Best of Venice Tour with St Mark’s Basilica,Doge’s Palace & Grand Canal
5 h
Popular
Instant confirmation
About this activity
This Super Saver gives you two options for the length of your tour day. Both options include a Doge's Palace tour that starts at 9am, and then you can choose to have free time to enjoy the city or to go straight to your next tour to finish your day of touring an hour earlier
See the 'View additional info' link below for a map of the start point for your first tour.
Skip the Line: Doge's Palace Tour (2 hours):
Meet your guide at the entrance to the Royal Gardens in Venice and stroll to Doge's Palace, the magnificent Venetian-Gothic building from where the leaders of the former Venetian Republic ruled until the late-18th century. Head inside and explore the grandiose public chambers that the doges lavished with fine art and ornamentation. Masterpieces by Renaissance champions Tintoretto and Veronese adorn the walls and ceilings, framing the palace’s grand staircases and arcade statues.
Learn about the doges as you walk around, and hear of the power and treachery that characterized their reign. Ruling the republic with iron fists, the doges established a network of prisons at the palace so they could keep a close eye on their foes. Wander across the Bridge of Sighs, built to connect the palace to the prisons, and pose for photos against the backdrop of the palace. Your walking tour then finishes outside the palace.
Skip the Line: Venice Walking Tour with St Mark’s Basilica (2 hours):
Leave St Mark’s Square and set off on your walking tour to discover Venice’s highlights and its top attractions. Soak up the hustle and bustle of St Mark’s Square, and head inside St Mark’s Basilica to admire its interiors. Marvel at the marble floors and ogle the gilded mosaics that blanket the walls and ceilings. The canopy over the high altar dazzles with gold and gems, and the treasury room holds an array of Crusader spoils plundered from the ancient city of Constantinople.
Head out of the basilica and discover the canal walkways and pretty bridges that typify the city. Learn of legendary Venetians such as Marco Polo with his globe-trotting adventures and other famous landmarks. After two hours, your tour finishes near Rialto Bridge.
Venice Grand Canal Boat Tour (1 hour):
Hop aboard your small motorboat at the water’s edge near St Mark’s Square, and then cruise around Venice’s impressive Grand Canal. The busiest stretch of water is also the city’s most photogenic, and the Baroque churches and gondola stations that line the water provide elegant photo opportunities.
As you cruise through the Grand Canal, learn about the city, its beautiful architecture and buildings from your guide. Pass Gothic palaces and churches, hear stories about Rialto Bridge and medieval merchants warehouses, and explore the lesser-visited canals that comprise Venice’s atmospheric backstreets. After an hour on the water, cruise back to the start point.
See the 'View additional info' link below for a map of the start point for your first tour.
Skip the Line: Doge's Palace Tour (2 hours):
Meet your guide at the entrance to the Royal Gardens in Venice and stroll to Doge's Palace, the magnificent Venetian-Gothic building from where the leaders of the former Venetian Republic ruled until the late-18th century. Head inside and explore the grandiose public chambers that the doges lavished with fine art and ornamentation. Masterpieces by Renaissance champions Tintoretto and Veronese adorn the walls and ceilings, framing the palace’s grand staircases and arcade statues.
Learn about the doges as you walk around, and hear of the power and treachery that characterized their reign. Ruling the republic with iron fists, the doges established a network of prisons at the palace so they could keep a close eye on their foes. Wander across the Bridge of Sighs, built to connect the palace to the prisons, and pose for photos against the backdrop of the palace. Your walking tour then finishes outside the palace.
Skip the Line: Venice Walking Tour with St Mark’s Basilica (2 hours):
Leave St Mark’s Square and set off on your walking tour to discover Venice’s highlights and its top attractions. Soak up the hustle and bustle of St Mark’s Square, and head inside St Mark’s Basilica to admire its interiors. Marvel at the marble floors and ogle the gilded mosaics that blanket the walls and ceilings. The canopy over the high altar dazzles with gold and gems, and the treasury room holds an array of Crusader spoils plundered from the ancient city of Constantinople.
Head out of the basilica and discover the canal walkways and pretty bridges that typify the city. Learn of legendary Venetians such as Marco Polo with his globe-trotting adventures and other famous landmarks. After two hours, your tour finishes near Rialto Bridge.
Venice Grand Canal Boat Tour (1 hour):
Hop aboard your small motorboat at the water’s edge near St Mark’s Square, and then cruise around Venice’s impressive Grand Canal. The busiest stretch of water is also the city’s most photogenic, and the Baroque churches and gondola stations that line the water provide elegant photo opportunities.
As you cruise through the Grand Canal, learn about the city, its beautiful architecture and buildings from your guide. Pass Gothic palaces and churches, hear stories about Rialto Bridge and medieval merchants warehouses, and explore the lesser-visited canals that comprise Venice’s atmospheric backstreets. After an hour on the water, cruise back to the start point.
Included
- Professional guide
- Guaranteed to skip the long lines
- Headset to hear the guide clearly
- Cruise
- Entry/Admission - Ponte dei Sospiri
- Entry/Admission - Basilica di San Marco
- Entry/Admission - Doge's Palace
- Entry/Admission - Scala dei Giganti di Palazzo Ducale
- Entry/Admission - Piombi - le Prigioni
- Entry/Admission - Porta Della Carta
- Guaranteed to skip the lines
Not included
- Gratuities
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Food and drinks
Additional
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- 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
- Large bags and rucksacks are not allowed inside St Mark's Basilica
- At certain times it may not be possible to enter any of the visited churches due to religious functions taking place. These closures are beyond our control so no refunds or discounts will be issued
- Please note: due to Lent religious observance St. Mark’s Basilica will remain closed and no visiting will be permitted on all Saturdays and Sundays from February 2016 until Easter 2016 included. All tours including the Basilica will operate as scheduled but guides will provide a detailed explanation of Basilica’s history, architecture and its treasures from the outside and wherever possible will bring visual aids (either books or pictures or Ipad) to allow the customers to view the interior of the church
- In condition of high water, St Mark’s Basilica Skip the line entrance will remain closed
- Skip the line tickets to St Mark’s basilica are valid from 1st April until 31st October – From 1st November to 31st March due to less affluence to St Mark’s Basilica, this service is not provided by the church to all operators and individual travellers
Features
Tourism
95%
Cultural
90%
Original
20%
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