--- title: "Venice: Doge's Palace Guided Tour With Tickets & Optional Gondola" lang: en type: tour city: Venice country: Italy price: 99 currency: EUR price_unit: per_person availability: bookable rating: 4.6 reviews: 199 duration_minutes: 150 languages: [de, en] free_cancellation: "true" guidekin_pick: Palace with a boat choice rank_in_category: 16 of 25 (Doge's Palace & St Mark's Tours) schedule_checked: 2026-10-03 data_updated: 2026-10-12 canonical: https://guidekin.com/italy/venice/tours/venice-doge-s-palace-guided-tour-with-tickets-optional-gondola/ --- # Venice: Doge's Palace Guided Tour With Tickets & Optional Gondola **Guidekin's take:** Skip the line tickets and a guide for the Doge's Palace, the Bridge of Sighs and the old prisons, with Correr Museum entry to use on your own. Add a shared or private gondola as an option, arrive early for the timed entry and note the afternoon slot leaves Correr for the next day. 4.6 from 199 reviews for 2h 30m. In our comparison: #16 of 25 in Doge's Palace & St Mark's Tours, by rating weighted by review volume (table below). ## Overview Visit the iconic Doge's Palace in Venice on a small group guided tour. Head in faster with pre-reserved tickets and bypass the lines. Delve into Venetian history on a tour that showcases the highlights of the city. See the opulent apartments and the Hall of the Great Council at Doge's Palace. Take a walk over the Bridge of Sighs and see the Old Prisons. Choose to include an optional 30-minute gondola ride along the Grand Canal. Discover the charming canals and picturesque spots of Venice by traditional gondola. ## Before you book - Meeting point: We meet in Saint Mark’s Square near the… - Entry ticket included: skip the ticket desk - Starts 09:00, 10:00, 14:00: 3 departures a day - Children from €95: ages 0 to 6 **Pickup:** No hotel pickup: everyone meets at the start point ## Key facts - Price: from €99 per person for the Doges Palace - NO Gondola option; other options up to €219 - Duration: 2h 30m - Rating: 4.6/5 from 199 reviews (collected from Guidekin & Viator & Tripadvisor) - Free cancellation (see policy below) - Operator: Walks In Europe - Group: Shared tour · private option available - Guide languages: German, English - Tickets: Admission included - Start times: 09:00, 10:00, 14:00 - Booking: Instant confirmation, mobile ticket - Price checked on Viator: 2026-10-03 ## Reviews 4.6 from 199 ratings on Guidekin, Viator & Tripadvisor. 89% of ratings with a star breakdown are 4 or 5 stars: 177 of 199. - 5 stars: 159 (80%) - 4 stars: 18 (9%) - 3 stars: 10 (5%) - 2 stars: 6 (3%) - 1 star: 6 (3%) ### What reviewers say Reviewers praise the palace guides' knowledge and storytelling; some find the detailed commentary slows the visit **Praised:** - Informative explanations of palace art, rooms and Venetian political history - Engaging, personable guides who use stories and humour to hold attention - Skipping long queues to enter the palace - Many enjoy ending the visit with a gondola ride through the canals **Complaints:** - Some enjoy the detail, while others find the palace commentary excessive and the pace slow - Gondola congestion and gondoliers distracted by conversations or phone calls - Shared gondola seating can split travelling parties - Refunds refused when guests could not take the gondola ride Written by Guidekin from the 100 most recent English reviews on Viator & Tripadvisor (2025-06-02 to 2026-09-29); last checked 2026-10-04. ## Tour options Prices are the operator's current list price for two travellers (whole euros); options sold only to bigger parties say so; pick the option on the booking page. | Option | Price | Guide languages | Details | |---|---|---|---| | Doges Palace - NO Gondola | €99 / person | English | Group Tour - NO Gondola: Choose this option if you are only planning to visit Doge's palace. This option does not include a gondola ride. Tour in English | | Doges Palace & Shared Gondola | €119 / person | English | Group Tour & Shared Gondola: Choose this option for a 30-minute shared gondola ride along the Grand Canal. Tour in English | | Doges Palace & Private Gondola | €219 / person | German, English | Group Tour – Private Gondola: Choose this option for a 30-minute private gondola ride along the Grand Canal after the Doge's Palace visit. | ## What's included - Skip the line tickets for Doge's Palace - Expert local guides for insider knowledge - Admission to Correr Museum, National Archeological Museum, and Biblioteca Marciana - 30-minute Grand Canal gondola ride (if option selected) - 2 hours guided tour at a relaxed pace ## Not included - Transport to the meeting spot - Guided Tour of the Correr Museum ## Itinerary 1. **Piazza San Marco** (10m; admission included) - Meet your expert guide at the famous St. Mark’s Square and start getting to know the city and its origins. See the most renowned public space in the city and, learn about its historical, social, and political importance. Learn about the Clock Tower and the Marble Lions which... 2. **Palazzo Ducale** (1h 30m; admission included) - Follow your guide at a relaxed pace to visit the Doge’s Palace with pre-reserved tickets straight into this opulent palazzo. Bypass the long lines to explore the political heart of an Empire. Learn about the supreme authority and wealth of the ruling Venetian Doges in the... 3. **Learn why the New Prisons were built, and understand the significance of the ...** (10m; admission included) - Learn why the New Prisons were built, and understand the significance of the Bridge of Sighs, another highlight of Venice. Listen to the extraordinary story of the famous Casanova and his life in Venice. Leave your guide with enough knowledge to enjoy the rest of your stay in... 4. **Museo Correr** (10m; admission included) - Your admission ticket also includes entry to the Correr Museum on St. Mark's Square. The building was originally designed as a residence for Napoleon, and later became the Venetian residence of the King of Italy. Enjoy the Correr Museum at your own leisure after the guided... 5. **Choose to Include a Gondola Ride along the Grand Canal** (30m) - Depending on your selected option, complete your tour of the Doge’s Palace with an enchanting gondola ride, the perfect end to your day in Venice. After exploring the palace's rich history, your local guide will take you to the nearby pier where you will board a traditional... ## Schedule - Runs: daily - Departures: 09:00, 10:00, 14:00 - Schedule last checked: 2026-10-03 - These are published departures, not a live seat count; availability is confirmed at checkout. ## Cancellation For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time. ## Meeting point We meet in Saint Mark’s Square near the waterfront by the two large columns. Our guide will be under the one with the winged lion on top. Your guide will have a signboard that says, “Walks In Europe.” Map: https://www.google.com/maps/place/?q=place_id:ChIJ56VPqLWxfkcRaklOR5K79ck Ends: back at the meeting point ## Good to know - Public transportation options are available nearby - Suitable for all physical fitness levels - Please note that if you take the 14:00 (2 pm) tour, Correr Museum will be closed before your tour finishes. Therefore, you will have Correr tickets for the next day. - Please note that carrying any type of weapon or sharp objects, such as a knife, is not allowed for this tour. - Clients must arrive at the meeting point 15 minutes before the start of the tour. This is due to the timed entry of the tickets. - Please be advised that it is not possible to join the tour after it has commenced. - If you choose the optional gondola ride, your guide will lead you to the pier at the end of the Doge’s Palace tour. - Please note that the gondola ride is shared with other participants from your tour, just like it’s always been in Venetian tradition. - Each gondola accommodates up to 5 guests. If your group is larger, you’ll be placed on separate gondolas. - Sites visited during this tour are subject to occasional closures due to holy observances, high tides, and flooding. If a site closes, your guide will tour the exterior of the site. If time permits, you will be contacted before your tour. For last-minute closures, modifications may be communicated at the tour start time. - Tips/gratuities (for your guide) are always appreciated. ## Compared with other Doge's Palace & St Mark's Tours | Tour | Price | Duration | Rating | Group | |---|---|---|---|---| | **This tour · #16 of 25** | €99 | 2h 30m | 4.6 (199) | shared | | [Venice Deluxe Tour](/italy/venice/tours/venice-deluxe-tour/?format=md) | €220 | 3h | 4.98 (825) | shared | | [Private or Semi Doge's Palace & Saint Mark's Basilica Guided Tour](/italy/venice/tours/private-or-semi-doge-s-palace-saint-mark-s-basilica-guided-tour/?format=md) | €199 | 2h 30m | 4.97 (431) | private | | [Venice Doge's Palace & St. Mark's Semi-Private Tour, Max 6 People](/italy/venice/tours/venice-doge-s-palace-st-mark-s-semi-private-tour-max-6-people/?format=md) | €189 | 2h 30m | 4.96 (248) | shared | Ranked #16 of 25 in Doge's Palace & St Mark's Tours by Guidekin score (rating weighted by review volume). Prices here run from €12 to €580, median €103; typical length 3h. 3 of 25 are private. Figures are live from the tour cards; the rubric is our handpicked set, not the whole market. Full list: https://guidekin.com/italy/venice/doge-palace-st-marks-tours/?format=md ## More in Venice - All Venice tours: https://guidekin.com/italy/venice/?format=md - This page as HTML: https://guidekin.com/italy/venice/tours/venice-doge-s-palace-guided-tour-with-tickets-optional-gondola/ Filters, the full catalogue and the URL contract for this city: https://guidekin.com/italy/venice/?format=md