Venice in a Day: St. Mark's Basilica, Doge's Palace and Gondola Ride

Explore Venice from top to bottom in just one day, with skip-the-line tours at St. Mark's Basilica and the Doge's Palace, and a picturesque gondola ride through the canals.

First time in Venice? Maximise your time in the city with a full-day itinerary that ticks off all the most memorable attractions. Stroll across the Rialto Bridge and browse the lively Rialto fish market, then hop aboard a traditional gondola for a romantic cruise along the Grand Canal. Next, access St. Mark’s Basilica and gaze in awe at the stunning gold mosaics. Finally, enjoy skip-the-line entrance to the grandiose Doge’s Palace. This group tour is limited to 20 people, ensuring a personalised experience. 

Get a sense of the history, art, and culture of Venice on this full-day tour combining all the best experiences into one day. Enjoy a guided tour of St. Mark's Basilica and the Doge's Palace, take to the water on a gondola ride, and explore famous piazzas and hidden backstreets on a walking tour. 

Start your day early on the Rialto Bridge before the crowds arrive. After meeting your local Venetian guide and snapping some of those all-important pictures, it's off to the Rialto Fish Market to learn about the rich culinary history of the city, get restaurant recommendations, and see how the chefs and mamas of Venice source their food.

Next, you’ll set off into the most authentic and atmospheric neighbourhoods in Venice for an intimate walking tour that will acquaint you with the city at street level. Along the way, you’ll see the childhood home of Marco Polo, the Venetian merchant who brought Europe the first account of China, and discover how the “Church of Miracles” got its name – plus so much more!

As your walking tour ends, take a gondola ride and cruise along the Grand Canal and into the quieter back canals of the city with a maximum of 5 people per vessel. After a short break for a snack on your own, reconvene at St. Mark's Square. You'll enter St. Mark's Basilica to explore its stunning history, architecture, and art with your guide. Get up close to the beautiful gold mosaics with special first-floor access

Next, it’s on to the Doge’s Palace, which was the centre of Venice’s maritime empire for hundreds of years. As you wander the corridors of power, your guide will fill you in on all the skullduggery that went on behind the scenes, from Casanova’s prison break to the Duke whose face was blacked out of every portrait and painting.

With our expert, English-speaking, local tour guides, you’ll see a side of Venice that few visitors ever get to experience. We’re taking you under the skin of perhaps the world’s most unique city, revealing the rich culture and history that sits just below the surface, just waiting to be discovered.

Important information - There may be restrictions

 • The gondola ride includes a maximum capacity of 5 people per gondola boat, regardless of age, including both children and infants.

 • This tour will be exclusively guided in English.

 • If access is restricted due to private events inside St. Mark's Basilica and/or Doge's Palace, we cannot be held responsible, as this is a situation beyond our control.

 • You must provide the following details for every guest in your party at the time of booking: first name and last name. All guests must bring an ID on the day of their tour, as it is required to visit the St. Mark's Basilica. Failure to bring an ID can result in the security staff refusing your entrance to the monument. Name changes are not permitted. 

 • If you choose the 8:15am Venice In a Day tour when booking, your tour will not include a break for lunch and therefore has a duration of 4 hours. 

 • On certain dates, most travellers staying outside Venice who wish to visit for the day must pay a €5 access fee directly to the Municipality of Venice. For further details (including exceptions) and to find out on which days this fee applies and how to register or make payment, please visit: https://cda.ve.it/en/. The fee is not required if you are only visiting the islands of Murano, Torcello and Burano.

 • In case of unforeseen circumstances such as bad weather (heavy rain, strong wind, high tide) conditions that prevent the gondola ride from taking place or any operational or safety reasons beyond our control, it may be substituted for another experience, but no refund will be provided. If the client chooses not to attend the walking tour due to adverse weather, no refund will be issued. However, the client may still participate in the second part of the tour if they notify us in advance.

 • Lunch is not included on this tour. Your guide will give you recommendations and tell you where to meet after lunch but please be aware that it is your responsibility to arrive at the meeting point in time for your afternoon tour.