Private Venice Tour: Doge's Palace and St. Mark's Square

Optional Private Gondola Ride – 30 Minutes Before continuing to St. Mark’s Square, experience Venice from the water during an optional private gondola ride. Glide through atmospheric canals while passing historic palaces, graceful stone bridges and picturesque waterside buildings. Your guide will explain the gondola’s distinctive design, how these traditional boats are constructed and their historical role in Venetian life. The gondola ride is operated by a professional gondolier and is payable separately on-site.

St. Mark’s Square and Basilica – Approximately 30 Minutes Arrive in Piazza San Marco, Venice’s magnificent ceremonial centre and one of the most celebrated squares in the world. Learn about the square’s principal monuments and their importance in the political and religious life of the Venetian Republic. Enjoy skip-the-line access to St. Mark’s Basilica and follow your guide through its spectacular interior. Admire the golden Byzantine mosaics, impressive domes and richly decorated architecture while discovering how the basilica became the spiritual heart of Venice. Your guide will also explain the history and artistic importance of the celebrated Pala d’Oro. Access to the Pala d’Oro may require a separate ticket, depending on the selected tour option.

Doge’s Palace – Approximately 90 Minutes Conclude your experience with a guided visit to the Doge’s Palace, the greatest symbol of Venice’s political power. Enjoy skip-the-line admission and explore the palace’s magnificent institutional chambers, where the government of the Venetian Republic operated for centuries. Visit the Great Council Hall, where members of Venice’s powerful assembly met to make important decisions affecting the Republic. Admire masterpieces by Tintoretto and Veronese while learning about the Doges, magistrates and institutions that governed Venice. Finally, cross the famous Bridge of Sighs and enter the New Prisons, where your guide will reveal stories of justice, political intrigue and imprisonment in the Venetian Republic. The guided experience concludes at the Doge’s Palace in St. Mark’s Square.