St. Mark's Basilica Guided Tour
Head into the most visited site in Venice, St Mark's Basilica renowned for its Byzantine art and rich biblical importance.
highlights
- Visit the crown jewel of Venice, St Mark's Basilica, one of the most visited sites in Venice!
- Walk the length of this Basilica with a dedicated bilingual tour guide narrating interesting legends and detailing its rich history.
- View masterpieces of Byzantine art during your tour and gain seamless access to the Treasury.
inclusions
- Entrance to the Basilica.
- Visit to the Basilica's terrace and St. Mark's Museum.
- Shared guided tour with commentary.
- Audio guide (in case the tour group exceeds 10 participants).
super flexible cancellation policy
You may cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
your experience
This guided tour of St Mark's Basilica will be nothing short of exhilarating. Indulge in the seamless synthesis of Venetian art with unique Byzantine and Romanesque elements in the form of gleaming golden mosaics, marble inlays, and precious pearls and stones.
From Monday to Saturday, the basilica guided tour includes a visit to the Terrace, where you will find the Horses of Saint Mark. Dating back to classical antiquity, these horses, also known as the Triumphal Quadriga, are a set of Byzantine bronze statues, originally part of a monument depicting a quadriga (a four-horse carriage used for chariot racing). At St. Mark’s Museum, you can admire objects of various kinds and origins belonging to the Basilica. The tour begins from the ground floor, and you will get to see the gold mosaics (the Basilica has 43,000 square feet of mosaic alone!). On Sundays, feast days, and in case of unplanned religious celebrations, the tour foresees the visit with direct access to the Terrace and to St. Mark's Museum situated on the first floor. On festivity days, the Holy Mass takes place on the ground floor, and it is possible to admire the mosaics partially from the first floor.
know before you go
Important Information
- This tour will not be operational in case of exceptionally high tide or in case of religious functions (in both these cases the visit can be postponed or a refund will be provided).
- This is not a private tour and is to be shared with other guests not belonging to the same part.
- If there is a high turnout or for reasons of high tide or security problems, the waiting time to access St. Mark’s Basilica may be slightly longer than expected. In such cases, please do line up and respect the instructions provided by the guide.
- Due to security reasons, you cannot enter the Basilica with luggage or big bags.
Timings
This tour takes place at 12:00 PM from Monday to Saturday (Not available on Sunday). Please be sure to arrive at the meeting point 15 minutes before departure.
Languages Available
- English, German, Spanish, Italian, and French tours are available every day.
- The visit is monolingual.
- On Sunday, the visit will be done from the first floor of the Basilica with the visit to the terrace and the Saint mark’s Museum.
Blackout Dates
- August 15th
- November 1st
- December 8th, 25th
- January 1st, 6th
- February 24th
- April 18th, 25th
During unplanned religious celebrations or in case of exceptional high tide (in these cases it can be postponed to the day after otherwise it will be refunded).
Getting There
Arriving by Public Vaporetto
If you are taking line #1 and get off at “San Marco Vallaresso”. If you are taking line #2 and get off at “San Marco Giardinetti”. After you alight, walk to Saint Mark’s Square. Once here, look for the Bell Tower and cross the adjacent Basilica. You will find our assistant waiting for you with a signboard reading TOUR under the Clock Tower.
Arriving by Private Watertaxi
Ask the driver to take you to the “Todaro” landing stage. Once you alight, walk to Saint Mark’s Square. Once here, look for the Bell Tower and cross the adjacent Basilica. You will find our assistant waiting for you with a signboard reading TOUR under the Clock Tower. The Clock Tower is located in Saint Mark’s Square. Once by the Bell Tower, go straight on leaving the Basilica on your right and you will find the assistant waiting for you with the signboard TOUR under the Clock Tower.
Dress Code
The Basilica is a house of worship and therefore, appropriate clothing is recommended (shorts and tank tops will not be allowed). Comfortable walking shoes are recommended.
Accessibility
This tour is not wheelchair accessible.
Restrictions
Photography and filming are prohibited inside the Basilica.
my tickets
- Your voucher will be emailed to you shortly.
- Please display the voucher on your mobile phone with a valid photo ID to your tour guide.
- If you have purchased reduced price tickets, please carry your valid photo ID proof for verification. Students must show their valid Student IDs.
Meeting Point
- Meet your tour guide in front of the St Mark's Clocktower, Piazza San Marco, 30124 Venezia VE, Italy. It is also known as Torre dell'Orologio
- Landmark : Yex Change SRL , a small kiosk below the St. Mark's Clocktower
- Your guide will be waiting for you right next to this kiosk, with a signboard reading "TOUR".
- To locate the meeting point on Google Maps, simply search for - 'Torre dell'Orologio '.
Get Directions to the Meeting Point
Note: Late arrivals and people who miss their tour will be considered a no-show and will not be eligible for a refund.
The tour reservations have strict timings. If you arrive late for the meeting time, it will not be possible to join the group or reschedule, unless you pay for the activity again (subject to availability).