Venice Highlights: St. Mark's Basilica, Doges Palace, and Gondola Ride Adventure

Experience the best of Venice in just 3.5 hours with a tour of St. Mark’s Basilica, Doges Palace, and a gondola ride. Skip the lines and explore the highlights before enjoying the rest of your day in Venice.

Duration: 3 hours, 30 minutes
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Basilica di San Marco - We provide the skip the line tickets, so walk right past the long queue and go right on inside. During November through March, St. Mark’s Basilica does not offer skip the line entry because lines are generally non-existent.
  • Doge’s Palace - As you explore the Doge’s Palace, you’ll hear about the wild ways of the…
What's Included
  • Skip The Line Entry in the Doges Palace
  • Entry Into St. Mark’s Basilica (valued at €12 per person)
  • Small-group size, maximum 20 participants
  • Professional art historian guide
  • Gondola ride
What's Not Included
  • Food and drinks
  • Gratuities
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off
Additional Information

If your visit to Venice is brief and you would rather use your time indulging in local cuisine, shopping, and relaxation, there’s a way to maximize your experience. Many people only spend a short while in Venice, so time optimization is key if you plan on exploring the major sights. Embark on a 3.5-hour tour to see the best of Venice, still leaving you…

Location
Colonna di San Todaro
Piazza San Marco
Please Arrive 15 Minutes Early. Between the two big columns in St. Mark’s Square (columns of San Marco and San Teodoro) located on the south side of the square, near the canal. Your guide will be holding a "The Tour Guy" sign.
Cancellation Policy

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

Customer Ratings
4.5
(666 Ratings)
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Leslie_k
Aug 19, 2025
Loved your guide Grazia! ... - Loved your guide Grazia! Word of warning….dodges palace is not only hot but has stale air. Not their fault….just be prepared. Skip the line was also well worth it especially during the hot August sun. Loved that the gondola was included.
Review provided by Viator
Karen_h
Aug 19, 2025
Venice - Enjoyed it. Knowledgeable guide. Kept moving and maneuvered crowds well. They delivered what was promised.
Review provided by Viator
Markella_m
Aug 16, 2025
Great 3 hour Venice tour of key attractions (Doge Palace, St Mark’s Basilica and gondola ride. - This tour is great for those who have a short time in Venice but want to experience some of the key attractions. Valentina was really knowledgeable about Venetian history and was super patient and accommodating of everyone in our group. We were able to easily locate the guides at the start of the tour, and we received all the important details days in advance. Highly recommend!
Review provided by Viator
Lori
Aug 15, 2025
Great guide - Easy to find meeting spot Marco was an excellent guide Breaks to sit were so helpful Palace is gorgeous and the history is overwhelming in the best way
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Lea_g
Aug 15, 2025
The tour was amazing! Our... - The tour was amazing! Our tour guide, Marco was great; he was very kind and funny, plus he knew all about the history of the place. Would definitely book again!
Review provided by Viator
Vanessa_m
Aug 14, 2025
Nice tour - Felip was very knowledgeable & went thru each attraction at a good pace. Basilica very was BEAUTIFUL
Review provided by Viator
Greg_w
Aug 13, 2025
A great experience. - Very good guide, a great experience from someone who has been a guise and been in the travel industry for 40 years
Review provided by Viator
Joyce_v
Aug 10, 2025
Great information shared... - Great information shared by an exuberant Venetian native! Learned so much about the history and the buildings. And fun to end with a gondola ride!
Review provided by Viator
Sethe_b
Aug 17, 2025
Not really Best of Venice - Too much time spent in Ducal Palace. Nearly every room. Too many staircases to climb. One is forced to share gondola ride with strangers. Tour not truly “best of Venice”. Only 3 stops covered.
Review provided by Viator
Casey_b
Aug 9, 2025
Very informative, but long… - We got a lot of info, but it was extremely long. It seems like we were going intentionally slow in order to fill the time. It’s a full 3 hours and it feels like we could have done it in 2 hours and have it be much more enjoyable.
Review provided by Viator
From $80
up to 15 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).