Venetian History Tour: Explore Hidden Gems and Culture

Explore Venice’s rich history and culture on an exclusive 3-hour tour. Skip the lines, discover hidden gems, and feel like a local.

Duration: 2 hours, 30 minutes
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Piazza San Marco - Begin your tour at the breathtaking St Mark’s square, one of the world’s most iconic outdoor locations and take in views of St Mark’s bell tower (exterior).
  • St. Mark’s Basilica - Enter the stunning St Mark’s Basilica and marvel at the dazzling golden mosaics and incricate marble carvings.
    Explore St. Mark’s Basilica and be…
What's Included
  • Exclusive Skip the Line Guided Tour
  • Professional Tour Guide
What's Not Included
  • Tour does NOT include hotel pickup or drop-off
  • Tour price does NOT include gratuities (optional)
Additional Information

Embark on an exclusive 2.5-hour walking tour to explore the rich history and culture of Venice. Enjoy breathtaking views of the Rialto Bridge from the Grand Canal and admire the detailed facades of the renowned Venetian Palazzi, once the residences of Venice’s wealthiest aristocrats. Escape the crowds and explore the San Polo neighborhood, where locals…

Location
Carmagnola Head
Piazza San Marco
At the corner of the covered gallery/arcade by the st mark’s bell tower (outside).
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
5.0
(24 Ratings)
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1 star
Therese_m
May 27, 2025
Fantastic tour of St. Mark's with Marialaura - My family and I were so lucky to have Marialaura as our guide for St. Mark's Basilica and the Doge's Palace. She was extremely knowledgeable about the history and architecture of Venice and told us some wonderful stories about St Mark's and some of the legends and superstitions of the city. We also enjoyed hearing about present day Venice and Marialaura gave us a lunch recommendation that was without question the best meal of our vacation. If you have an opportunity to book a tour with Marialaura you will not be disappointed.
Review provided by Viator
Vanessa_p
May 26, 2025
Flexible and informative tour. - We really liked our tour guide Roko C because he didn't try and hit everything but pointed out really interesting things and had great stories. He was also flexible and accommodated our needs to stop.
Review provided by Viator
Connector53354100522
May 16, 2025
A great guide makes all the difference! - Our guide Marialaura was exceptional. Her knowledge and passion in speaking about St. Mark's & The Doge's Palace held our attention like we were listening to a storybook. She managed to describe history in detail and keep it interesting. Her sweet personality made us feel like friends. My husband & I have an Italian last name that no one can pronounce in the States. She took a sml video with me saying it in 'real' Italian so I could post on social media. She also spoke to (& taught) us a lot about our heritage. After our tour, she made some gift reccos for us to take back home & sent us links to local restaurants. She really went above & beyond. If you want to have a great experience for this tour.... ask for Marialaura at Babylon if you can! 10 stars for sure!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Compass310808
May 12, 2025
Excellent tour - Excellent Tour guide. Excellent tour. I would highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting Venice. It's worth every penny.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Laurie_p
May 12, 2025
Amazing guide Tour guide made all the difference! - This was an excellent Tour. Ask for MariaLaura from Babylon Tours. So friendly & knowledgeable. 10*!
Review provided by Viator
Robert_m
May 10, 2025
Fantastic Tour & Fantastic Tour Guide (Marialaura) - Venice has been a bucket list item for years. We were finally able to go and what an experience! It was everything we dreamed it would be and more. The absolute highlight was the semi-private, skip-the-line tour with Marialaura. She was an absolute gem and made the tour totally worth every cent. She is exceptionally well qualified, knowledgeable, friendly, easy to understand (she spoke EXCELLENT English), and knew all of the pathways to avoid long wait lines. She was a total fountain of knowledge and information. She kept our small group at a good pace, not too fast, not too slow, and even though it was a comprehensive 3 1/2 hour tour, the time absolutely flew. I came away with a head full of new knowledge and appreciation for what Venice was and had accomplished over the centuries. And Marialaura was at the center of all that. What a joy to have as a guide!
Review provided by Viator
Ingek939
May 7, 2025
St Mark’s Basilica & Doge’s Palace - Federico did an excellent job telling us the history of the region and explaining the Doge’s Palace and St. Mark’s Basilica. The Basilica is absolutely stunning. We would request Federico again as a guide and recommend him to others.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Mark_w
May 7, 2025
Enrico Rocks - This was one of the best tours I have taken with Viator. Enrico was engaging, very knowledgeable, and made sure we saw everything from the most advantageous view point. I can’t say enough good things about this tour and the guide
Review provided by Viator
Peter_m
May 2, 2025
Alex is the Best - Our guide Alex was charming and full of Venetian history. It was like getting a master class in Venetian culture and development. Alex went above and beyond to accommodate our schedule and weather conditions. Her recommendation for a pizza spot was on point. Meraviglioso. .
Review provided by Viator
R7985fctimw
May 1, 2025
St Mark's Basilica - The tour was incredibly well done and we so appreciated Marialaura for guiding us with warmth and expertise. After ward, Marialaura gave us recommendations for local restaurants, which were fantastic! Great job, and thank you - we'll be back.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
From $123
up to 8 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).