Essential Venice Tour: Highlights of the Floating City

Experience the best of Venice in a single day, including visits to St. Mark's Basilica and the Doge's Palace, and many more with an expert, private tour guide.

A jaw-dropping treasure trove of art and culture, the charms of Venice could easily occupy you for a lifetime. Building on our years of experience exploring its atmospheric alleyways and gliding down its iconic canals, we’ve created our special essential Venice tour itinerary to offer visitors the perfect introduction to the almost unbelievably beautiful floating city focusing on the highlights. Venice is a city of many faces: on the first half of our tour we’ll explore breathtaking sites that speak to the city’s centuries-long status as one of the world’s most important super-powers, including St. Mark’s Basilica and the Doge’s Palace - twin triumphs of the Maritime Republic that stand spectacular guard over the monumental Grand Canal rich with fabulous artworks. This is the true beating heart of Venice. Beyond the iconic monuments and world-famous sights of the Floating City, there is another Venice. You'll get to explore the hidden corners of Venice that few visitors get to see The city boasts an incredible 150 canals and 400 bridges, and wandering around this never-ending maze is one of the most disorientating experiences on earth. But it’s also one of the most exhilarating, and if you want to get a feel for Venice in all its unpredictable glory then you need to veer off the tourist trail and get lost in its impenetrable maze of backstreets. Wander through picturesque winding alleyways and along narrow waterways; discover secret piazzas and stunning churches stuffed with masterpieces of Renaissance art; explore traditional artisan ateliers and a quirky bookshop where the tomes are kept in boats and bathtubs. As this is a private tour for you and your group, we’ll be delighted to customise your itinerary to suit you, including an additional private boat tour of Venice after the initial tour Please contact the tour operator if there is anything in particular you had your heart set on seeing. After all, there are as many Venices as there are Venetians – get in touch today to find yours! Classic sights included in our itinerary: St. Mark's Basilica St. Mark's Square The Doge's Palace The Bridge of Sighs