Venice: St. Mark's Basilica, Doge's Palace and Glass Factory
Description
Uncover the magic of Venice on a captivating journey through its most iconic landmarks and hidden artistic treasures. Walk in the footsteps of ancient rulers as you explore the grand Doge’s Palace, once the seat of Venetian power and justice. Pause at the legendary Bridge of Sighs, a poignant symbol of Venice’s past, and hear stories of prisoners, justice, and fate. Step inside the awe-inspiring St. Mark’s Basilica, a dazzling masterpiece of Byzantine architecture. Marvel at glittering gold mosaics and timeless religious icons. Your adventure concludes with a special visit to an authentic Murano glass workshop.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Situated in the heart of St. Mark’s Square, the Doge’s Palace is one of Venice’s most iconic landmarks and once served as the residence of the Doge, the head of the Venetian Republic. This architectural gem, primarily Gothic with touches of Renaissance and Baroque influence, provides a captivating glimpse into the city’s political and artistic legacy. Inside, visitors can wander through elaborately decorated chambers showcasing the works of renowned painters like Tintoretto and Veronese.
We’ll walk past the Bridge of Sighs, a structure connected to the Doge’s Palace, named for the sorrowful sighs of prisoners who crossed it on their way to face sentencing or imprisonment, often for the last time.
St. Mark’s Basilica, nestled in the heart of Venice, Italy, draws admiration with its stunning exterior even from a distance. Its front façade, embellished with detailed marble sculptures, graceful arches and impressive bronze doors, reflects the city’s rich architectural heritage and enduring historical importance.
Just a short walk from St. Mark’s Square, you’ll visit one of the oldest glass factories in Venice, where you’ll witness the mesmerizing craft of Murano glass blowing in action.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Visits inside Saint Mark's Basilica are limited to a maximum of 15–20 minutes, as determined by Basilica authorities.
- Please note the importance of arriving on time, as each attraction operates on a strict schedule. Delays could result in missing your tour, and late arrivals cannot be accommodated.
- As Saint Mark's Basilica is a religious site, all visitors are required to wear appropriate attire. Both men and women must ensure that their shoulders and knees are covered.
- To ensure we can reach you with any updates to your reservation, please provide the correct telephone number, including the country code.
- During the summer season, please allow up to two hours to travel from the train station to Saint Mark’s Square, as water taxis are in high demand and delays are common due to heavy crowds.
- Basilica tickets are priced at €12 per person. Doge's Palace tickets are priced at €30 per adult. All additional charges are considered administrative costs
- The tour runs in all weather conditions. Please note that during certain times of the year, high tide may occur. In that case, raised walkways are set up to allow access and disposable shoe covers can be purchased in front of the entrance.
- Please provide the full names of all travelers when booking. Failure to present a voucher with all travelers’ full names at the ticket office prior to entry may result in denied entry to the attraction.
- Each traveler must present a valid passport or ID document that matches the name provided at the time of booking for successful entry to St.Mark’s Basilica.
- Due to the availability of entry time slots for St. Mark's Basilica, the tour start time may be subject to changes. In such a case, you will be contacted directly by email or phone
Reviews(25)
St Marks Bascilica was beautiful unbelievable gold mosaics. Would have liked to have been able to be up by the alter for closer look at St Marc’s tomb but needed another ticket for that. Doge palace had alot of ornate pictures but only saw the areas of offices. Cool to see the bridge of sighs from inside. Was suppose to see glass blowing which was disappointing but they were not working most likely as it was on Sunday was offered tickets to a different museum with artifacts but did not go. Tour guide note Venice requires a pass and if you are staying at a hotel close by that is included. FYI : Water taxi is a cheaper way to get around and the stop S. Marco. You get tickets at the drop off point of taxi and go to number 1 Tour guide was enthusiastic about Venice and did a good job.
Beautiful can’t miss stops but it was NOT 2 hours and set our day back. Parts of the Doge’s Palace were rushed while others took too long. The glass blowing factory is very short and a gimmick to get you in the shop to purchase.
Giovani was very experienced. He was explaining the history very well. The additional details in Doge palace would be helpful. The glass factory tour was avoidable
A very informative tour, all the sites are definitely worth seeing. We would not have learned as much without having a local guide. The glass factory at the end was a wonderful experience as well!
Do not overpay for this 'tour,' the only tour part was the Doge's palace, and they got the tickets for that and the St. Mark's, but gave no tour or St. Mark's. They did not even point the way. The 'Glass' tour was a scam. It was a 4 min demonstration and a scheme to sell expensive glass to a captive audience. The blue flag person was not a guide. No local help was given either. Save money and just buy your own tickets.
Fantastic tour, our guide was very knowledgeable.
I am writing to formally follow up on my recent experience with Viator and the Barcelona Tour company in Venice. This situation significantly impacted my travel plans. I want to clarify several points regarding the missed tour: - Communication: Neither the tour guide nor the company reached out to me. I had to initiate multiple calls to customer service. Despite customer service attempting to contact the guide three times, she never responded. - Arrival: I was at the meeting point on time. I have time-stamped photos taken 30 minutes before the scheduled start verifying my location. I followed the meeting instructions exactly as provided on my Viator voucher. - Tour Changes: The tour time was shifted from 10:30 AM to 11:45 AM. I adjusted my entire day to accommodate this change, yet the tour was still not fulfilled. This was my only opportunity to visit these landmarks, and the failure of the tour company to hold up their end of the agreement has ruined the experience. I request that TripAdvisor or Viator address this issue. I look forward to your response regarding how this will be resolved.
The experience was phenomenal. They were very organized and Virginia our tour guide was excellent and very knowledgeable. I highly recommend 👍
Very good tour. Tour guide excellent
Pur guide Savina was super nice, the Basilica is stunning and the information was clear. I would really recomend it this tour!
