See the top Venice attractions in a short space of time on this comprehensive Best of Venice walking tour! With an expert guide, see sights like Rialto Bridge and St Mark’s Square (Piazza San Marco), and then enjoy a tour of St Mark’s Basilica, to which you’ll have skip-the-line access.

If you want to see more, upgrade to include a Doge’s Palace tour! Explore its opulent public rooms, see the Bridge of Sighs and learn about the doges, who ruled Venice in bygone times.

Highlights

• 2-hour walking tour of Venice’s top attractions
• Discover St Mark’s Square, Rialto Bridge and the former house of Marco Polo
• Skip the long lines at St Mark’s Basilica with fast-track entrance
• Tour St Mark’s Basilica and its terraces, where you’ll see views of St Mark’s Square below
• Upgrade to include a Doge’s Palace tour with your expert guide

What You Can Expect

Your 2-hour Venice walking tour starts at an iconic Venice attraction — the elegant Rialto Bridge (Ponte di Rialto) — a favorite sight for many and the oldest bridge in Venice. From this beautiful marble landmark you’ll head off with your guide, listening to fascinating anecdotes and stories about the city as you walk.

Pass Marco Polo’s house, and hear tales of this popular Venetian explorer and his seafaring adventures. You’ll walk through lively Venice squares, including Campo San Luca and Campo SS Giovanni Paolo, and see locals going about their daily business shadowed by the city’s historic structures of varying architectural styles.

Next visit St Mark’s Square, a highlight of any trip to Venice. As you stroll around this must-see square, you’ll see Doge’s Palace with its distinctive, white-limestone facade. Giancomo Casanova, Venice’s legendary lover, was once held captive in the palace’s prison.

Continue to St Mark’s Basilica, a place of worship that’s often considered the finest example of Byzantine architecture in the world. Skip the long lines outside the basilica for a rare tour of its second level and terraces. Be sure to bring your camera to capture views of the bustling piazza below!

Upgrade to a Grand Canal tour (70 minutes duration and 2pm start):
An absolute must if you’re a first-time visitor to Venice, the Grand Canal boat tour will provide you with memories that will last a lifetime! You’ll be able to see more of Venice than you would in a gondola in a shorter amount of time with this motor launch boat.

Upgrade to include a tour of Doge’s Palace:
More time to spend? Upgrade to include a 1.5-tour of Doge’s Palace. Enjoy skip-the-line access and a guided tour of the palace’s ornately decorated public rooms. See incredible Renaissance art, including ceiling frescos by Tintoretto and the Veronese masterpiece Virtues of the Republic. As you walk through the Trial Chambers of the Council of Ten, see the corner of the room where accusations of treachery were passed to the secret service. Your Doge’s Palace tour ends at the palace’s Bridge of Sighs (Ponte dei Sospiri), named to signify prisoners’ weary sighs as they caught their last sight of beautiful Venice.

Details

Inclusions

• Skip-the-line entrance fees to St Mark’s Basilica
• Professional guide
• Entrance fees to Doge’s Palace (if tour option is selected)

Exclusions

• Hotel pickup and drop-off
• Gratuities (optional)

Additional info

• Confirmation will be received within 48 hours, unless booked within 1 day of travel. In this case confirmation will be received as soon as possible, subject to availability
• A dress code is required to enter places of worship and selected museums. No shorts or sleeveless tops allowed. Knees and shoulders MUST be covered for both men and women. You may risk refused entry if you fail to comply with these dress requirements
• Backpacks must be left inside a cloakroom on entering St Mark’s Basilica. To reduce any disruption for your group, we recommend that backpacks are not taken on this tour
• Not wheelchair accessible

Schedule

Departure point

Central Venice

Departure time

10:00; 12:00; 14:00; 16:00

Duration

2 hours

Return details

Concludes at Doge’s Palace, Piazza San Marco