Private Venice in a Day Tour | City Highlights

LivTour’s private Venice in a day tour is ideal for maximizing your time in the city of canals. Your private guide will entertain you with captivating stories of this centuries-old city. Begin with a journey back in time through the city’s highlights, passing by the Rialto Bridge, Marco Polo’s house, and Campo Santa Maria Formosa as you wind your way through the narrow streets and hidden bridges that make Venice the most romantic city in the world.

After a solid introduction to Venice’s history, your day continues as your guide takes you to Saint Mark’s Square where you will enjoy a perfect view of the breathtaking 9th century Saint Mark’s Basilica. Once the private chapel of the Doge (duke) until the 19th century, the Basilica is connected by a covered walkway to the Doge’s opulent palace, which you’ll have exclusive VIP access to explore with your private guide.

A day in Venice would not be completed without a gondola ride. Your guide will make sure you are comfortable in your private boat before sending you off to enjoy a 30-minute ride through narrow and peaceful canals.

• Take advantage of your time in Venice by seeing the major highlights in one day!
• Gain an understanding of the pivotal history with your own private local guide
• Enjoy LivTour’s exclusive entry into St. Mark’s Basilica and the Doge’s Palace
• Explore the city on foot and on water with a private gondola ride on narrow canals

Your private Venice in a day tour starts on foot, as your guide will lead you through winding, narrow streets, unexpected squares, and bridges, all the while sharing the history of this romantic city.

Arriving in St. Mark’s Square, take in the amazing views of the 9th century St. Mark’s Basilica. In the company of your private guide, you will enjoy direct access as you skip the long line of visitors. This grand Basilica is covered in golden mosaics giving it the nickname of “Basilica d’Oro” (Basilica of Gold). This intriguing basilica dates back to the 9th century with deep historical ties to the city. Venetians love to say: ‘When you’ve heard the stories about the Basilica, you know the story behind the city.’

Next, visit Doge’s palace, but first, it is time to refuel with some Venetian delights. Your guide will get you set up with some excellent suggestions for a quick, but authentic, lunch before continuing your tour.

Doge’s Palace—the political center of Venice. Conveniently connected to St Mark’s Basilica by a covered walkway, you will get exclusive access by skipping its line. For seven centuries this powerful palace served as the residence of the Doge (the Duke) and housed government offices prior to Italy’s unification. It also functioned as a prison and court. Your guide will unveil secret stories and the history of the Doge’s opulent private apartments and impressive halls like the Hall of the Great Council.

Continue your private tour by exploring the eerie prison, viewing the extensive private weapon collection, and stopping at the notorious Bridge of Sighs.

Last, but not least, say goodbye to your guide after they set you up on your private gondola. Enjoy a half-hour ride through the narrow and stunning canals, as no trip to Venice is complete without a gondola ride.

• St Mark's Square
• VIP entrance into Doges Palace
• Hall of the Great Council
• Doges Prison
• Bridge of Sighs
• Skip the line entrance into St Mark's Basilica
• Rialto bridge
• Marco Polo’s house
• Campo Santa Maria Formosa
• 30 minute private gondola ride

• Offered in: English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, and Italian. Please specify under “Additional notes” if you wish to book the tour in a language other than English.
• Places of worship have strict dress code requirements for entry. All participants are required to have shoulders and knees covered (no tank tops or short dresses) to enter.
• There is no photography allowed in St Marks basilica.
  
• The itinerary described above is a suggested order of the various experiences. These may vary according to your personal requests or preferred starting time.

When you book a LivTours Private Tour or Experience, you are guaranteed a dedicated, expert guide that allows you the flexibility to start your tour at a time which is convenient for you, making planning easy. Our private tours ensure that you will get a tailored experience to meet all your needs so we go at your pace, perfect for families with younger children, elderly, or individuals with accessibility needs. Please be advised that all private tours begin at a base price starting at two people*. Prices are inclusive of entry tickets where applicable. *Some Ferrari private experiences are inclusive of one person only.

Make your experience even more unique by upgrading your LivTours experience. Please note: add-ons are non refundable.

By selecting Choose Dates Later / Buy as Gift at booking, any tour can be purchased without fixed dates. This is the perfect option if you want to purchase your tour as a gift for a loved one, or if you are in the pre-planning phase of your vacation. After booking, you will receive a Travel Voucher Code and full instructions on how to schedule your tours when ready. Once your travel plans are confirmed, you can easily use the Travel Voucher Code on the LivTours website to formally schedule your tours. You can find out more here.