basilica di San Marco

   30min

   With pre-reserved entry, you’ll bypass the often long lines and head inside this extraordinary church. Your expert guide will bring the basilica to life—revealing how its unique blend of eastern and western design came to be, uncovering the dramatic story of how St. Mark’s relics arrived in Venice, and helping you appreciate the shimmering gold mosaics that make this place unlike anywhere else in the world.

6. 6

   Stop 6

   30min

   Your guide will then leave you to enjoy a 30-minute (approximately) gondola ride with a professional gondolier. Limited to only 5 people per gondola, this experience will be both intimate and relaxing. Punt through the quieter canals of Venice as you relax and enjoy the city at its best! Note: the Welcome to Venice Express option does not include a gondola ride.

Before you go

Location