Limited time in Venice usually means choosing between seeing the major sights or exploring the quiet backstreets, due to long lines. This tour eliminates that compromise by combining pre-reserved entry tickets with a gondola ride, and a walk through Venice's hidden squares and the iconic Rialto Bridge. See St. Mark's Basilica and the Doge's Palace without the typical frustration of planning entry times. This itinerary is perfect for visitors seeking efficiency and depth in a single booking.
Experience the Venice you imagined
Expert English-speaking guide
Skip-the-line tickets for St. Mark’s Basilica
Skip-the-line tickets for 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
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.
For Reference Only. Itineraries are subject to change
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Start times are in the product’s local time
Free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance!
Thu, 16 Apr 2026
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Kelly W.
Verified Review
April 07, 2026
Jackie F.
Verified Review
April 03, 2026
Seeing Venice through the a Venetian’s eyes
Branko V.
Verified Review
March 30, 2026
Roberta was an excellent guide through Venice. Obviously, saw the major landmarks. What was an additional benefit was the history and finer details of events that helped shape Venice as it became the city it is through her extensive knowledge. Beyond the landmarks she guided us through numerous areas of the city so that we got a sense of Venetian life. She has an excellent sense of pacing the tour so that no one in our group was bored. Everyone in our party would recommend.
Kimberly M.
Verified Review
March 30, 2026
Our tour guide was very nice and knowledgeable. Great tour!
Charles M.
Verified Review
March 06, 2026
Tour was really good except we did not see golden wall at Stt Marks . This should be part of tour
Venice
Chasity P.
Verified Review
February 17, 2026
Robbie did a great job today showing us Venice! She is very passionate about the area and loved to teach us about her home.
Jodie H.
Verified Review
February 06, 2026
Good tour, nice walk of the area
Jerry B.
Verified Review
January 07, 2026
Silvia was our guide, she was very informative and keep us moving to so we had time to see all she had planned.
She first took us to the Cathedral, where she gave us a great tour of it with plenty of history.
After that we went walking towards the Realto Bridge and along the way telling us about the area.
We then went for the Gondola ride, 5 people per gondola so it will not be private. It was good, taking on to the main canal and back.
The we had a time for quick lunch on our own.
And after lunch a tour of the Doge Palace
Overall a really good tour and time
Daniel S.
Verified Review
December 18, 2025
Perfect day in Venice
Erin W.
Verified Review
November 24, 2025
We booked this tour last minute, and I'm so glad we did as we learned so much about Venice than we would have just roaming around. Marco was very funny and informative- he managed to keep our two teenagers engaged the whole time.
Douglas P.
Verified Review
November 17, 2025
Excellent Tour
Joseph P.
Verified Review
November 14, 2025
Martina was our tour guide and provided a comprehensive history of Venice and took us to see all the main tourist sites and beauty of Venice. It was nice to also get a gondola ride included. Recomend this tour.
David D.
Verified Review
November 07, 2025
James C.
Verified Review
November 07, 2025
Great tour!
William C.
Verified Review
October 28, 2025
This was a great way to spend our day in Venice. Our tour guide, Giuliano was funny and knowledgeable. The gondola ride was lots of fun and the museum & cathedral were amazing. We had a great time!
Great
Isuri V.
Verified Review
October 26, 2025
Great and informative. The Tour Guide was a bit hard to find, and the entire tour got a bit tiring, but we still saw a lot of incredible architecture and churches. The best part is the Gondola ride.
Kathy M.
Verified Review
October 23, 2025
Marco with The Tour Guy is Awesome!
William H.
Verified Review
October 23, 2025
We have now used The Tour Guy several times on our trip and absolutely love the way their folks do a great job explaining the little details of these beautiful sites. Marco was tremendous and his dry humor was hilarious! Thanks so much for a wonderful tour ♥️
John C.
Verified Review
October 18, 2025
Nicole S.
Verified Review
October 16, 2025
Annita C.
Verified Review
October 16, 2025
beverly N.
Verified Review
October 16, 2025
Nancy M.
Verified Review
October 15, 2025
Murray S.
Verified Review
October 12, 2025
Lovely Day with Key Sites
Eileen W.
Verified Review
October 11, 2025
Saw the amazing basilica, had gondola ride, and toured inside the Doge palace. Well organized and good guide. Would recommend.
