Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Pass By: Piazza San Marco, 31024 Venice Italy
Piazza San Marco
Stop At: Basilica di San Marco, San Marco, 328, 30124 Venice Italy
Basilica di San Marco, Veneto
Inside, take a deep breath. You’re experiencing St. Mark’s Basilica as almost nobody else does, or ever has ever been able to (aside from the Doge himself)—empty! No standing elbow-to-elbow with other tourists, no seeing the church as if through a strobe light from hundreds of popping flashbulbs, no noise from the crowds. Instead, you’re alone with your guide and the custodian. So you can experience the basilica as it should be experienced: in tranquility and peace.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Doge's Palace, Piazza San Marco, 1, 30124 Venice Italy
The Doge Palace visit is included only when selecting the St. Mark's with Doge's Palace option at time of booking.
Upgrade for late access to the Doge’s Palace by selecting the upgrade option at time of booking. With this option visit the armory, New Prisons and incredible council rooms and frescos of Palazzo Ducale. Travelling in small groups of 15 people or fewer, you’ll enter the Palace at the last entry time, finding one of Venice’s most popular attractions much quieter than at other times during the day.
Duration: 2 hours
Stop At: Bridge of Sighs, P.za San Marco, 1, 30124 Venezia VE, Italy
The Bridge of sights visit is included with the Doge Palace option only.
On this guided tour you’ll have the opportunity to explore the massive armory, and the spooky prisons. Finish with a visit inside the Bridge of Sighs, where your guide will tell you why it’s not quite as romantic as you thought.
Duration: 15 minutes
Pass By: Torre dell'Orologio, Piazza San Marco, Venice Italy
The Torre d'Orologio is included with the Doge Palace option only.
See Availability.
Museo Correr, P.za San Marco, 52, 30124 Venezia VE, Italy
90 to 210 minutes(approx.)
St. Mark's Square, Piazza San Marco, 30124 Venezia VE, Italy
Not wheelchair accessible
Near public transportation
Most travelers can participate
This tour is in English.
This is a walking tour. Guests should be able to walk at a moderate pace without difficulty.
The tour meeting time is 15 minutes prior to the start time. No refunds can be provided for late arrivals or no-shows.
If you cannot join your tour at the last minute (running late, etc), please contact us. We may be able to reschedule your tour with a small amendment fee depending on availability.
Due to the religious nature of St. Mark's Basilica, all individuals regardless of gender must cover their shoulders and knees. You can bring extra covering (scarves, etc) to put on just before entering St. Mark's. Walks cannot be held responsible for those denied entry.
Sites visited during this tour are subject to occasional closures due to holy observances, high tides, and/or flooding. If a site closes, your guide will tour the exterior of the site. If time permits, we will reach out to you prior to your tour. For last-minute closures, modifications may be communicated at the tour start time.
Large bags and backpacks cannot be brought into St. Mark's Basilica.
On certain days there may be a short break between the visit to the Doge's Palace and St. Mark's Basilica (never more than one hour and only when the St. Mark's with Doge's Palace option is selected at time of booking). This may extend the overall length of the tour.
Walks comply with all local government regulations. Please refer to Italy government guidelines for the most up to date information
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
This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 25 travelers
Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Posted By : Terri_R
Our guide, Roberta, was so good— informative, passionate, funny— we loved her stories and explanations. When the ceilings were illuminated we gasped— and then to realize how tiny the mosaic tiles are! Roberta showed us key elements and shepherded us through the main areas and crypt.
We went back to the basilica the next day and it was awful— crowded and noisy. The mosaics were difficult to see (it was an overcast day) and it would have been a very different impression had we not had the intimate tour the previous night. We were mad at ourselves for not booking the optional doges palace, too.
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Posted On : 2024-05-20
Posted By : Nina_K
The guide was excellent, she gave us a broad view to the history of Venice and we were able to see parts of the church that can not be seen daytime.
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Posted On : 2024-05-19
Posted By : Jonathan S
For a very expensive tour, I could forgive the fact that it was disorganized and went from 5:30 to 11:00 instead of 5:30 to 9:00 because the tour operator had inserted a two hour break as it did not have the proper tickets for St. Mark’s. Things happen, and this is Venice. But I cannot forgive the absurd revisionist history at the Doge’s Palace, and the constant mocking of St. Mark at St. Mark’s Church. No, the Battle of Lepanto was not cruel aggression by the Venetians against the Ottoman Empire. The tour sounded like some social justice warrior’s lecture about the evils of the Venetian Republic, with no recognition of it lasting a thousand years and achieving many great things. As to St. Mark, perhaps the tour could show some modicum of respect to the Church and not treat it like it is just a building in EuroDisneyland. The whole experience was informative in one way: It revealed that at least Walks of Italy is ashamed of Western Civilization and takes no pride in explaining its heritage. But if those old Europeans are so evil and corrupt as we were constantly told, how did they build such an amazing city, and why cannot modern Europeans preserve it? For $200 a ticket, I hoped for better.
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Posted On : 2024-05-19
Posted By : Stacey_F
The independent spirit of Venice is on display nowhere more than in both the Doge’s Palace and St. Mark’s Basilica. Here, church and state dance together as one. Laura was informed and engaging. The history of the Doge’s Palace is one of trade, conquest, negotiation, and life as a city-state in fragmented Italy. St. Mark’s Basilica offered us a staggering light show. You enter the church after closing, sit down, and gasp as they turn off the few lit lamps. Sitting in total darkness they introduce, section by section, individual sections of the church as each light is lit. The tour includes visiting the crypt under the basilica where the bishops of Venice are buried and where once St. Mark’s remains were entombed. From there, we visited behind the altar to see the Pala d’Oro and the tomb under the altar where St. Mark’s remains now reside. The artwork is incredible. The mosaics are stunning. We saw the changing artistic styles explode from the mosaics. Byzantine architecture at its finest.
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Posted On : 2024-05-18
Posted By : Batshevva_F
Exceptional guide! Elena’s stories of her personal experiences as a Venetian, plus her wonderful enthusiasm added even more to the extraordinary spectacle of the illuminated basilica.
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Posted On : 2024-05-16
Posted By : Linda_W
This was a great tour - highly recommend going at night - no crowds and seeing the basilica light up was great. The guide, Gratzia?, was really great and told us a lot of interesting information. Tour was well worth the money. If you have some time before, a coffee or drink at the Florian is interesting (but pricey) it is the oldest coffee shop in continuous operayion and just kind of cool.
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Posted On : 2024-05-16
Posted By : Catherine_G
This was by far the best tour we’ve ever taken. Worth every penny. Our tour guide, Emanuele G, was informative and entertaining. His passion and love of the City of Venice was evident and contagious. Not only did we learn a great deal but we now have an appreciation for this beautiful city that we will definitely visit again. Thank you!
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Posted On : 2024-05-15
Posted By : T2600NWlorraines
The evening tour was a magical experience!
The Basilica is so beautiful, far beyond my expectations.
The guide was very informative.
Would certainly recommend
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Posted On : 2024-05-14
Posted By : Brian_B
Seeing the light show made this experience very unique. Very few people inside made the visit much more intimate.
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Posted On : 2024-05-14
Posted By : Brock_C
Our guide was fantastic! St. Marks overdelivered however, the Doges Palace tour was cancelled and we received about a 30% refund should have been 50%!
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Posted On : 2024-05-13
