Venice Day Tour: Private Highlights Tour with Skip-the-Line Access and Gondola Ride
4.9
37 Ratings
Venezia
Experience the best of Venice on a private day tour with skip-the-line access to top attractions and a memorable gondola ride. Explore Saint Mark's Square, visit Saint Mark’s Basilica and the Doge’s Palace, and discover hidden gems like the Rialto Bridge and Marco Polo's house.
Duration:
4 hours, 30 minutes
Cancellation:
1 day
learn more
Highlights
- Piazza San Marco - Your experience of Venice begins in the iconic St Mark’s square where you will also meet your guide.
- Basilica di San Marco - Next, skip the long lines and enter this beautiful and ornate basilica as your guide provides you with anecdotes of its history.
- Doge’s Palace - Next make your way to the Doge’s Palace again with VIP entry, the political center of Venice. Your expert guide will share the secrets of the private hidden apartments, and you will see impressive halls such as the Hall of Great Council. The tour takes a more sinister turn as you visit the prison, as well as an extensive private weapons collection. Upon exiting, you will stop at the notorious Bridge of Sighs.
After this visit, your guide will provide you with some great recommendations to stop to eat and have refreshments before continuing on your tour.
The rest of the day will be spent on foot exploring the narrow winding streets to unexpected squares and bridges. Visit the Rialto bridge and see Marco Polo’s house before stopping in Campo Santa Maria Formosa for your private gondola ride.
- Campo Santa Maria Formosa - Your guide will escort you to your very own private gondola ride - the best way to complete a day in Venice! They will ensure you will have everything you need before embarking on a relaxing journey through the canals on your gondola.
What's Included
- Priority access to St Mark’s Basilica and Doge’s Palace
- Exclusive private gondola ride
- Guided tour with a local expert
What's Not Included
- food and drinks
- gratuities (optional)
Additional Information
Embark on a special excursion of Venice with a personal specialist guide, and fully experience this extraordinary city and its main attractions. Start in the Saint Mark’s Square for a brilliant view of Saint Mark’s Basilica and the Doge’s Palace, the personal sanctuary of the Venetian dukes until the 1800s. Enjoy exclusive entry, and bypass the long queues to step into the majestic basilica where you can appreciate the golden mosaics up close. Then head over to the Doge’s Palace, skipping the lines, to explore 700 years of history as you observe the palace prisons, court rooms, and take a moment at the Bridge of Sighs to witness the last view of Venice that detainees would have seen before being taken to their cells. Your guide will offer suggestions for lunch, and post a brief intermission, the tour will proceed. Stroll over to the enclosed Rialto Bridge and visit the residence where Marco Polo once lived. Proceed to the Renaissance-era church of the Campo Santa Maria Formosa, where you will round off your idyllic day in true Venetian fashion with a private gondola ride.
- On certain dates, most travelers staying outside of Venice who are planning to visit for the day will be required to pay a €5 access fee. For further details (including exemptions) and to learn what days this fee is applicable, please visit: https://cda.ve.it
Location
Chiesa di San Giacomo di Rialto
Campo San Giacomo di Rialto
In front of Chiesa di San Giacomo in Campo San Giacomo di Rialto. Your guide will be holding a LivTours sign.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.9
(37 Ratings)
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Maria_e
Apr 19, 2024
Outstanding Venice tour with Sara - Our tour with Sara was outstanding. She introduced us to a brief history of Venice. Along with her expertise, communication skills and knowledge this is one of the best tour we have ever experienced. My husband as well as my children were very enthused with every detail of the tour. Don't miss out. One big thank you to Sara for our worthwhile day in Venice.
Review provided by Viator
259marthal
Apr 9, 2024
Martina is the best! - We were lucky enough to have Martina as our guide for our private day tour of Venice. It was pouring rain for our tour but her cheerfulness, knowledge of history and passion for the city made us forget the weather. She paid careful attention to our needs and interests. We thoroughly enjoyed her company and feel like made a new friend. We highly recommend you request her for your tour.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Kristin_d
Apr 7, 2024
Fun and interesting! - What a fantastic tour! Our guide Mateo was fabulous. He was engaging and filled with information about Venice. It did rain a lot but we still enjoyed our visit. The Doge Palace is a highlight. We were a group of 7. My husband and I, my in laws and 3 young adults. Everyone had a blast.
One note there are 222 churches in Venice so be sure to check the meeting point (which is a church) carefully. We spent 30 minutes trying to find the right church. The tour company was very helpful in getting us to our guide and Mateo spent extra time with us at the end.
Review provided by Viator
Guitag
Apr 6, 2024
Fantastic Way to See Venice! - We had a fantastic tour with Francesca and unreservedly recommend this experience - especially if your time is limited in Venice. Francesca's deep knowledge of the history of Venice made our time in the basilica and Doge's palace come alive with stories of political intrigue and drama. Her knowledge of art history unlocked the beauty of the basilica and its decorative frescos, inlaid floor, statues and architecture. Our family enjoyed the tranquil gondola ride - a wonderful way to see Venice highlights!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Stefaniac683
Apr 5, 2024
Amazing Private Venice tour - Our second time meeting Marie Therese as our guide for a private Venice tour and certainly never disappointed! She is so well informed about Venice ! Once again thanks for the experience! Hope to see you again!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
R7911mqcourtneyc
Apr 5, 2024
Fascinating guided tour - We had the pleasure of experiencing a guided tour with Marie Therese, and it was exceptional. Her knowledge of the area was impressive, which provides us with great historical insights and engaging conversations which brought what we saw to life.
Highly recommend!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Ryanat9758ku
Apr 2, 2024
Nico in Venice is fantastic - My wife and I took a private tour with Nico and absolutely loved it. He was extremely knowledgeable and made the experience both fun and educational. Any question we had he knew the answer for, and was very personable and friendly. We would highly recommend him and next time we’re in Venice will hopefully be able to work with him again.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Katherine_u
Mar 14, 2024
"Venice Unveiled: A Captivating Tour with Marie!" - We went on a private walking tour of the Doge Palace and St. Mark’s Basilica in Venice, Italy with Marie-Therese Knapp. She was extremely knowledgeable about Venice's history and art and presented the information in a fun and engaging manner. The 4-hour tour flew by, and we had a great time the entire time. Marie helped us understand Venice’s history and culture in a meaningful way, even though we only had a day to see the city. Her sense of humor and ability to tailor the tour to our interests made the experience even more enjoyable. The Doge Palace and St. Mark's Basilica were stunning, and Marie's insights and anecdotes really brought the history and art to life. I highly recommend this tour for anyone visiting Venice, whether you're a history buff or just looking for a fun and informative experience. Thank you, Marie, for a fantastic tour!
Review provided by Viator
Randy_and_free
Jan 11, 2024
Gold Ceilings to Gondolas in a day, fully realized - We had a wonderful tour with a knowledgeable, friendly and accommodating guide, Tullia. She had wonderful insights into the history, neighborhoods, open market, culture, and beauty of Venice. Even though we peppered her with questions, we never found the bottom of her wellspring of knowledge about the city, San Marco Basilica, the Doges Palace, and all things Venice (including a GREAT restaurant recommendation!! Rossopomodore was the perfect post-gondola pizza!) Highly recommended
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Peter_l
Feb 11, 2024
Don’t bother with the gondola ride. - Nice tour with a good guide who provided a nice overview of Venice. Disappointing gondola ride at the end. No interaction from the gondeleer, pretty boring ride around some uninteresting canals.
Review provided by Viator
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