Venice in a Day with St. Mark's Basilica, Doge's Palace, & Gondola Ride
6 hours
Max 20 people
Commentary: Guide · en
Venice, Italy
About this activity
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.
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 (Venice Express Half Day Option excluded)
- Admire golden mosaics in St. Mark’s Basilica
- See Venice's highlights in just 4 hours—no lunch break (If 8:15am tour or Venice Express Half Day Option selected)
Full 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. The 8:30am tour is limited to 20 people and includes a lunch break on your own, while the 8:15am tour does not include a lunch break (shorter duration of 4 hours) and a maximum of 25 people in your group. If you're short on time, you can also select our Venice Express Half Day Option at time of booking for a 4-hour expertly guided tour of Venice's highlights including St. Mark's Basilica and the Doge's Palace.
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.
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, it also has a maximum group size of 25 people. If selected at time of booking, the Venice Express Half Day Option is another 4-hour expertly guided tour of Venice's highlights including St. Mark's Basilica and the Doge's Palace. A gondola ride is not included in the Venice Express Half Day Option.
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. This experience is refundable up to 7 days before your 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.
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, it also has a maximum group size of 25 people. If selected at time of booking, the Venice Express Half Day Option is another 4-hour expertly guided tour of Venice's highlights including St. Mark's Basilica and the Doge's Palace. A gondola ride is not included in the Venice Express Half Day Option.
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. This experience is refundable up to 7 days before your tour.
Included / Excluded
- Local English-speaking guide
- Expertly guided walking tour
- Skip-the-line ticket for St. Mark's Basilica (12€)
- Pre-reserved ticket to the Doge's Palace (25€)
- Gondola Ride (Venice Express Half Day Option excluded)
- Headset
- Gratuities
- Hotel Pick-Up/Drop-Off
- Lunch
Meeting point
Departure Point: 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.
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 tour is in English.
- 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
Know before you go
- 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.
- Tips/gratuities (for your guide) are always appreciated.
- 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.
Cancellation policy
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the activity starts
Cancellations received greater than 72 hours prior to tour commencement are fully refundable. Cancellations received within 72 hours 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.