from
$138
Venice in a Day Tour with Gondola Ride
Visit St. Mark's Basilica and the Doge's Palace, plus take a guided walk to the Rialto Bridge
from$138.04
What's included
Experience the Venice you imagined
Expert English-speaking guide
Timed-entry ticket for St. Mark’s Basilica
Timed-entry ticket for the Doge’s Palace
Guided tour of St. Mark’s Basilica & Doge’s Palace
Venice walking tour with Rialto Bridge
30-minute shared gondola ride
Guide tips
Lunch
Itinerary
Meet your guide at St. Mark's Square
Your day begins between the two columns on the lagoon side of St. Mark’s Square. As your guide sets the scene, you’ll learn how this city rose from muddy islands into a maritime empire, and what lies ahead for your full Venetian experience.
Enter St. Mark’s Basilica
Use your pre-reserved tickets to skip the ticket line, go through security, and step into St. Mark's Basilica, Venice’s landmark church. Study the gold mosaics and domes while your guide explains relic legends and the city’s rise through trade.
Walk Venice’s backstreets and see the Rialto Bridge
Then, follow your guide on walking tour through Venice’s narrow streets, quiet bridges, and tucked-away courtyards that most visitors walk right past. Along the way, pause to see the Rialto Bridge.
Sightsee on a 30-minute shared gondola ride
Next, swap cobblestones for the canal as you board a shared gondola with others from your group. Drift through slender side canals, then float into the Grand Canal for the postcard views you came to Venice for.
Take free time for lunch
After your gondola ride, take a break for lunch of your choosing. Your guide will point out nearby favorites for pizza, panini, or traditional cicchetti. Lunch isn’t included, but you'll have 60 to 90 minutes to eat before meeting back up with the group.
Explore Doge’s Palace and cross the Bridge of Sighs
After lunch, it’s time to use pre-reserved tickets, enter security, and head inside Venice’s former seat of power, the Doge's Palace. Climb the Golden Staircase, walk through frescoed council halls, and cross the Bridge of Sighs into the old prisons.
Your tour ends inside Doge’s Palace
The tour finishes inside the Doge’s Palace, but you’re welcome to stay and wander a bit longer. Before you go, ask your guide for a favorite nearby spot to enjoy a drink or bite to eat—you’ve earned it after seeing Venice at its very best!
For Reference Only. Itineraries are subject to change
Meeting and drop-off point
Important Details
Discover what to expect, what's included, and everything you need to know before booking.
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 name on your ticket (entered at check-out) must match the name on your ID, or you may be refused entry.
Tour Changes: All St. Mark's Basilica and Doge's Palace tours are subject to potential time change due to ticketing. Please keep the date of your tour flexible. The order of stops may change due to timed entry schedules, crowds, or operational reasons, but you will still visit the same key sights listed.
Accessibility: This tour involves extensive walking, standing, and climbing stairs. 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.
St. Mark's Basilica: Please note, the tour inside St. Mark's Basilica usually lasts around 20 minutes, as per the monuments rules and protocol.
Gondola Ride: Your gondola ride is a shared experience, with each boat accommodating up to five guests. A professional gondolier will operate the boat, but please note that this portion of the tour is not guided. The ride lasts approximately 25 to 30 minutes, including the time needed to board and disembark.
Bag Policy: Large backpacks or bags aren’t allowed inside the attractions; please leave them at your accommodation.
Check-in: Arrive 15 minutes early for check-in at the meeting point so the group can enter sites on time.
Your tour includes:
Expert English-speaking guide
Timed-entry ticket and guided tour of St. Mark’s Basilica
Timed-entry ticket and guided tour of Doge’s Palace
Walking tour of Rialto Bridge and Venice’s quieter areas
30-minute shared gondola ride (max 5 people shared experience)
Free time for lunch (meal not included)
What to bring:
Government-issued ID
Covering for knees and shoulders
Comfortable walking shoes
Water bottle
Camera
See what people are saying
4.96
434 verified ratings
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What reviewers sayPowered by Cicero AIBETA
Reviewers frequently praise the guides for their extensive knowledge, engaging storytelling, and passion for Venice, which enriches the historical and cultural experience. Many also highlight the gondola ride as a memorable and enjoyable part of the tour, while some note the tour's pace can feel rushed and the afternoon sessions occasionally lengthy.
Rajendra U.
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October 25, 2026
Our guide was amazing...made our Venice tour great.
Made the Most of our Time with a Brilliant Guide
Martin B.
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October 22, 2026
We had a day to spend in Venice so decided to book this tour to see the main sights without any hassle. We achieved this and so much more. Roberta our guide was knowledgeable, engaging and achieved everything in the itinerary. No question was too difficult for her to answer and we learnt a lot more about Venice than using a guide book
Douglas
Douglas E.
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October 21, 2026
So glad we booked the tour rather than just going it alone. Robbie (Roberta) our guide was brilliant. So knowledgeable, so articulate in bringing the history of Venice alive , so passionate about her beautiful city and Venetian heritage. Thank you
Fantastic tour!
Kelly D.
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October 21, 2026
We had the best time and thoroughly enjoyed our Venice in a Day tour. Robbie was an amazing guide! She was so friendly, extremely knowledgeable, and really brought history to life. Thank you for an amazing day in Venice!
Great tour.
Daniel O.
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October 18, 2026
Great tour and very informative.
DAVID H.
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October 15, 2026
Great Tour!
Anne C.
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October 10, 2026
Loved the gondola ride; guide was very knowledgeable…
Great
Barbara T.
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October 03, 2026
Learned so much today and Mina was super Great! He was so knowledgeable and just such a nice person
Chona M.
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September 30, 2026
Love this tour. Our guide was amazing. My only criticism was that each couple should have gotten their own gondola.
Great tour
Tomasz W.
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September 23, 2026
Loved the tour and our guide Roko. A day well spent
Venice tour
Rocco F.
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September 23, 2026
Rocco was great and so was the gondola ride!
Eliza was fantastic!
Gerri V.
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September 21, 2026
Elisa was very knowledgeable in the history of art and Venice. We learned so much from her! Definitely worth it if you want to learn about art history! Gondola ride was awesome! Bellisimo!
Karen G.
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September 13, 2026
William W.
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September 09, 2026
Best tour!
Irina B.
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August 25, 2026
We had an amazing day and our tour guide lady was fantastic! Lots of interesting information and even my little 10 year old was captivated and enjoyed learning! We loved everything about the tour and it was very well organized!
Raisa D.
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August 20, 2026
Great 1-day experience
David O.
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August 19, 2026
We had three days in Venice before starting a cruise. We wanted to capture all the "must see" locations with expert insights in one day to free us up to roam on our own. This tour hit the spot!! Lots of historical information w/ local flavor - never stood in lines, moved through the city with ease and saw many things that weren't on the published itinerary. Great use of our time in Venice - I would recommend this tour to all our friends and travel agent.
Bethny C.
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July 29, 2026
Venice in a Day
Tabitha P.
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July 02, 2026
I enjoyed the tour. The guide was informative and entertaining. It was a great overview of Venice history and culture.
Venice in a day
Melanie B.
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June 27, 2026
Had limited time so did the Venice half day tour. Included doge’s palace, a gondola ride, a walk to see Rialto’s bridge and San Marco’s basilica. Our guide was great, so knowledgeable and very personable.
Jo M.
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June 26, 2026
CORNELIA H.
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June 25, 2026
Knowledgeable tour guide
John K.
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May 28, 2026
Our tour guide was wonderful - she was very knowledgeable and had good ideas and suggestions. The gondola ride was a fun experience.
Marco is the best!
Ross D.
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May 26, 2026
The tour was fantastic and well planned out. Communication was excellent for meetup, details, etc. but what really made the experience was our guide Marco. He was witty, funny and engaging. Not to mention very knowledgeable. This was our 2nd Tour Guide experience this trip and both were fantastic!
Great Tour of Venice
Phyllis M.
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May 25, 2026
Marco was great! I love that he’s a true Venetian. He was very knowledgeable and had good humor.
FAQs
What if I have concerns about my mobility on this tour?
What if I have concerns about my mobility on this tour?
Do I need to follow a dress code?
Do I need to follow a dress code?
Is lunch included in the price of the tour?
Is lunch included in the price of the tour?
Where to meet?
Where to meet?
Is this tour family friendly?
Is this tour family friendly?
Do I need to bring an ID?
Do I need to bring an ID?
Can the itinerary order change?
Can the itinerary order change?
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