from
$116
Doge's Palace and St. Mark’s Basilica Secret Terraces Combo Tour
Behold spectacular views from the Basilica terrace and walk the Bridge of Sighs with an expert guide
What's included
Expert, English-speaking guide
Timed entry tickets and guided tour of Doge's Palace
Skip-the-line entry and guided tour of St. Mark's Basilica
Access to the basilica's terrace
Audio headsets
Guide tips
Itinerary
New tour
New tour
Meet your guide outside of the Doge's Palace
Your tour begins in front of the Doge's Palace, where you'll meet your expert guide in St. Mark's Square. Skip the long lines and head inside with special timed-entry tickets in hand.
Explore the grand courtyard and Giants' Staircase
Once inside, the courtyard opens around you with elegant arches and intricate stonework defining Venetian Gothic style. Climb the Giants' Staircase, flanked by statues of Mars and Neptune. Your guide shares tales of political drama as you ascend where doges were crowned.
Tour the opulent halls and private apartments
Wander through vast ceremonial halls like the Sala del Maggior Consiglio, where enormous canvases by Tintoretto and Veronese stretch across walls. Then peek into the Doge's private apartments, filled with rich furnishings that show how Venice's rulers lived at their peak.
Cross the Bridge of Sighs
From the palace, cross the famous Bridge of Sighs into dark prison cells. Despite its beauty, this enclosed stone passage holds tragic history—prisoners glimpsed Venice one last time through tiny windows before captivity.
Enter St. Mark's Basilica with skip-the-line access
A short walk brings you to St. Mark's Basilica, where five grand domes command attention. Skip the long queue and step into the golden interior, where every surface shimmers with biblical scenes crafted from thousands of tiles.
Access the Basilica's terrace for panoramic views
Climb to the terrace for sweeping views over Venice. Below, Piazza San Marco hums with activity, while San Giorgio island floats in the lagoon and the Campanile rises above rooftops. Up close, admire the basilica's exterior mosaics and sculptures from this vantage point.
Your tour finishes at St. Mark's Basilica
After taking in the views, say goodbye to your guide on the terrace. Linger as long as you like in the basilica, or ask for insider tips on where to go next in Venice. You'll leave with stories, history, and a deeper appreciation for the city's artistic soul.
For Reference Only. Itineraries are subject to change
Select participants and date
Start times are in the product’s local time
Free cancellation up to 2 days in advance!
Wed, 23 Sep 2026
Meeting and drop-off point
Important Details
Good to know:
Dress Code: Knees and shoulders must be covered for both men and women to enter St. Mark’s Basilica; entry may be refused otherwise. Please avoid wearing sandals, hats, shorts, skirts, or tops that expose your shoulders.
ID Requirement: A valid government-issued ID is required for entrance to St. Mark's Basilica. The names on your ticket (entered at check-out) must match the name on your ID, or you will be refused entry.
Cancellation policy: Free cancellation up to 48 hours before the tour start time. Cancellations made within 48 hours are non-refundable.
Accessibility: This tour involves extensive walking, standing, and climbing stairs (to access the Doge's Palace interior and the Basilica's terrace). It is unfortunately not wheelchair accessible and not suitable for guests with mobility issues.
Weather Advisory: Doge's Palace and St. Mark’s Basilica may be closed unexpectedly and without much notice due to adverse weather events, maintenance, or safety reasons. If this occurs, you will be notified as soon as possible.
Please Note: The guided portion ends after the visit to the Basilica’s terrace. You are free to stay longer to explore the Basilica area at your leisure. The tour includes skipping the line for entry but does not include skipping the line for security checks.
Check-in: Arrive 15 minutes early for check-in at the meeting point so the group can depart on time.
Your tour includes:
Expert English-speaking guide
Fast-track, skip-the-line tickets to Doge's Palace and St. Mark’s Basilica
Guided tour of Doge’s Palace (including Giants’ Staircase and the Bridge of Sighs)
Guided tour of St. Mark’s Basilica
Access to Basilica’s terrace
Audio headsets
What to bring:
Comfortable walking shoes
Government-issued ID (mandatory for entrance to St. Mark's Basilica)
Shawl, scarf, or sweater (for covering knees and shoulders as required by the dress code)
See what people are saying
4.94
188 Ratings
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Excellent tour guide!
Sandy R.
September 21, 2026
Lorenzo was great - prompt, funny, knowledgeable. Would absolutely recommend to anyone!
Doge’s Palace
Mark V.
September 16, 2026
Starting early was great as we beat the crowds. Unfortunately if you didn’t stay close to the tour guide, you would lose the connection. She should have shown the direction to each room and waited for everyone. Hallways in the Doge’s Palace can be very narrow.
St. Louis MO
Brandy K.
September 16, 2026
It was an excellent tour and skipping the long lines and going in early is the way to go!! Our tour guide was wonderful!!
Amazing and very enlightening
Tee S.
September 15, 2026
This tour was so packed full of knowledge told to us by our wonderful tour guide. To see these structures as they stand today was absolutely amazing. But to hear how ancient and powerful the history is behind these structures really put just how small of a speck of time my country has been around. Being able to see and learn about other cultures especially through very knowledgeable tours is such a privilege. It's like being in an active ckassroom. I loved this tour, especially the behind-the-scenes of The Doge and the Bridge of Sighs. The magnificent mosaics in the Basilica are breathtaking. Well worth the price.
Joseph V.
September 14, 2026
We had an 8am tour, which seemed a bit early, but when our small group of 10 were the only ones in the Doge's Palace we decided it was well worth the early start. Our guide was very informative and mixed in a little humor which made for a great experience we'd highly recommend.
Great tour!
Lisa W.
September 14, 2026
Guide was very knowledgable. We had an 8:30am tour and it was nice because it wasn’t busy yet at all. We felt like we had a very private tour. Enjoyable!
Sandra M.
September 12, 2026
Doge and St Marks
Kelly S.
September 11, 2026
Our tour guide was informative and gracious. It was an extremely enjoyable experience and I would recommend it to everyone. Well worth it!
Great Guide!
Scott P.
September 10, 2026
Our guide was very knowledgeable! It was a fabulous experience. The Tour Guy provided great communication before and after the tour.
Doge's Palace and St. Mark’s Basilica Secret Terraces Combo
Bryan B.
September 05, 2026
Great tour, would highly reccomend
awesome
Brian S.
August 12, 2026
Tour guide was great!!! the palace was wonderful
Historical Journey
Andrew Y.
August 11, 2026
Lorenzo from Towns of Italy was fantastic. He was incredibly knowledgeable and extremely enthusiastic while guiding us through these spaces. Truly a memorable experience.
Patricia H.
August 03, 2026
A guided tour brings these historic sites to life!
Nancy W.
July 05, 2026
Our guide Monica was very knowledgeable and shared historical perspectives and facts that helped us to better appreciate what we were seeing. Had we elected to tour these places on our own we would have had a much different experience and perhaps felt underwhelmed. Our tour guide brought the buildings to life!
Love for Venice
Catharina P.
May 18, 2026
Very knowledgeable, passionate and professional guide. Tour was informative.
Rose M.
May 16, 2026
Beautiful Venitian Art and Architecture
Joseph V.
October 21, 2025
Had a very pleasant tour of the Doge's Palace and St. Mark's Basilica. Our guide was extremely well versed in history, and spoke English clearly. She was very helpful addressing our accessibility needs (electric wheel chair, but could transfer and climb small stairs). We were able to see EVERYTHING in spite of our limitations. We spent NO time in lines, and really maximized our limited time in Venice. This tour provided great value!
Ashley C.
October 17, 2025
Shirley G.
October 12, 2025
They cancelled it last minute, ruined our trip. Didn't even try and accommodate us.
Nadia H.
October 12, 2025
Terrible customer service!!!
Brendan M.
October 10, 2025
Terence P.
October 10, 2025
Beautifully Linked
Joan C.
October 10, 2025
Maximum sights, minimum waiting. The terraces and the palace were absolutely brilliant!!
John P.
October 05, 2025
Seamless and superb
Bradley R.
October 05, 2025
This combined tour is the best way to see the two key buildings in Venice efficiently and with depth. Our guide was engaging & knowledgeable made the Doge's Palace tour incredibly interesting and the highlight for us were the St. Mark's Terraces that offered breathtaking views of Venice!! 100/100 recommended