Italy · City Tours

St. Mark’s Basilica & Doge’s Palace Half-Day Tour with Gondola Ride

4 Hours Round trip from Venice Easy pace

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The journey

Trip highlights

01 Skip-the-line entry to St. Mark’s Basilica
02 Explore Doge’s Palace with a professional guide
03 See the Bridge of Sighs and historic prison areas
04 Walk through St. Mark’s Square and the Rialto area
05 Enjoy a 30-minute shared gondola ride
06 Admire views of the Grand Canal from Rialto Bridge
07 Small-group experience with a maximum of 20 participants

Discover some of Venice’s most iconic sights on this half-day experience combining history, art, and a classic gondola ride. Skip the line at St. Mark’s Basilica to admire its glittering mosaics and remarkable interior, then continue to Doge’s Palace to explore the grand halls, prisons, and the famous Bridge of Sighs with an expert guide.

Your tour also includes time in the heart of Venice around St. Mark’s Square and the Rialto area, where you’ll soak up the atmosphere of the city’s canals and historic streets. To finish, step aboard a shared gondola for a relaxing ride through Venice’s waterways and enjoy the city from its most timeless perspective.

The best view of the Grand Canal is from the center of Rialto Bridge.

From the itinerary

At a glance

What this trip includes

Duration 4 Hours

Tour type Shared

Activity level Easy

Accommodation Not included

Transport Not included

Wheelchair access No

City Venice

Languages English

Day by day

The itinerary

Day 01

St. Mark's Square and Basilica

Begin your Venice walking tour in St. Mark's Square. Home to the magnificent St. Mark’s Basilica, Bell Tower and Doge’s Palace, this is the biggest square in Venice. Then, skip the line and enter St. Mark's Basilica. The church dominates the square with its impressive facade, but the inside is even more stunning. You'll soon understand why this church is nicknamed the "Church of Gold", as your guide explains the jaw-dropping interior decor. The basilica is one of the most-visited sites in Venice, and it has a fascinating history. For example, did you know that In 828, merchants from Venice stole the remains of St. Mark the Evangelist from Alexandria, Egypt? Find out how they accomplished this and more.

Since St. Mark's is a sacred place, both men and women must cover their knees and shoulders. Otherwise, you may be refused entry to a portion of your tour. We understand the summers in Venice are hot - a great alternative is to bring a shawl/scarf/sweater with you. That way, you can cover your knees and shoulders when necessary.

Rialto Bridge and Neighborhood

Just a few minutes away from St. Mark’s Square is the Rialto Bridge, as much a symbol of Venice as St. Mark's Basilica. Initially built from old boats, the unstable bridge was rebuilt in 1500. On one side of the bridge is the Rialto Market, a place that’s been whetting appetites for seven centuries. The best view of the Grand Canal is from the center of Rialto Bridge. The scene of boats traveling down the canal is so dreamlike, you might have to pinch yourself to make sure you aren't dreaming. The area around Rialto Market is famous for it's fish market, cicchetti bars and mask shops. If you're interested in returning to spend more time here, ask your Venice tour guide for tips.

Gondola Ride

At the conclusion of your tour of Venice your local guide will leave you with a trusted gondolier (gondola is included in the price of the tour). For the next half an hour, sit back, relax and see Venice from a whole different angle - from the water. If you're lucky, as you you cruise through the blue canals, your gondolier might sing to you! When your gondola ride ends, you'll be dropped off a few minutes walk from St. Mark's Square, where you met your guide. In terms of Venice tours by locals, this is one of the best ones out there.

The route

Where you'll travel

Tour route map — Round trip from Venice 1 city · 4 Hours

The fine print

Trip details

What's Included

Gondola ride
Skip The Line Entry in the Doges Palace
Entry Into St Marks Basilica (valued at €12 per person)
Professional art historian guide
Small-group size, maximum 20 participants

What's Not Included

Food and drinks
Gratuities
Hotel pickup and drop-off

Know before you go

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION NEARBY
Not wheelchair accessible
Since we will be entering a church, please make sure that your shoulders and knees are covered. Also, please refrain from bringing big back packs or bags, because they are not always allowed inside.
All guests must supply their full name and date of birth that matches a valid ID at the time of the booking. Please note that a photo ID is required to visit the St. Mark's Basilica. Name changes are not permitted.
Not stroller accessible
Not suitable for pets
Infants must not sit on laps
Infant seats unavailable
DRESS CODE: Entrance into any religious site requires a strict dress code. Knees and shoulders MUST be covered for both men and women. The Roman Guy will not be held responsible for refused entry due to unsuitable dress. • This is a walking tour with a small portion held on a gondola. • Please read our meeting point directions thoroughly in advance. It is the responsibility of all visitors to be at the meeting point 10 - 15 minutes before departure. Guests arriving after departure cannot be accommodated, & missed tours or tickets cannot be refunded. • Mandatory: Everyone is required to carry a copy of the identification page of their passports on all tours. A photo of the first page of your passport saved on your smartphone works as well. • The tours involve a fair amount of walking and sometimes stairs and uneven terrain; comfortable shoes are always recommended. • Depending on the size of your group, headphones may be used for some tours. In this case, headphones will be provided. You may use your own earphones if you wish. • We regret that we are unable to accommodate guests with wheelchairs or any walking impairments that require special assistance on our group tours. We are also unable to accommodate strollers or baby carriages on our group tours. • Some sites visited are not shaded and can be hot under the summer sun. We recommend bringing a hat, sunscreen and a bottle of water during the warmer months. • We will be subject to a security check at the entrance to all sites. Depending on the volume of visitors, we may have a short wait in the security line. • The museums, sites and monuments we visit on our tours are among the most popular in the world. Careful planning helps limit crowd exposure, but please be aware that some locations may be unavoidably busy during standard hours/high season. • TRG reserves the right to alter itineraries for reasons of safety, restoration, maintenance, adverse weather conditions or occasional events. • TRG runs tours rain or shine and no refunds will be issued due to inclement weather. In extreme weather conditions (i.e., flooding, hail storms, lightning storms, etc.) some areas may close down for safety purposes. • We will do everything within our power to ensure timings and itineraries are respected, however, due to issues beyond our control, timings and sites are subject to last minute changes on rare occasions.

Logistics