Skip-the-Line Doge's Palace and St Mark's Basilica with Guide
Enjoy Venice and all its grandeur in this skip-the-line tour and enjoy St. Mark's Basilica and the Doge's Palace!
Immerse yourself in the history of Venice on this comprehensive tour of this once-great maritime empire. Explore two of the floating city's most important architectural structures - St. Mark's Basilica and the Doge's Palace, with skip-the-line tickets for both historical locations. Meet your guide in St. Mark's Square and receive an in-depth look at how Venice built a mercantile empire that once spanned the entire Mediterranean. Marvel at mosaics and other treasures as your guide explains how the city begged, borrowed, and stole to grow from a small island to one of the great powers of the Middle Ages. The Basilica embodies a mixture of Byzantine, Roman, and Venetian styles giving birth to a breathtaking architectural masterpiece and its interiors are as stunning as the facades. The Golden Mosaics covering the high walls are breathtaking, together with gold, silver, glass, and precious materials that make up the St. Mark's treasure. One of the highlights of your visit will be the Pala d' Oro (""Golden Pala""), an altarpiece made from hundreds of pieces of enamel stuck onto a golden leaf. Continue along to your next stop, the Doge's Palace, and explore the political heart of the Venetian Empire for hundreds of years. For centuries, the fate of Venice was decided by the Doge and his Council. It was in the Doge's Palace where the Doge and his Council met and ruled the Republic. In this tour, you will have the opportunity to walk through the magnificent halls where priceless treasures, art masterpieces, and frescos can still be admired today. Did you know that during the era of the 'Most Serene Republic' every citizen had the opportunity to denounce other inhabitants' sinful behavior by anonymously slipping letters through a ""Bocca della Verita"" (Mouth of Truth)? You will encounter this creative ""letterbox"" on the tour. This walk across time will proceed with a visit to the prison, where you will learn how grim life was for anyone unlucky enough to be taken prisoner. Among the famous guests of the Doge's Palace prisons is Giacomo Casanova, the notorious seducer and adventurer who managed to escape from the prison in 1756. If you are eager to learn about Venice's fascinating history, this tour will not let you down!
- Duration
- 2.25 hours
- Operated by
- Shore Excursions Group
- An approximately 45-minute walk or a 30-minute vaporetto (water bus) (not included, approximately 9.50 EUR per person each way) is required to reach the meeting location. Full details will be provided in your electronig ticket upon booking confirmation.
- Shoulders and knees must be covered to enter a place of worship. Sensible rubber-soled walking shoes, sunglasses, and sunscreen are recommended.
- This tour takes place in historical areas and, therefore, is not wheelchair accessible. Guests must be able to walk on paved as well as cobblestone surfaces. There are steps and steep curbs in some areas. This tour is not suitable for guests with walking difficulties or those who use partly-motorized vehicles or walkers. For security reasons, backpacks are not allowed inside the Basilica and all visitors must pass through a metal detector, which might lead to a short line even with skip-the line access.
Excursion purchases are fully refundable outside of 14 days prior to the tour date. Beginning on the 14th day prior to the tour date, excursion purchases are non-refundable.