Skip-the-Line Doge's Palace and St Mark's Basilica with Guide

Skip-the-Line Doge's Palace and St Mark's Basilica with Guide
Excursion Highlights:
  • Dive deep into the history of Venice with our comprehensive tour of the Doge's Palace and St Mark's Basilica, two iconic structures.
  • Enjoy skip-the-line access to both locations, ensuring you don't waste precious vacation time waiting in queues.
  • Marvel at the architectural masterpiece that blends Byzantine, Roman, and Venetian styles at the stunning St. Mark's Basilica.
  • Experience the political heart of the Venetian Empire as you explore the Doge's Palace, adorned with priceless treasures and art masterpieces.
  • Walk through the grim prison, learn about notorious guest Giacomo Casanova's escape, and glimpse the creative "Bocca della Verita" (Mouth of Truth).
Price: $140.00
Choose Options My Cruise Itinerary
Summary
Shore Excursion Size ? Standard
Shore Excursion Type Cultural
Shore Excursion Duration 2 Hours 15 Minutes
Activity Level ? Moderate
Shore Excursion Leaves From ? An approximately 45-minute walk or a 30-minute vaporetto (water bus) (not included, approximately 9.50 EUR per person each way) is required to reach the meeting location. Full details will be provided in your electronig ticket upon booking confirmation.
Food/Beverage Provided Not Included
Recommended Dress Shoulders and knees must be covered to enter a place of worship. Sensible rubber-soled walking shoes, sunglasses, and sunscreen are recommended.
Restrictions This tour takes place in historical areas and, therefore, is not wheelchair accessible. Guests must be able to walk on paved as well as cobblestone surfaces. There are steps and steep curbs in some areas. This tour is not suitable for guests with walking difficulties or those who use partly-motorized vehicles or walkers. For security reasons, backpacks are not allowed inside the Basilica and all visitors must pass through a metal detector, which might lead to a short line even with skip-the line access.

Skip-the-Line Doge's Palace and St Mark's Basilica with Guide

Immerse yourself in the history of Venice on this comprehensive tour of this once-great maritime empire. Explore two of the floating city's most important architectural structures - St. Mark's Basilica and the Doge's Palace, with skip-the-line tickets for both historical locations.

Meet your guide in St. Mark's Square and receive an in-depth look at how Venice built a mercantile empire that once spanned the entire Mediterranean. Marvel at mosaics and other treasures as your guide explains how the city begged, borrowed, and stole to grow from a small island to one of the great powers of the Middle Ages.

The Basilica embodies a mixture of Byzantine, Roman, and Venetian styles giving birth to a breathtaking architectural masterpiece and its interiors are as stunning as the facades. The Golden Mosaics covering the high walls are breathtaking, together with gold, silver, glass, and precious materials that make up the St. Mark's treasure. One of the highlights of your visit will be the Pala d' Oro (""Golden Pala""), an altarpiece made from hundreds of pieces of enamel stuck onto a golden leaf.

Continue along to your next stop, the Doge's Palace, and explore the political heart of the Venetian Empire for hundreds of years. For centuries, the fate of Venice was decided by the Doge and his Council. It was in the Doge's Palace where the Doge and his Council met and ruled the Republic. In this tour, you will have the opportunity to walk through the magnificent halls where priceless treasures, art masterpieces, and frescos can still be admired today.

Did you know that during the era of the 'Most Serene Republic' every citizen had the opportunity to denounce other inhabitants' sinful behavior by anonymously slipping letters through a ""Bocca della Verita"" (Mouth of Truth)? You will encounter this creative ""letterbox"" on the tour. This walk across time will proceed with a visit to the prison, where you will learn how grim life was for anyone unlucky enough to be taken prisoner. Among the famous guests of the Doge's Palace prisons is Giacomo Casanova, the notorious seducer and adventurer who managed to escape from the prison in 1756.

If you are eager to learn about Venice's fascinating history, this tour will not let you down!