Venice Masterclass: Doge Palace's and St. Mark's Basilica and exclusive terraces with skip the line visit

An exclusive and enlightening Palazzo Ducale tour specially designed to lead you through Venice’s most remarkable and extraordinary landmarks, St Mark’s Basilica and the Doge’s Palace.

Enjoy the privilege of a carefully designed small-group Palazzo Ducale Venice with its prisons, enjoy our tour guided by a highly specialized guide, discover ancient Venice’s political and religious sites and learn about its eventful history. 

Start your Palazzo Ducale Venice tour following your guide across St Mark’s Square, a showpiece that beautifully represents the splendor of Venice's past. The largest square in the city, and the only one given the title of "piazza", while all the others are called “campi", St. Mark's Square has always hosted the city’s most important government and ecclesiastical buildings. Flanked by the arcaded Procuratie building and Correr Museum the square is crowned by the Venetian-Byzantine domes of Venice’s main cathedral, the grandiose St Mark’s Basilica.

Founded in the 9th century to house the remnants of St Mark it burned down in 976 and was then rebuilt as we see it today: a profusion of polychrome domes, a Greek cross layout, and walls clad in marble from Syria, Egypt, and Palestine and, inside, over 8000 square meters of luminous mosaics. Enter the Basilica easily with hassle-free skip-the-line tickets and get ready to be surprised by the glittering ceiling mosaics, many made with 24-carat gold leaf, the basilica's oldest mosaics (Apostles with the Madonna), and the three golden domes...

Your Palazzo Ducale Venice tour’s main highlight is the visit to the Doge's Palace. This light and airy masterpiece of gothic architecture, was once the seat of the government, Palace of Justice, and state prison. The Doge's official residence was probably moved here in the 10th century, although the building as you admire now was erected starting no earlier than 1340 and the palace gained its current aspect in 1424, with the addition of the last wing. Today the palace houses paintings by world-celebrated artists such as Titian, Tiepolo, Tintoretto, and Veronese, and hosts Venice’s grand Carnival ball.

Walk into the grand central courtyard and experience the thrill of journeying back in time, learning all about the palace’s history, mysteries, and captivating legends. Admire the “Opera Museum”, which boasts an astonishing collection of portraits including Renaissance and Mannerism masterpieces and prominent “Venitian school” paintings by Titian, Tintoretto, and Veronese.

Crown your Palazzo Ducale Venice tour walking over the famous Bridge of Sighs, and learn the story behind the origin of its name.

Enjoy a comprehensive tour of Venice’s most remarkable political and religious landmarks, lose yourself in the art and history, with the privilege and comfort of a small group led by a highly specialized licensed history guide.

Please Note: to enter the Basilica, shoulders and knees must be covered both for women and men.