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Private or Semi Doge's Palace & Saint Mark's Basilica Guided Tour

5.0 Excellent 421 reviews
|
2h 30m
|
German, English, Italian, French, Spanish
Free cancellation · up to 24 hours before Private tour Instant confirmation Live guide

Ratings & Reviews

5.0
421 reviews
5
414
4
4
3
2
2
1
1
0
Ratings collected from Guidekin & Viator & Tripadvisor

Guidekin's take

Semi private or own? in our Doge's Palace & St Mark's Tours comparison. Semi private, six max, English only, both sites at €199 per person; choose the private tier for your own guide, minimum two. 4.97, 421 reviews.

Trade-off: Private tier needs two; original photo ID.

Last checked: September 22, 2026. Commissions never affect our verdicts.

Overview

Guidekin summary

Your own guide for St Mark's Basilica and the Doge's Palace with skip the line entry to both, covering the great halls, prisons, weapons collection and Bridge of Sighs at your own pace; a semi private tier is also sold. Wheelchair accessible; original photo ID is required at the basilica. 4.97 from 421 reviews at €199 per person.

From the guide

With this Exclusive Experience you will enjoy a comprehensive and engaging Tour of Venice's two most famous sites, Saint Mark's Basilica and the Doge's Palace, and all of it in your very own Private Group with your very own Private Guide!
Savor the privileges of an intimate and personalized tour, which affords you the possibility of going at your own pace, and asking all the questions you wish! Enjoy Skip-the-line access to one of the world's most famous basilicas and to Venice's most important and historical Palazzo.
Highlights include the tens of thousands square feet of Golden Mosaics adorning the interior of the Basilica, the Bridge of Sighs, and the scary prisons of the Doge's Palace, its impressive Gun Room and magnificent Hall of Great Council.

Tour options

The operator sells this tour in 2 versions. Prices are the operator's current list for two travellers; the calendar shows the exact figure for your date and party.

Semi-Private Tour

from €199 / person
Guide: English

Duration: 2 hours 30 minutes: You will enjoy the luxury of a semi-private group of no more than six people allowing you to interact with your expert guide.

Private Doge's Palace and Saint Mark's Basilica Walking Tour

from €285 / person (for 2+ people)
Guide: English, Spanish, French, German, Italian

Private Tour: Enjoy the tour with your very own private tour guide.

Compared with other Doge's Palace & St Mark's Tours

TourPriceDurationRatingGroup
This tour · #2 of 26€1992h 30m4.97 (421)private
Venice Deluxe Tour€2203h4.98 (825)shared
Venice Doge's Palace & St. Mark's Semi-Private Tour, Max 6 People€1892h 30m4.96 (237)shared
Doge's Palace & Saint Mark's After Hours Small Group Max 6 People€2793h 30m4.96 (119)shared

Ranked #2 of 26 in Doge's Palace & St Mark's Tours by Guidekin score (rating weighted by review volume). Prices here run from €12 to €580, median €105; typical length 3h. 3 of 26 are private. Figures are live from the tour cards; the rubric is our handpicked set, not the whole market. Compare all 26 Doge's Palace & St Mark's Tours

Schedule & Availability

Runs daily
Departures: 09:00, 10:00, 11:00, 13:00, 14:00, 14:30, 15:00
Available year-round

This tour runs daily, departing at 09:00, 10:00, 11:00, 13:00, 14:00, 14:30, 15:00. It runs year-round. These are the operator’s scheduled departures, not a live seat count: availability is confirmed at checkout. Schedule last checked September 22, 2026.

What's Included

Private Tour Guide
Exclusive Skip the Line Access to Doge's Palace
Exclusive Skip the Line Access into Saint Mark's Basilica
Admission to Palace Great Halls, Prisons and Weapon Collections and Bridge of Sighs

What's Not Included

Food and Drink
Gratuities

Itinerary

Piazza San Marco Stop 1
Your Doge's Palace and Saint Mark's Tour will begin in beautiful Piazza San Marco, where you will meet your Private Tour Guide. Begin your adventure into two of Venice's most famous sites in this most iconic and picture perfect square, learning all about its architecture, history and anecdotes.
20 min
Basilica di San Marco Stop 2
Your first official stop will be Saint Mark's Basilica. Enjoy exclusive and privileged skip the (long) line access, and enter straight into what is also known as the Golden Basilica. Here, your Private guide will show you and guide you through the interior of this incredible church, musing on its history, anecdotes, and the many eras it has seen in its hundreds of years of existence. You will surely be stunned by the thousands and thousands of square feet of pure golden mosaics that completely cover the basilica's interior. There is quite literally no other place like this! An original, valid photo ID is required for entry to St. Mark's Basilica. Photocopies are not accepted.
50 min
Admission included
Palazzo Ducale Stop 3
Exit the Basilica, and continue your tour by enjoying once again exclusive skip the line access to the Doge's Palace, the seat of Venice's government for centuries. You will be amazed by the secret stories your guide shares as you walk through the Doge’s private, luxurious apartments and powerful halls, such as the Hall of the Great Council. Then, continue to explore the palace with a visit to the scary, dark and gory prison. After seeing the impressive collection of weapons, you will stop at the notorious Bridge of Sighs. Enjoy the view and snap some perfect pictures for your album at home.
50 min
Admission included
Ponte dei Sospiri Stop 4
After seeing the impressive collection of weapons, you will stop at the notorious Bridge of Sighs. Enjoy the view and snap some perfect pictures for your album at home.
10 min

Departure & Return

Start point

The meeting point is under the winged lion's column in Saint Mark's Square, closest side to the Grand Canal. Your guide will be holding a LivTours sign.

End point

The meeting point is under the winged lion's column in Saint Mark's Square, closest side to the Grand Canal. Your guide will be holding a LivTours sign.

Additional Information

  • Wheelchair accessible
  • Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
  • Public transportation options are available nearby
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels
  • On certain dates, most travelers staying outside of Venice who are planning to visit for the day will be required to pay a €5 access fee. For further details (including exemptions) and to learn what days this fee is applicable, please visit: https://cda.ve.it
  • An original, valid photo ID is required for entry to St. Mark's Basilica. Photocopies are not accepted.
  • 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.
  • The ticket includes a cost to enter St. Mark’s Basilica valued at 30 EUR per person.

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

1+ daysFull refund
0-1 daysNo refund
From € 199 / person