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Venice Doge's Palace & St Mark's Basilica guided Tour: Detailed exploration of iconic landmarks
4.3
109 Ratings
Venezia
Experience the grandeur of Venice's iconic landmarks on a guided tour of the Doge's Palace and St. Mark's Basilica. Explore the rich history and stunning architecture of these historic sites.
Duration:
2 hours, 15 minutes
Cancellation:
1 day
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Highlights
- Piazza San Marco - Our guide will accompany you to the Doge’s Palace, which dominates Saint Mark’s Square, the heart of Venice, standing out for its size and its extraordinary structure, where Byzantine, European and Oriental architecture collide. Immediately entering the Palace you will pass through the great courtyard and admire the wealth of detail on the famous Golden Staircase.
- Doge’s Palace - Once inside the Palace, you will visit the halls where the Duke (Doge) and his Council controlled the fate of the Serene Republic, whilst surrounded by hundreds of artistic masterpieces and discover the political history of Venice and its people. You will be able to admire the paintings realised by some of the most important artists of the Italian Renaissance, amongst them, the world’s largest oil painting by Tintoretto.
- Ponte dei Sospiri - Passing through the famous Bridge of Sighs, you will reach the new prisons. The bridge was given its name by the English poet Lord Byron, probably referring to the last breath of the prisoners, who had their last view of the lagoon and of Venice from the window of this bridge, before they were to be imprisoned.
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Basilica di San Marco - During the second part of the tour you will visit the Basilica, once the private chapel of the Doge of Venice, and the only one of its kind in Italy, thanks to the sumptous golden mosaics and impressive marble inlay flooring.
During the tour you will be able to sit down in the church and absorb the atmosphere whilst listening to your guide who will describe the biblical scenes represented throughout the building, together with history and particularities of this ancient Basilica.
The tour includes the visit of the famous Pala d’Oro, an altarpiece made of gold and silver and an exquisite example of Byzantine art with a myriad of gems and precious stones.
This 2 hour combined tour concludes outside the Basilica, in Saint Mark’s Square.
- Museo Correr - At the end of the tour, keep your Doge’s Palace ticket to visit on your own: Museo Correr, Museo Archeologico Nazionale and Monumental Rooms of the Biblioteca Nazionale Marciana in Saint Mark’s square, opposite side of the Saint Mark’s Basilica.
What's Included
- Personal audio system and headset for tour commentary
- Multilingual tour provided in: English, French, German, Spanish, Italian
- Entrance fees
- Saint Mark’s Basilica first floor museum and the terrace
- Guided tour of Doges Palace, Saint Marks Basilica and Saint Marks square
What's Not Included
- Gratuities
- Pala d’oro (€ 5,00)
Additional Information
Combined journey to the Saint Marks Basilica and the Doge’s Palace:
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Our expert guide will share interesting insights about Saint Mark’s Square and then guide you on an in-depth exploration of the Golden Basilica, formerly the personal chapel of the Doge of Venice. You’ll be able to marvel at the golden mosaics and stunning marble inlay floors.
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The second part of your journey will take you to the Doge’s Palace, accompanied by our guide. Inside, you will get to experience the grand halls where the Duke (Doge) and his Council decided the destiny of the Serene Republic. You will appreciate the artwork made by some of the most renowned artists of the Italian Renaissance, including the world’s largest oil painting by Tintoretto. After crossing the famous Bridge of Sighs, you will enter the new prisons.
- A dress code is required to enter places of worship and selected museums. No shorts or sleeveless tops allowed. Knees and shoulders MUST be covered for both men and women. You may risk refused entry if you fail to comply with these dress requirements
- Back packs are not allowed inside the Basilica and the Doges Palace
- Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately
- 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
TU.RI.VE. Meeting Point
Calle larga de l'Ascension
15 min before in Calle larga de l’Ascension - 30124 next to the post office San Marco (opposite side of the Saint Marks Basilica).
Look for the yellow sign "Meeting point" on the wooden kiosk and the Turive assistant.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.3
(109 Ratings)
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Martine_s
May 3, 2024
Splendour of Venice - Interior of saint Marc’s. We liked the ceiling of the dodges palace. The guide was very friendly and competent.
Review provided by Viator
Martin_e
Apr 6, 2024
Venice - Highly recommend. A concise tour of 2 of the main touriat attractions. Rosanne was a great tour guide.
Review provided by Viator
Christine_l
Nov 12, 2023
Well worth it, learned so much - So glad we did this tour as we would have just walked around d looking at the splendour of it but not been aware of some of the history behind the building. Very interesting and thd guide was so friendly and informative. Thank you
Review provided by Viator
Bob_p
Oct 31, 2023
Must See both - Our tour guide Mika was excellent. You were fully engaged in his narratives. Learned so much about Venice, St Mark and the Dolce.
Review provided by Viator
Carla_f
Oct 23, 2023
Great tour! - Great tour and tour guide was excellent! Very knowledgeable and entertaining. Would definitely recommend!!!
Review provided by Viator
Edward_v
Oct 19, 2023
The best of Venice - This was an excellent tour. Christina, our guide, was extremely knowledgeable about Venice, its history, and willingly shared it. We learned a lot from her. We highly recommend this tour. It was the highlight of the time we spent in Venice.
Review provided by Viator
Georgettechan
Dec 25, 2023
Worth the tour! - Very comprehensive tour. The guide gave a good historical insight into the history of Venice and the landmark buidlings.
Review provided by Viator
Vedana_l
Oct 18, 2023
OUCH! my ears hurt...look at that beautiful art!!! - Enjoyed Veronica, but didn't like the device to hear her. The ear piece hurt our ears and occaoccasionally decided not to work. Veronica's accent was sometime hard to understand. Thank you for some great memories.
Review provided by Viator
James_k
Oct 29, 2023
Guided tour. 3 out of 5 stars based on the personal guide we were assigned. - The Doge's Palace was a very interesting place to visit; however, we were running low on time and thus the guide didn't guide us through the Doge's apartment. Also, the guide was very difficult to hear with the radio devices that we were issued.
Review provided by Viator
Lauren_k
Oct 14, 2023
Good tour, but too long. - The tour itself was informative and interesting but too long. Too much time was spent discussing and analyzing paintings, especially in the Doge's Palace. Also the quality of the headsets and transmitters was quite poor and made it difficult to hear the guide clearly.
Review provided by Viator
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