Doge’s Palace “Prisons & Tyranny” Tour in Venice
Skip the lines in a Small Group with an Insightful Guide
Hear how the Dukes of Venice ruled the “republic” using fear tactics, imprisonment, and torture. Now, the palace stands as a reminder of how the law was carried out in Venice. Make your experience more memorable with your knowledgeable guide making you laugh and have you in awe with the stories they tell. Skip the line with your small group and go behind the scenes to see the best parts of this incredible Gothic palace. Admissions included.
Tour Details
- Skip the Line
- St. Mark’s Square
- Doge’s Palace Exterior
- The Palace Courtyard
- Giant Staircase
- Golden Staircase
- Great Council Chamber
- Doge’s Palace Prison Cells
- Bridge of Sighs
- Explore Even More!
The Doge's Palace is where the highest-elected magistrates ruled Venice with an iron fist. Go back in time with your passionate tour guide to hear stories of crime, betrayal and the legal system that once kept Venice in check. Inside the Venetian Gothic palace, admire works of art by Titian, Tintoretto and Veronese. See the Golden Staircase, the Bridge of Sighs and even some prison cells. This 2-hour includes:
A Memorable Experience
Fun, English-speaking local tour guide
Maximum group size of 10
Great Stories and Secrets Unveiled
Skip the line Doge's Palace tickets
Experience Doge's Palace History
Meet your local, passionate guide outside Doge's Palace. Before skipping the line on your guided tour, admire the building’s exterior and learn about St. Mark’s Square. The Doge's Palace, or Palazzo Ducale in Italiano, is a perfect example of Venetian Gothic architecture.
Once home to the Doge when the city was a Republic, the palace sits next to St. Mark's Basilica (the former private place of worship for the Doge).
Doge's Palace Interior
The interior of the Doge's Palace is grand to say the least. Inside you’ll find marble fireplaces, friezes and stucco adorning the walls. Some works of art stand out over the rest and our guide will lead you straight to them.
These grand creations include frescoes by Titian and Veronese. Take a look at the Stairs of Gold, which connect the first floor of the palace to the third, where offices were located.
Bridge of Sighs
Doge's Palace not only held the seat of the Venetian Republic - it also connected to a prison via the famous Bridge of Sighs. Linking freedom with incarceration, prisoners walked across this bridge before spending years or even the remainder of their lives behind bars.
If that wasn’t enough to sigh about, the small windows carved into the bridge offered convicts their last glance of beautiful Venice. That's plenty to sigh about.
What you get with this tour
See what people are saying
35 total reviews
Leave a reviewAverage customer rating
5.00 / 5 based on 35 total reviews
Great Experience
Our guide, Grace, was very informative, friendly, and professional. She led us around on a tour of the old palace and the prison without any issues. We really enjoyed it. Our only comment was that we would have liked maybe a little more time in the prison talking about some of the personal stories of the prisoners and less time in the palace talking about the art, but it was still a fantastic tour!
Matthew Young
Great tour guide!
Doge’s Palaces was an interesting place to visit. Our tour guide was great! She was very informative without overwhelming us with too many dates and names.
Cheryl Mayer
Arlene Hamasaki
Frequently Asked Questions
Where to meet?
Between the two big columns in St. Mark’s Square (columns of San Marco & San Teodoro) located on the south side of the square, near the canal. A representative will be there holding a sign with our company name on it. Please arrive 15 minutes early to check in.
What to bring?
Comfortable walking shoes.
Where to meet?
Between the two big columns in St. Mark’s Square (columns of San Marco & San Teodoro) located on the south side of the square, near the canal. A representative will be there holding a sign with our company name on it. Please arrive 15 minutes early to check in.
What should I bring?
A sense of curiosity, comfortable shoes, your phone or camera and a water bottle. Don't bring large backpacks or bags.
What to bring?
Comfortable walking shoes.
I have doubts about my mobility. Is this the right tour for me?
If you have reduced mobility, we suggest taking a private Doge's Palace tour. The itinerary is much more flexible and easily modified.
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