Venetian Majesty: Private Tour of St. Mark’s Basilica including Terrace and Doge’s Palace
3 hours
Skip The Line Tours
Venice
Choose one of 9 locals available
Experience hosted by Lucia Bondetti , Federico & other locals
Private Tour
Carbon Neutral
Experience the splendor of Venice like never before on a private tour that unveils the history and artistry of St. Mark’s Basilica and the Doge’s Palace. With a local art historian as your guide, skip the lines and delve into the heart of Venetian power and faith.
Destination
Venice, Italy
Category
Skip The Line Tours
Duration
3 hours
Transport mode
Walking tour
Available languages
English, Italiano, Hrvatski, Српски, العربية, Deutsch, Español, Français
Included
Private Guide
All Withlocals Tours are Carbon Neutral
Excluded
Skip The Line Tickets to St. Mark's Basilica - 24 EUR To be paid directly to the host
Skip The Line Tickets to Doge's Palace - 30 EUR To be paid directly to the host
In the event of unexpected closure of St. Mark's Basilica alternative visits to San Zaccaria Church or the Correr Museum are arranged
7 reasons to book this tour
100% Private - You and Your Guide
Priority Access: Skip the lines at both St. Mark’s Basilica and the Doge’s Palace, maximizing your time spent among the wonders of Venice.
St. Mark’s Basilica: Stand beneath the shimmering golden mosaics and learn about the sacred art that adorns the interior of this architectural marvel. If closed, visit San Zaccaria Church or the Correr Museum as enriching alternatives.
Expert Local Guidance: Led by a professional art historian, gain deeper insights into the historical and cultural significance of each site.
Doge’s Palace: Explore the opulent halls and secret corridors where the fate of the Venetian Republic was decided, adorned with masterpieces of Renaissance art.
Bridge of Sighs: Experience the poignant beauty of the Bridge of Sighs, a symbol of Venice, connecting the Doge's Palace to the historic prisons.
Flexible and Personalized Experience: Enjoy the flexibility to tailor the tour to your interests, ensuring a personalized and comprehensive exploration of Venice’s treasures.
What you can expect
Unlock the secrets of Venice’s grandest sites on this exclusive Withlocals Originals tour. Begin your journey at the iconic St. Mark’s Square, surrounded by some of the city's most significant monuments. With a private guide by your side, you’ll bypass the bustling crowds with priority access, ensuring a seamless and intimate experience.
First, explore the stunning Italo-Byzantine architecture of St. Mark’s Basilica. Inside, marvel at the golden mosaics that illuminate its grand altars, while your guide enriches your visit with tales of the basilica’s history and the symbolism behind its religious motifs. If St. Mark's Basilica is unexpectedly closed, you will instead visit the 15th-century Church of San Zaccaria and its crypt or the Correr Museum, each offering rich insights into Venice’s art and history.
Next, enter the majestic Doge’s Palace, where Venice’s rulers once orchestrated the Republic’s fate. Skip the line and wander through lavish chambers adorned with works by Tintoretto, Titian, and Veronese. Learn about the intrigues and power plays of the Venetian Doges, and feel the chill of history as you cross the infamous Bridge of Sighs into the ancient prisons. After the guided tour, you are welcome to continue exploring the Doge’s Palace at your leisure.
Please note, entrance fees to the Doge’s Palace (€30 per person) and St. Mark’s Basilica (€6 per person) are to be paid directly to the guide before the tour.
Choose your local
Get to know these 9 passionate locals, each bringing unique perspectives and talents. Choose your favorite, check their availability, and book to create an unforgettable adventure tailored to you.
Lucia Bondetti
The Passionate Art Historian
5.0146 reviews
Italiano・English
Federico
The Globetrotter
5.010 reviews
English・Italiano
Roko
The Friendly Storyteller
4.9151 reviews
English・Italiano・Hrvatski・Српски
Valentina
The Eclectic Foodie
4.9122 reviews
English・Italiano
Mina
Official tour guide
4.915 reviews
العربية・English
Valerio
A venetian deTourist guide
5.0236 reviews
English・Deutsch・Italiano・Español
Elisabetta
Crazy Venice Walker
4.911 reviews
English・Italiano
Monica
Be local with Monica
5.032 reviews
English・Deutsch
rocco
Venetian Anthropologist
5.012 reviews
English・Français・Italiano
This is the plan
Check out the plan below to see what you'll get up to with your local host. Feel free to personalize this offer with the host of your choice.
Meeting point
Meet at In Front of Caffe Florian, Venice - Venice to start your journey
Itinerary
This is what our experience could look like, but it’s not set in stone! Once you book, you can chat directly with your host to make small tweaks to suit your preferences.
Meetig Point
In front of Caffè Florian - Venice
Explore Piazza San Marco
Start with Context: Gather at the iconic Piazza San Marco, where your guide will provide an introduction to Venice’s historical and architectural landscape.
Priority Entry to St. Mark’s Basilica or Alternative Site
Enter the basilica without delay, or visit San Zaccaria Church or the Correr Museum if the basilica is closed, allowing more time to appreciate the art and history with narratives that bring the past alive.
Exclusive Tour of the Doge’s Palace
Inside the Seat of Power: Skip the regular line and explore the lavish rooms, artwork, and hidden corners of the Doge’s Palace, learning about its role in Venetian history.
Crossing the Bridge of Sighs
A Historical Crossing: Walk through the Bridge of Sighs, experiencing the poignant route taken by prisoners going to the cells, and learn about its legendary name.
Optional Customization
Tailor Your Experience: Based on your interests, choose to delve deeper into specific aspects of Venetian history, art, or architecture, or add a relaxing finish in a nearby café
Make it yours
Want to tweak the itinerary? Book directly & chat afterwards with your host to adjust highlights, skip stops, or make small changes to fit your preferences.
Book risk-free: Cancel within 24 hours for a full refund.
Need something special? Personalize your experience for more time, alternative locations or a completely tailored plan.
Flexible cancellation policy
Feel confident booking
Cancel within 24 hours for a full refund. Even up to 7 days before your experience, you’ll receive a refund, minus the service fee.
Change of plans?
Reschedule your experience to a date and time that works best for you.
Loved by travelers worldwide
Simple and flexible – your plans, your way.
Reviews from guests
ROGER🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
16 July 2025
Roko made our tour of Saint Mark’s Basilica and the Doge’s Palace in Venice absolutely unforgettable. His knowledge of the history and details was incredible—every corner had a story, and he shared it with such passion. He was super friendly, making everyone feel at ease, and answered every question we threw at him (well, except for ones about James Bond movies that were filmed in Venice, lol). Highly recommend Roko for an engaging, insightful experience! Thank you RokoHoward family
Nicole🇸🇬 Singapore
(About local )
21 June 2025
Great skip the line tour seeing and listening to Venetian history in a fun way. So much history
david🇩🇪 Germany
(About local )
19 June 2025
Rocco's tour of St. Mark's Basilica and the Doge's Palace in Venice was very informative and enjoyable. His explanations of the artwork, architecture, and room functions of both the church and the palace were highly contextualized from the perspective of the Doges of Venice, which helped us to imagine life during the times of the Doges. We appreciated how he navigated our small group through the palace amongst larger tour groups—we always felt like we were getting a personal tour and not lost in a crowd. The Doges' Perspective
Barbara
(About local )
18 June 2025
Mina was a very informative guide for the ducal palace and the basilica. I learned so much more than I expected and learned some wonderful stories about St. Peter and St. Marc. My background is art and architectural history so Mina was the perfect person to lead us through the 2 sites. Great morning with a fun and really interesting person.Wonderful morning
Valerie
(About local )
15 June 2025
If you want to see Venice through the eyes of someone who truly understands its soul, book a tour with Rocco. His expertise, warmth, and enthusiasm make this iconic city even more magical. His insights into the political intrigue and the city’s legal system added a whole new dimension to the experience. Rocco’s expert storytelling made the glittering mosaics and intricate altars even more impressive. He shared fascinating details about the religious motifs and the basilica’s unique architectural blend of Gothic and Byzantine styles, ensuring we appreciated every detail. Five stars without hesitation! Definitely a trip highlight for us!Unforgettable and just perfect!
Jennifer L🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
14 June 2025
Federico provided my 19 year old daughter and I with an outstanding personalized tour of the Basilica and Palace. He shared the history and stories associated with this two locations to make the tour enjoyable, educational, and memorable. I highly recommend private tours with Federico. It’s saves you precious vacation time and makes the Basilica and Doge’s Palace approachable and understandable without feeling overwhelmed.
Jennifer L. K. (United States)Dont miss this tour with Federico!
Mark🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
6 June 2025
Lucia is a warm, knowledgeable and organized guide who tailored our tour to our requests. Her energy and enthusiasm made for a wonderful way to see major sites in beautiful Venezia.A beautiful experience
Graham🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
28 May 2025
Federico was amazingly knowledgeable and entertaining and the palace and st marks visits were so much better with a guide)
My only question was why we stood in line for 40 minutes listening to the history of Venice (which was super informative) when we could have paid a little extra for skip the line tickets and spent more time walking in the area for a history tour (unless of course that isn’t how skip the line works)
Fun and informative
Dimitris🇬🇷 Greece
(About local )
10 May 2025
Lisa🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
5 May 2025
Mina is a great guide. Very knowledgeable. Very personable. We highly recommend his tour.Great tour!
Frances🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
19 April 2025
Roko was very pleasant, knowledgeable about Venice history, and courteous to our concerns.
We paid over $500 for the two of us to tour these two sights (entry is free) and received communication that “skip the line” tickets for the Basilica were sold out but we could still stand in line. We responded to the message with questions but received no response. We considered canceling the tours but the website instructions were circular with no clear instructions for cancellation and we didn’t want to lose our money. THEN the Basilica was closed in preparation for Easter! A tour company have been aware of this in advance.No St Marks Basilica
Cameron🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
24 March 2025
Our tour with Mina was an absolute highlight of our time in Venice! He made three hours fly by with his incredible depth of knowledge, engaging storytelling, and well-paced approach. Even our 16-year-old, who isn’t always easily impressed, said this was one of the best parts of the trip.
Mina didn’t just provide facts; he truly brought the history of St. Mark’s Basilica and the Doge’s Palace to life in a way that was both fascinating and accessible. He answered every question we had with ease, kept the tour flowing perfectly, and even shared great local recommendations, including a fantastic lunch spot and where to find the best spritz.
If you're looking for a tour that is insightful, well-structured, and genuinely enjoyable, Mina is the one to book. We couldn’t recommend him more highly!History & storytelling perfectly combined!
r6fkjpj4nr🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
3 March 2025
We really enjoyed our time with Elisabetta. It was exactly as expected and even more. She is kind and knowledgeable guide Learned so much!!!
Mason🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
26 February 2025
Lucia was an excellent guide. She is very knowledgeable as well as fun, enthusiastic and professional. We had fun exploring and learning about these important Venetian landmarks. Thanks Lucia!Palazzo Ducale and St. Marks Basilica
David🇫🇷 France
(About local )
22 February 2025
Valentina a su transmettre ses connaissances de la basilique et du palais, en nous captivant. C'est une jeune femme très sympathique et très compétente. Nous recommandons vivement ses services pour profiter à fond de la visite.Parfaite maîtrise de son sujet
David🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
29 December 2024
We were a family of five with young kids and Valentina made the tour very engaging for all ages. She was very patient and kind, and overall made the tour a great experience for everyone. Very knowledgeable and family friendly.
Benjamin🇩🇪 Germany
(About local )
25 November 2024
Wir hatten das große Glück, Valerio als unseren Städteführer zu haben – und es war einfach fantastisch! Die Führung war spannend und unglaublich lehrreich. Valerio hat es geschafft, uns die Stadt auf eine ganz besondere Weise näherzubringen. Besonders beeindruckt haben uns die vielen tollen Tipps und Empfehlungen für Sehenswürdigkeiten und ‘places to go’, die wir ohne ihn wahrscheinlich nie entdeckt hätten. Vielen Dank für diese unvergessliche Erfahrung, Valerio! Wir kommen definitiv wieder!Einfach Klasse
Annette
(About local )
6 November 2024
Wir haben Valeria für eine Führung durch den Dogenpalast gebucht.
Er hat auf unsere Anfrage sofort reagiert und geantwortet.
Valerio spricht ein sehr gutes Deutsch und ist auch super auf unsere Kinder eingegangen. Die Führung war interessant und mit vielen Zusatzinformationen gespickt.
Wir können Valerio guten Gewissens weiterempfehlen !!!Top Führung
Cindy🇨🇦 Canada
(About local )
25 September 2024
I can’t say enough wonderful things about our tour with Lucia. In the days leading up to the tour she shared suggestions on areas of Venice to visit, restaurants, and arranged for free private tour of a glass factory on Murano. She responded very quickly to all my questions, bought skip the line tickets well in advance, and confirmed our arrangements in advance so I wouldn’t worry. The tour itself exceeded our expectations. Her knowledge about the Basilica, Palace and history of Venice was impressive and so very interesting. Having a private tour is the way to go and trust me - you want to book in advance to make sure Lucia is available. You will be so thankful you did!Amazing Tour with Lucia!
Marc🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
30 August 2024
Elizabetta is an absolute diamond. Incredibly well informed, sweet, friendly, you really couldn’t ask for more. Fantastic
Maria🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
29 July 2024
Sue🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
23 July 2025
Lucia was a fantastic guide to Cannaregio and the Jewish ghetto. She clearly loves her city and she is extremely knowledgeable. We felt like we were visiting the neighborhood of a friend, getting to meet the people who live and work in the neighborhood and experience a completely different—and quieter!—side of Venice. We learned a lot. Lucia even helped us discover the perfect gift to bring home to our daughter. We will come back to Venice, and we will book with her again. Grazie mille, Lucia! A dopo!Wonderful afternoon in Cannaregio!
Charri
(About local )
20 July 2025
Mina’s knowledge, friendliness and ability to tailor a tour to his group”s knowledge, age and capacities was much appreciated by our group. He is the best tour guide we have ever had in 30 years of travel 😊 we highly highly recommend Mina as a guide to Venice. Amazing experience
Stephanie🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
15 July 2025
Elisabetta met us where we were staying, the day we arrived in Venice. It was the perfect way to start our trip, we walked most of the city, learning bits of history along the way. We stopped at what became our favorite cafe of the trip - with the most delicious pastries and cappuccino. It felt like walking through the city with a friend, so relaxed and welcoming.
Elisabetta gave us a wonderful restaurant recommendation, which ended up being one of our best meals on the trip.
I feel like we hit the jackpot with Elisabetta, and couldn’t have asked for a better way to see Venice through a locals eyes. Our kids (10 & 8) enjoyed it, too!
Thank you for such a great experience! Wonderful!
James🇱🇺 Luxembourg
(About local )
13 July 2025
After being transferred to 3 different guides and them trying to negotiate a different time to what we requested, we were finally allocated Mina as our guide. And he did not disappoint!! He was incredibly knowledgeable, took us to all the popular tourist points but also took us down roads that were more local with less people. We tried some local food and he showed us where they sell the best Aperol! Thank you so much, Mina, for bringing Venice to life for me and my family!!
Stacie🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
12 July 2025
Valentina was very nice and personable. She had a mini-scavenger hunt for the kids as well. She was very knowledgeable about specific sites but I left the tour wishing I understood a little more about how all the sites we saw fit together to make up the story of Venice. Good Tour
Amanda🇦🇺 Australia
(About local )
8 July 2025
Valentina was a fantastic tour guide. Spending time with her orientating ourselves in the city was a great experience. We learnt so much. Thanks Valentina. Great tour guide
Krystal🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
7 July 2025
We had a fantastic off-the-beaten-path tour of Venice with Valerio, guiding our mixed group that included kids and grandparents. He was incredibly knowledgeable and engaging, tailoring the experience to our pace and interests. Valerio kept the kids curious and entertained, answered all our questions with enthusiasm, and was more than happy to make extra stops when we needed. His patience, warmth, and sense of fun made the tour a highlight of our trip. Highly recommend!Great, family-friendly guide
Randy and Jen🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
3 July 2025
Rocco, was right on time for a very hot afternoon. Kept us in shade and told us amazing stories about popular and hidden spots in Venice. It was like having an afternoon with a professional historian, would highly recommend to everyone!Wonderul Hidden Gens Tour!
Erica
(About local )
22 June 2025
Rocco was a great guide showing us the hidden areas of San Marco area of Venice. He was super flexible when we ran into some travel delays. Highly recommend!Knowledgeable and Accommodating Guide
Mike🇸🇬 Singapore
(About local )
16 June 2025
A Cool Tour For Both Kids & Adults
Jill🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
14 June 2025
We had a marvelous tour with Elizabetta. She was knowledgeable, friendly and so helpful. We toured St Mark’s cathedral and the Doge palace. She included the perfect amount of facts and information. She went above and beyond helping to answer a phone call and translate information for us. Elizabetta was the best
Andrew🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
12 June 2025
Vera🇸🇰 Slovakia
(About local )
11 June 2025
It was a great pleasure to have tour with Rocco! Very interesting, oriented and flexible guide!
Ann
(About local )
5 June 2025
Our day with Valerio was amazing! After meeting at the local fish market, we went to his home on murano to prepare a meal. It was delicious and so fun to feel like a local. Our tour of murano included stops to learn about glass blowing. Our daughter got to make her own glass bead and then we toured a glass showroom which was beautiful. Don’t hesitate to book this memorable tour- Valerio is outstanding!Amazing Day
Erin🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
2 June 2025
Federico was a great tour guide for Venice! We have two kids ages 14 and 10 and they were interested and engaged in the tour. Federico kept the tour interesting and funny! He brought us to an amazing gelato place and gave us great ideas for after the tour. The 4 of us really enjoyed the day and learned so much. After The tour both of our kids said how much they loved the tour and that Federico was by far the best tour guide we have ever had! Fantastic tour of Venice!
Randy
(About local )
1 June 2025
Valentina created an amazing tour that were to spots we hadn't seen before. She was able to show us the quiet and charming spots of Venice. The information she shared was interesting and we had a delightful 3 hours with her. We would recommend her customized tours of Venice.Something new
Cornelia
(About local )
26 May 2025
Valerio macht den Spaziergang durch Canareggio und San Polo weit über die Brunetti-Informationen hinaus interessant. Wer weiß schon, wie die Hausnummern zustande kommen oder wo die Bestattungskirche aus dem Film "Wenn die Gondeln Trauer tragen" liegt? Die Restaurant Empfehlungen, die man noch zusätzlich bekommt, sind eine echte Empfehlung. Vielen Dank, Valerio!mehr als Brunetti ...
Edmund 🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
11 May 2025
We had a great tour with Roko! He was very informative, made sure our needs were met, gave us recommendations & taught us a lot about Venice! Would recommend taking a tour with Roko to anyone interested in knowing more about the history of Venice! Wonderful tour!
Dolores🇨🇭 Switzerland
(About local )
10 May 2025
Monica ist eine sehr versierte und menschlich,kulturell sehr kompetente Person, welche es versteht die Führung mit gutem Gespür den Bedürfnissen der Gruppe anzupassen. Ihre motivierenden und sehr interessanten Ausführungen und die vielen persönlichen Kontakte zu Menschen - auch abseits der üblichen touristischen Aktivitäten, macht eine Führung mit ihr zum kostbaren Erlebnis dieser Stadt!
Venedig mit ihr zu entdecken war ein highlight dieser Reise 👌🏻Aussergewöhnliche. Venedig Tour mit Monica
Andrea🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
6 May 2025
Roko made our visit to Doges Palace extra special. He was very informative and engaging and we thoroughly enjoyed our time with him. I will recommend Roko to anyone who is visiting Venice. Excellent tour of Venice with Roko
Cristina
(About local )
4 May 2025
Il tour privato con Lucia è stato meraviglioso, siamo andati con un figlio din7 anni che si era svegliato alle 4 del mattina per prendere l’aereo a venezia, e durante tutta la sperienza con lucia è stato attivo senza dire sono stanco e super involve con tutto ciò che diceva lucia e la caccia del tesoro! Abbiamo imparato tanto, conosciuto grazie a lei la zona più bella di venezia e tutti i segreti! Lucia è una donna molto speciale che sa interagire tanto con adulti e bambini! se venite a visitare la città dovete fare per forza el tour con lei! sarà una esperienza bellissima per tutta la famiglia! non perdetevela!
Lucia grazie mille, durante tutto il resto delle visita abbiamo trovato pisciabrague, altane…. e pensavamo a te! un forte abbraccio della familia spagnola molto alta! 😊Lucia e meravigliosa esperienza altretanto
cczg6gvypf
(About local )
30 April 2025
Jeder der überlegt, ob sich ein Private Guide lohnt, möchte ich sagen: Auf jeden Fall!!
Man darf Venedig von einer ganz anderen Seite erleben. Wenn man möchte, ganz entspannt fernab der Touristenmassen. Venedig ist eben nicht nur Dogenpalast und Markusplatz!
Wunderbare Zeit in Venedig, danke Valerio!
HENRYK🇨🇦 Canada
(About local )
27 April 2025
I am a big fan of Inspector Brunetti, the Venetian policeman created by Dona Leon. A friend enthused about the "Brunetti" tour presented by Valerio in Venice. We hired Valerio and embarked on the expensive two hour tour (over two days unfortunately). We walked by five relevant sites and enjoyed espresso at Brunetti's local coffee bar. From my friend's enthusiasm, I had expected more from the tour. Perhaps, we didn't get the full tour?Inspector Brunetti tour
Evelyn🇦🇹 Austria
(About local )
27 April 2025
Valerio hat mich unterhaltsam und charmant durch diesen mir nicht bekannten Teil Venedigs geführt . Er hat mir alle Facetten , Kultur, Geschichte, Religion und Kulinarik näher gebracht, sowie alte Filme, die da gedreht wurden wieder aus meinem Gedächtnis geholt. DORSODURO ENTDECKEN
heidimariebright
(About local )
22 April 2025
We only had 8 hours to see and learn about Venice and our tour with Federico was perfect! The time was brief but perfect to entertain our 11 and 13 year olds. Highly recommended if you need a fun and quick overview while still allowing time to explore. Perfect for a day trip with tweens
Alma🇿🇦 South Africa
(About local )
18 April 2025
Valentina’s tour, specially for our grandchildren (10 & 7), made us see Venice in a whole new way. Two wonderful hours searching for clues, visiting the market, learning about the history of Venice and ending with lollipops in San Marco. Couldn’t have been more perfect irrespective of the rain! A must for families.
Nick🇬🇧 United Kingdom
(About local )
29 March 2025
Valentina was a wonderful host. We wanted an introduction not including the main tourist spots but to get a feel for Venice. The two and half hours did just this and Valentina was great at ensuring the conversation was always a two way process in sharing and expanding It felt we had a long conversation over a cup of coffee rather than a waking tour. Relaxed and enjoyable Wonderful introduction
Unknown
(About local )
25 March 2025
Valentina was an enthusiastic and knowledgeable tour guide. She kept my 12-year-old grandson interested with her stories and charming personality. I highly recommend her. Informative and Fun Tour
Beate🇩🇪 Germany
(About local )
18 March 2025
Monica ist sehr sympathisch, hat unglaublich viel Insiderwissen und geht auf individuelle Wünsche ein. Wir haben uns sehr gefreut Sie kennengelernt zu haben und können die Tour mit Ihr wirklich allen nur empfehlen! Viele Dank für die tolle Führung 💕!!!Tolles Erlebnis in Venedig
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