LivTours St Marks and Doges palace tour
Such a beautiful tour with our guide, Sabrina. She gave us the most amazing visit and we learned so much. She had so many historical facts of these places and Venice in general.
- Bill ASt Mark’s and Doge’s Palace Tour | Semi-Private
Max 6 people
2 hrs
St Mark's Square
Refundable booking
On LivTour’s Doge’s Palace Tour you will enjoy the luxury of a semi-private group of no more than six people allowing you to interact with your expert local guide easily. You will enjoy privileged access to some of the most sought after monuments of Venice – Saint Mark’s Basilica and the Doge’s Palace.
Your tour starts by exploring the imposing Saint Mark’s Basilica, which is known as the Golden Basilica due to the large number of mosaics using golden tiles. This imposing building is a must-see for any visitor to Venice. Dive into this grand basilica with LivTours exclusive access allowing you to bypass the lines. A local Venetian saying states that once you have heard the stories about the Basilica, you will know the stories of the city.
Next, it is on to visit the impressive Doge’s Palace, set on the edge of the Grand Canal. Over the course of 700 years, 120 Doges have called this humble palace home. 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.
Come explore the two most important monuments in Venice with your expert guide!
- Dive into the rich and exciting history, including the darker side, of Venice
- Visit the famous Doge's Palace on your exclusive semi-private tour
- Enjoy privileged access into Saint Mark's Basilica with your expert local guide
- Be mesmerized by the stories in the secret rooms of the Doge’s Palace
- Experience the Bridge of Sighs as your expert guide explains the history of the name
Semi-Private tours and experiences are guaranteed six participants max.
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 LivTours Doge’s Palace Tour, you will start by meeting your experience guide in St. Mark’s Square allowing you to get a perfect view of the breathtaking St. Mark’s Basilica. Your visit to the Basilica, which carries the nickname of Basilica d’Oro – Golden Basilica starts with LivTour’s privileged access allowing you to skip the lines. Built in the 11th century, this basilica has been decorated with hundreds of thousands of golden mosaic tiles, giving it the apt nickname. On your semi-private tour, you will learn why it has played such a key role in the history of Venice. Your passionate LivTours guide will allow you plenty of time to explore the numerous treasures while enticing you with lively historical commentary.
Amazingly this breathtaking Basilica was the Doge’s (Duke’s) private chapel until the 19th century. Being the most important man in town, the Basilica and the palace were connected by a covered walkway. While St. Mark’s Basilica holds the religious past (and present) of Venice, the Doge’s Palace holds the fascinating political past. Revel in the privileged access to this imposing building, which for seven centuries housed 120 Doges. As well as, Venice’s independent government offices, prisons, and courts. Your guide will mesmerize you with the secret stories of the Palace as you walk through the Doge’s private, luxurious apartments and powerful halls such as the Hall of the Great Council.
Your visit to the Doge’s Palace does not stop there. Next, it is on to visit the prisons where your expert guide will share with you the scary, dark, and gory stories of what took place there in the past. You will have the opportunity to admire the Doge’s impressive gun collection up close. Get your cameras ready, as the last stop, you will walk through the famous Bridge of Sighs and discover how it got its English name!
- 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
- Please note that tour starting times are subject to change based on ticket availability
- Please ensure knees and shoulders are covered when visiting places of worship
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.
All LivTours Semi-Private Group Tours are limited to 6 guests per tour guide. Our commitment to maintaining our uniquely tiny group sizes can sometimes be a little tricky, mathematically speaking. For example, we want to ensure that traveling families and friends can tour together so on rare occasions we may add one or two guests in order to not split groups. On that same note, you may also find yourself on tour with less than six people! We thank you for your understanding and flexibility.
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.