Guided Tours

St. Mark’s Basilica & Doge’s Palace Skip-the-Line Guided Tour

Name: St. Mark’s Basilica & Doge’s Palace Skip-the-Line Guided Tour
Start: 2026-02-16T13:30:00
End: 2026-02-16T15:00:00
Location: Venice

Interior of St. Mark's Basilica in Venice, showcasing ornate mosaics and architecture.

Tourists sitting outside St Mark's Basilica in Venice, Italy.

St. Mark's Basilica interior with ornate columns and statues, Venice, Italy.

Tourists exploring St. Mark’s Basilica in Venice with a guidebook.

Duration

1 hr 30 min - 2 hr

Open today

Book now, pay later

Book now without paying anything. Cancel for free if your plans change.

Guided tour

4.3/5

(2,639)

Maria

Feb 2026

Verified booking

The tour was very interesting and the group wasn't too big, so we enjoyed it more and were able to interact and ask our guide questions more easily. MARINA, our guide, had historical and artistic knowledge and interesting facts that made the tour enjoyable for all kinds of people. The only criticism was due to the changes in information that were sent by email, changing times and meeting points. We were a group of friends who received changes between 10:00 and 11:00 a.m. and next to the Clock Tower or the entrance to the ducal palace. We could have missed the tour for that reason. The direct information from the guide via WhatsApp solved the problem.

Alison

Jan 2026

Verified booking

Easy to follow instructions, found our guide easily. The earphone and speaker we were each given was amazing. My husband wears hearing aids and worried he might not be able to hear, but even if a way away from your tourguide you don't miss anything with the earpiece. Our guide was fantastic, hearing bits from someone born and raised lin Venice was great! Basilica, Douges Palace, bit of the dungeons and glass demo! Highly recommend, well worth the price.

Katarzyna

Jan 2026

Verified booking

This tour was a great way to see Venice’s most important landmarks. Our guide, Rebecca, was excellent, very knowledgeable and engaging, never boring. The skip-the-line access was extremely comfortable and saved a lot of time. The two extras: the Glass Museum and tickets to the Correr Museum, were a great idea and a nice bonus. Highly recommended!

Breeze past the queues and slip straight into Venice’s two most iconic landmarks without the wait.

With your guide as storyteller and curator, uncover hidden symbols, political intrigues, and legends that bring each room alive.

Walk through gilded chambers and frescoed halls where doges once ruled, then cross the Bridge of Sighs into the shadowy prisons.

Step into St. Mark’s Basilica, where 8,000 sq. m. of golden mosaics shimmer like starlight and marble floors echo centuries of worship.

Upgrade for terrace views at the basilica to see the sprawling Venetian lagoon beneath. Alternatively, take the Secret Itineraries tour at the Palace and walk an exclusive path through interrogation rooms, torture chambers, and Casanova’s legendary prison escape.

Doge's Palace

Skip-the-line entry

Expert English, Italian, German, Spanish, or French-speaking guide

Access to Bridge of Sighs and New Prisons

Secret Itineraries tour (as per option selected)

Headsets for groups of 10+ people

St. Marks Basilica

Skip-the-line entry

Expert English, Italian, German, Spanish, or French-speaking guide

Terrace access (as per option selected)

Headsets for groups of 10+ people

Additional access to

Correr Museum

Marciana Library

National Archeological Museum

History Gallery of Venice (as per option selected)

Hotel transfers

Audio guide

Guided tours of Correr Museum, Biblioteca Marciana, and Archeological Museum

These tickets can't be cancelled or rescheduled.

2,639 reviews
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What our guests say
Maria
Feb 2026
Verified booking
The tour was very interesting and the group wasn't too big, so we enjoyed it more and were able to interact and ask our guide questions more easily. MARINA, our guide, had historical and artistic knowledge and interesting facts that made the tour enjoyable for all kinds of people. The only criticism was due to the changes in information that were sent by email, changing times and meeting points. We were a group of friends who received changes between 10:00 and 11:00 a.m. and next to the Clock Tower or the entrance to the ducal palace. We could have missed the tour for that reason. The direct information from the guide via WhatsApp solved the problem.
Katarina
Feb 2026
Verified booking
The guide Alessia spoke very clear English and what she told us was very interesting. It was easy to find the group at the beginning and we were informed in time of all the necessary changes. The basilica is unique and beautiful... you have to see it! The cathedral too... It contains many masterpieces by famous Venetian artists...
Georgios
Feb 2026
Verified booking
Not a real description of the venues ...........................................................................................................................................................
Allison
Feb 2026
Verified booking
The tour was good with lots of time at each place. Unfortunately the English was not great and understanding what was said was difficult. A self tour with ChatGPT would have been better.
Beatriz
Feb 2026
Verified booking
The service provided by the guide Marina is excellent. She is very knowledgeable, pleasant, and educational.

Skip the lines and explore Venice’s political and spiritual heart with an expert guide who brings the city’s two greatest landmarks alive.

Getting started

Meet your guide at the starting point mentioned on your voucher. Show your ticket and ID for a quick security check. Enjoy fast-track access with minimal waiting time.

What to expect

Doge’s Palace

The former seat of Venetian power, it's famed for grand halls, Gothic façades, and dramatic prisons.

Features

Stand beneath Tintoretto’s Il Paradiso in the Grand Council Hall.

See Veronese’s Apotheosis of Venice in gilded chambers.

Cross the Bridge of Sighs into the stark palace prisons.

Your guide shares stories of political intrigue and Venetian power.

St. Mark’s Basilica

Venice’s “Church of Gold,” this basilica is celebrated for its glittering mosaics and Byzantine heritage.

Features

Admire 8,000 sq. m. of golden mosaics across domes and arches.

Discover relics of St. Mark and their journey to Venice.

Walk on marble floors and see treasures from the Byzantine world.

Learn how faith and wealth shaped the city’s most iconic church.

Upgrades: Enhance your visit with terrace access for sweeping lagoon views, or take the Secret Itineraries tour for exclusive entry to hidden offices, interrogation rooms, torture chambers, and the infamous Pozzi and Piombi prisons.

The Doge's Palace

Monday	9:00am - 6:00pm	last entry 5:00pm
Tuesday	9:00am - 6:00pm	last entry 5:00pm
Wednesday	9:00am - 6:00pm	last entry 5:00pm
Thursday	9:00am - 6:00pm	last entry 5:00pm
Friday	9:00am - 6:00pm	last entry 5:00pm
Saturday	9:00am - 6:00pm	last entry 5:00pm
Sunday	9:00am - 6:00pm	last entry 5:00pm

St. Mark's Square

Monday	12:00am - 11:59pm
Tuesday	12:00am - 11:59pm
Wednesday	12:00am - 11:59pm
Thursday	12:00am - 11:59pm
Friday	12:00am - 11:59pm
Saturday	12:00am - 11:59pm
Sunday	12:00am - 11:59pm

St. Mark's Basilica

Monday	9:30am - 5:15pm	last entry 4:45pm
Tuesday	9:30am - 5:15pm	last entry 4:45pm
Wednesday	9:30am - 5:15pm	last entry 4:45pm
Thursday	9:30am - 5:15pm	last entry 4:45pm
Friday	9:30am - 5:15pm	last entry 4:45pm
Saturday	9:30am - 5:15pm	last entry 4:45pm
Sunday	2:00pm - 5:15pm	last entry 4:45pm

Correr Museum

Monday	10:00am - 5:00pm	last entry 4:00pm
Tuesday	10:00am - 5:00pm	last entry 4:00pm
Wednesday	10:00am - 5:00pm	last entry 4:00pm
Thursday	10:00am - 5:00pm	last entry 4:00pm
Friday	10:00am - 5:00pm	last entry 4:00pm
Saturday	10:00am - 5:00pm	last entry 4:00pm
Sunday	10:00am - 5:00pm	last entry 4:00pm

What to bring

Valid ID matching the name on the ticket and the voucher received in email to the meeting point.

What's not allowed

Flash/tripod/commercial photography at the Doge's Palace

Photography at St. Marks Basilica is forbidden

Accessibility

Both venues are wheelchair and pram/stroller accessible, although the Secret Itineraries tour at the Doge's Palace is not suitable for wheelchair users

A ramp is available at the Porta del Fiori (Door of Flowers) entrance on the left-hand side of the basilica.

Additional information

All guests must wear clothing that covers their shoulders and knees to enter the basilica.

The Correr Museum, Biblioteca Maricana and Archeological Museum can be enteres within 6 months from the date of booking.

Your voucher will be emailed to you shortly.

Display the voucher on your mobile phone with a valid photo ID at the starting point.

Please check your final voucher for the starting point details & specific instructions.