Private Venice Tour | St Mark’s & Doge’s Palace


Private
2 hrs 30 mins
Piazza San Marco
Refundable booking

On LivTour’s private Venice tour, you will enjoy privileged access to some of the most sought-after monuments of Venice – Saint Mark’s Basilica and the Doge’s Palace.

To start, you will explore the breathtaking Saint Mark’s Basilica, which is filled with golden tile mosaics and understand why it got the nickname the Golden Basilica. This impressive building is a must-see for any visitor to Venice. A local saying states that once you have heard the stories about the Basilica, you will know the stories of the city.

Your private guide will share the impressive Doge’s (Duke’s) Palace set on the edge of the Grand Canal that more than 120 Doge’s have called home for seven centuries. In addition, to the beautifully decorated and ornate rooms, you will also be given access to the bridge of sighs and the prison, where you will hear stories of Venice’s dark past.

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  • Enjoy a fascinating stroll through Venice with your private expert local guide
  • Gain exclusive LivTours access to St. Mark’s Basilica and the Doge’s Palace
  • Explore the wonders of the highlights of Venice with your private expert guide
  • Admire the two most sought after monuments in Venice on a private half day tour
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Exclusive private Tours and Experiences. Also offered in Spanish, French, Portuguese, Swedish and Russian

Our prices always include tickets and reservations fees (no waiting in lines!)

Our tour guides and staff are selected experts and speak perfect English

Easy to book and prepay your tours with our secure payment system

Eco-sustainable tourism, designed to respect and support local culture, art and traditions


On this private tour of Venice, you will start by meeting your guide in the picturesque St. Mark’s Square with a perfect view of the breathtaking St. Mark’s Basilica. Constructed in the 9th century, this basilica has been decorated with hundreds of thousands of golden mosaic tiles. On your tour, you will learn why it has played such a key role in the history of Venice and your guide will make sure you have plenty of time to explore the numerous treasures.

Up until the 19th century, this breathtaking Basilica was the Doge’s (Duke’s) private chapel and was connected by a covered walkway that still connects the two buildings. St. Mark’s Basilica holds Venice’s religious past (and present) while the Doge’s Palace holds the fascinating, and sometimes dark, political past, as well as, independent government offices, prisons and courts. Your guide will share with you the secret stories of the Palace as you walk through the Doge’s private, luxurious apartments and impressive halls such as the Hall of the Great Council.

The next part of your tour takes you to visit the prisons where your guide will share with you the scary and dark stories of the past. Get your cameras ready, as a last stop, you will walk through the famous Bridge of Sighs and discover how it got its English name.

After exploring the religious and political centers of Venice, you will have a better understanding of this beautiful city. Be amazed by the enchanting scenery, incredible stories, and wonderful world that you have learned about during this exclusive Venice private tour.

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  • St Marks Square
  • Skip the line entrance into St Marks Basilica
  • Priority entrance into Doges Palace
  • Hall of the Great Council
  • Doges Palace Dungeons
  • Bridge of Sighs
  • Fully guided experience
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  • Please note that tour starting times are subject to change based on ticket availability
  • 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 inside St Marks Basilica.

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LivTours’ group size of max 6 participants is and always has been based on sustainable travel, and we are proud to be at the forefront of change and innovation in the industry.  LivTours is committed to providing travelers with truly sustainable tours with the lowest possible environmental impact, all while supporting the local industries and people of each unique destination. To learn more about how you can actively support sustainable tourism  and how LivTours is contributing, click here.

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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.

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

Guide Pickup from Central Hotel (Transport Excluded)
Have your guide pick you up directly from your centrally located hotel's lobby and walk with you to the tour's starting point. Guaranteed stress-free. Please note, this add-on does not include transportation costs if / when required.
75 €
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  • Exceptional Doge’s palace guided tour!!

    Nico was a very incredible guide! He was very informative, calm and enthusiastic about the history of Venice. My kids were also interested the entire tour. We all also enjoyed the dungeon visit, and loved hearing all the tales surrounding the imprisonment and escape of Casanova!

    - Isabel
  • Had a fabulous time

    The St. Mark's Cathedral was amazing but Nicko's knowledge of the building and Venice as a whole was both great and engaging.

    - Jerry
  • Un vrai régal!

    Notre guide Roberta à été d'une très grande compétence et d'une extrême gentillesse avec nous lors des visites privées du palais des Doges et de la basilique Saint Marc. Un vrai régal!

    - Helene
  • Visiting Venice with a native

    We thoroughly enjoyed our tour in Venice. We took a private tour because the small group tour was booked but I'm sure the small group would have been great too. We have had great experiences with both the Private and Small group tours that Livitaly has to offer. Our guide was friendly and knowledgeable we learned a lot about the history of Vencie while also enjoying the beautiful art and architecture. Our guide was born and raised in Venice so we particularly enjoyed hearing about what it's like to live there. We were also treated to several areas closed off to the general public so that made it extra special for us. Would definitely recommend!

    - Verne and Shelly
  • Venice with Marie-Therese

    We booked a tour with Livitaly Tours on our second day in Venice. Marie-Therese is incredibly knowledgeable and personable, and truly made our trip to Venice special. She fully and clearly explained everything that we needed to know. We not only went through the Doges Palace and St. Marks but were also treated to a local look inside the city that we would not otherwise have had. We highly recommend this tour for an unforgettable visit to Venice.

    - Donald
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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.

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