Explore Venice from top to bottom in just one day, with skip the line tours at St. Mark's Basilica and the Doge's Palace, and a picturesque gondola ride through the canals.
Venice in a Day with St. Mark's Basilica, Doge's Palace, & Gondola Ride
Summary Description
Highlights
- Guided walking tour exploring history & top sights of Venice
- Skip-the-line access at Doge's Palace
- Iconic gondola ride along the Grand Canal with 5 people
- Admire golden mosaics in St. Mark’s Basilica
- Group of 20 people or fewer & expert local guide
- 8:15am tour only: See Venice's highlights in just 4 hours (no lunch break)
Description
First time in Venice? Maximize your time in the city with a full-day itinerary that ticks off all the most memorable attractions. Stroll across the Rialto Bridge and browse the lively Rialto fish market, then hop aboard a traditional gondola for a romantic cruise along the Grand Canal. Next, access St. Mark’s Basilica and gaze in awe at the stunning gold mosaics. Finally, enjoy skip-the-line entrance to the grandiose Doge’s Palace. This small-group tour is limited to 20 people ensuring a personalized experience.
Get a sense of the history, art, and culture of Venice on this full-day tour combining all the best experiences into one day. Enjoy a guided tour of St. Mark's Basilica and the Doge's Palace, take to the water on a gondola ride, and explore famous piazzas and hidden backstreets on a walking tour.
Your tour starts at ground level with a guided walking tour of the city's most famous and most interesting sights. See the Rialto Bridge and learn about Venice's food culture at the Rialto Fish Market.
Along the way hear tales of famous Venetians like Marco Polo as well as how Venice came to be—and how it survived against the odds. As your walking tour ends, take a gondola ride and cruise along the Grand Canal and into the quieter back canals of the city with a maximum of 5 people per vessel.
After a short break for a snack on your own, reconvene at St. Mark's Square. You'll enter St. Mark's Basilica to explore its stunning history, architecture, and art with your guide. Get up close to the beautiful gold mosaics with special first-floor access.
Then it's on to Venice's other top sight—the Doge's Palace. Skip the line with pre-reserved tickets and enjoy the benefit of having an expert local guide as you navigate council rooms, audience halls, and masterpieces by Veronese and Tintoretto.
Important: You must provide the following details for every guests in your party at the time of booking: first and last name. All guests must bring ID on the day of their tour as it is required to visit the St. Mark's Basilica. Failure to bring an ID can result in the security staff refusing your entrance to the monument. Name changes are not permitted. This experience is refundable up to 7 days before your tour.
Note: If you choose the 8:15am Venice In a Day tour when booking, your tour will not include a break for lunch and therefore has a duration of 4 hours.
Included / Excluded
- Local English-speaking guide
- Expertly guided walking tour
- Skip-the-line ticket for St. Mark's Basilica (St. Mark's Basilica 12€)
- Pre-reserved ticket to the Doge's Palace (25€)
- Gondola Ride
- Headset
- Gratuities
- Hotel Pick-Up/Drop-Off
- Lunch
Start / End Locations
Start Location: 255 Campo San Giacomo di Rialto, Campo S. Giacomo di Rialto, 255, Venezia, IT
Start Location Notes: Please arrive 15 minutes prior to the start of your tour, your guide will be holding a green Walks sign. This tour meets outside the entrance of the Church of San Giacometto at Campo San Giacomo di Rialto 255, 30125 Venezia VE, Italy.
Start Location Directions: https://maps.app.goo.gl/EYDAEs1cjsucHcXx9
Commentary
Guide : English
Important Information
Know Before You Book
- Unfortunately due to the nature of this tour it is not suitable for guests with mobility impairments or with wheelchairs, or strollers.
- If access is restricted due to private events inside St. Mark's Basilica and/or Doge's Palace, we cannot be held responsible. This is a situation beyond our control. No refund will be issued.
- In case of unforeseen circumstances such as bad weather (heavy rain, strong wind, high tide) conditions that prevent the gondola ride from taking place or any operational or safety reasons beyond our control it may be substituted for another experience, but no refund will be provided.
- This is a walking tour. Guests should be able to walk at a moderate pace without difficulty
- 8:15am & 8:30am tours only: Skip-the-line ticket for St. Mark's Basilica
- 9am Express tour: Skip-the-line ticket for St. Mark's Basilica
- All guests must supply their full name that matches a valid ID at the time of the booking. Should you fail to provide these, your reservation will be canceled. Name changes are not permitted.
- Please note that a photo ID is required to visit the St. Marks Basilica. Failure to bring an ID can result in the security staff refusing your entrance to the monument.
- This tour is fully refundable up to 7 days prior to the event. Within 7 days, this tour is 100% non-refundable.
- Please arrive 15 minutes before your tour start time for check-in. Out of courtesy to other guests, we’re unable to wait for latecomers. No refunds can be provided for late arrivals or no-shows.
- Due to the religious nature of sites on this tour, all individuals (regardless of gender) must cover their shoulders and knees. It is acceptable to bring extra coverings to put on just before entering a holy site. Walks cannot be responsible for anyone denied entry.
- Sites visited on this tour occasionally close due to holy days, high tides, and/or flooding. If the local municipality restricts access due to high tide and there are no walkways available, it is the client’s responsibility to bring appropriate footwear (e.g., boots). The guide will modify the itinerary to include alternate dry paths whenever possible.
- Lunch is not included on this tour. Your guide will give you recommendations and tell you where to meet after lunch but please be aware that it is your responsibility to arrive at the meeting point in time for your PM tour.
- If the client chooses not to attend the walking tour due to adverse weather, no refund will be issued. However, the client may still participate in the second part of the tour if they notify us in advance.
- Large bags and backpacks cannot be accommodated on this tour.
- Please be aware that this tour involves extended periods of standing, which may not be suitable for travelers with certain health conditions or mobility limitations.
- All guests must supply their full name that matches a valid ID at the time of the booking. Should you fail to provide these, your reservation will be canceled. Name changes are not permitted.
- Please note that a photo ID is required to visit the St. Marks Basilica. Failure to bring an ID can result in the security staff refusing your entrance to the monument.
- This tour is fully refundable up to 7 days prior to the event. Within 7 days, this tour is 100% non-refundable.
Cancellation
Cancellation Cutoff: 7 days
Cancellation Notes: Cancellations received greater than 7 days prior to tour commencement are fully refundable. Cancellations received within 7 days of tour commencement are nonrefundable. Amendment requests are subject to availability and price changes. Late arrivals and no shows are nonrefundable. This is applicable to any tour participant that fails to arrive, or arrives after tour departure.
Points of interest
- Rialto, Venice, Metropolitan City of Venice, Italy
- Marco Polo's House, Fondamenta Rio Croce, Venice, Metropolitan City of Venice, Italy
- Bridge of Sighs, Piazza San Marco, Venice, Metropolitan City of Venice, Italy
- Saint Mark's Basilica, P.za San Marco, 328, 30124 Venezia VE, Italy
- Doge's Palace, P.za San Marco, 1, 30124 Venezia VE, Italy
- Piazza San Marco, P.za San Marco, 30124 Venezia VE, Italy
- Ponte di Rialto, 30125 Venice, Metropolitan City of Venice, Italy
Terms and Conditions
Before you travel, please read the "Know Before You Go" section for essential information, requirements, and possible disruptions regarding your tour.
Additional Information
Ticket age ranges:
- Adult (15+)
- Child (2-14)
- Infant (0-1)
Redemption Information
Tickets will be held at the box office
FAQ
Can I bring a bag into the Doge’s Palace?
Although you are unable to carry large backpacks around the Doge’s Palace, there is a free bag check at the entrance. Feel free to leave handbags and purses here too and collect them after your tour.
About operator:
Walks (takewalks.com, walksofitaly.com) began over a decade ago (2008, to be exact) in Rome, Italy. We quickly became the premier walking tour company in 7 countries - Italy, Spain, France, the UK, Greece, and Portugal. Our US cities include San Francisco, NYC, Boston, Chicago, and New Orleans.
In 2021, we joined The Hornblower Group (cityexperiences.com) expanding our reach and working alongside this powerhouse travel brand.
Our tour products vary but predominantly we #takewalks, exploring the world by foot - we believe, the best way to get into the heart of a city and its incredible people. From introductory strolls to food tours, day trips, cooking classes, and below the surface, in-depth tours, we have our hand in everything a traveler could want. Oh, and we also like to give our clients exclusive access to the biggest attractions in the world...
Despite the big changes in our brand over the years, our focus has remained simple - to relentlessly create tours with the client experience at the forefront and anchored upon the dedicated, intelligent, and above all, passionate local guides who want to share their cities with you.
Our tour products vary but predominantly we #takewalks, exploring the world by foot - we believe, the best way to get into the heart of a city and its incredible people. From introductory strolls to food tours, day trips, cooking classes, and below the surface, in-depth tours, we have our hand in everything a traveler could want. Oh, and we also like to give our clients exclusive access to the biggest attractions in the world...
Despite the big changes in our brand over the years, our focus has remained simple - to relentlessly create tours with the client experience at the forefront and anchored upon the dedicated, intelligent, and above all, passionate local guides who want to share their cities with you.
Basic Information
- Duration: 6 hours
- Max Group Size: 20
- Category: Tours & Sightseeing
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