Cancellation Policy
Cancellations made 15 or more days in advance of your tour date are fully refundable, minus credit card processing fees. See our complete Cancellation Policy for more information.
St. Mark's Square and the Doge's Palace
Art & Culture
About
Piazza San Marco is one of the most famous and grandest squares in the world, and the buildings that ring it are truly extraordinary. No visit to Venice would be complete without thoroughly exploring them, so that's exactly what we'll do on this tour.
We’ll start things off right in the square, where I'll introduce you to the city and share some of the history of this ancient city-state. Saint Mark's has been Venice's main gathering place for more than 1000 years, and quite a lot has happened here over the many centuries.
Next, we'll enter the majestic St. Mark's Basilica! Built in the 9th century to house the relics of the Evangelist Mark, the basilica is a true masterpiece, with a façade of columns brought back from Constantinople during the Crusades and mosaics that tell the story of how the church's relics were smuggled out of Alexandria and brought to Venice.
Inside, we’ll admire some of the 8,500 square meters of glittering mosaics that cover the walls and domes. Depending on the entrance ticket option that you select, we can also view either the Pala d’Oro - a 10th-century golden altarpiece adorned with nearly 1,800 gems - or head up to the Basilica’s museum, where we'll enjoy wonderful views.
After the Basilica, we'll take a quick coffee break before moving on to the Doge’s Palace, the former seat of government and residence of the Doges (who ruled the city). Rebuilt many times over the centuries, what we see today mostly dates from the 14th and 15th centuries, in Venice’s signature Gothic style. Inside, we’ll walk through the “rooms of power” where the Republic once governed its vast territories across the Mediterranean and northern Italy.
Along the way, we’ll see paintings by Tintoretto, Veronese, and other great Venetian artists. We’ll also visit the armory, which houses an impressive collection of weapons and armor, and then step into the Great Council Hall - a space 54 meters long and 25 meters wide, once the largest hall in Europe - where elections and state meetings were held.
Once we've finished exploring the Palace, we’ll cross over the Bridge of Sighs and pay a visit to the "New Prisons" (they're not so new!), which is where we'll finish up the tour.
If you're at all interested in art, culture, and history, I think this tour is the perfect introduction to my city!
Alessandro
Overview
Highlights
- Saint Mark's Square
- Doge's Palace
- New Prisons
- Saint Mark's Basilica
- Private tour - only you and your guide
Tour Itinerary
Meet at Saint Mark's Square
Enter St. Mark's Basilica and explore
Tour the rooms of the Doge's Palace
Cross the Bridge of Sighs and visit the prisons
Cancellation Policy
Cancellations made 15 or more days in advance of your tour date are fully refundable, minus credit card processing fees. See our complete Cancellation Policy for more information.
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