• Private Tour
• Instantly Confirmed
• 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

Italiano, English, Hrvatski, Српски, Deutsch, Español, العربية, Français

Included

• Private Guide
• All Withlocals Tours are Carbon Neutral

Excluded

• Skip The Line Tickets to St. Mark's Basilica - 11 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

What you can expect

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.

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.

1. Meeting point

   Meet at In Front of Caffe Florian, Venice - Venice to start your journey

   View on Maps

2. 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.

3. Meetig Point

   In front of Caffè Florian - Venice

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. 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.

7. 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.

8. 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

9. 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

Graham🇺🇸 United States

(About local Federico)

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 Roko)

10 May 2025

Lisa🇺🇸 United States

(About local Mina)

5 May 2025

Mina is a great guide. Very knowledgeable. Very personable. We highly recommend his tour.Great tour!

Frances🇺🇸 United States

(About local Roko)

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 Mina)

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 Elisabetta)

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 Lucia Bondetti )

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 Valentina)

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 Valentina)

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 Valerio)

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 Valerio)

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 Lucia Bondetti )

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 Elisabetta)

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 Federico)

29 July 2024

Erin🇺🇸 United States

(About local Federico)

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 Valentina)

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 Valerio)

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 Roko)

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 Monica)

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 Roko)

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 Lucia Bondetti )

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 Valerio)

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 Valerio)

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 Valerio)

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 Federico)

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 Valentina)

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 Valentina)

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 Valentina)

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 Monica)

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

Dominic🇨🇭 Switzerland

(About local Valerio)

3 March 2025

Danke Valerio10

Margaret

(About local Valentina)

25 February 2025

my husband and our two teenagers were only in Venice for less than 24 hours, so we're looking for a walking tour that would give us a nice overview of the city. Valentina worked with us to devise an itinerary that fit in the things we most wanted to see. she was super knowledgeable and very kind and engaging--helping us with dinner reservations and making many other recommendations for what to do with our limited time on our own. Highly recommend her!Great overview of Venice with Valentina!

Unknown

(About local Roko)

24 February 2025

We had a wonderful half day tour in Venice with Roko. He is super knowledgeable and interesting, bringing history to life and injecting humor into the many sights and cultural treasures in Venice. We avoided crowds while getting to explore some off-the-beaten path destinations, as well as major monuments, like San Marco. Roko kept us fully entertained with his command of history and his obvious personal appreciation for the art and history throughout the city. He pointed out many small, but interesting details that most tourists, will no doubt, miss. I highly recommend Roko!Roko is the man in Venice!

Alex

(About local Valentina)

24 February 2025

Valentina was wonderful! I was looking for a romantic experience to share with my girlfriend and Valentina went the extra mile to help me make that happen. I told her that my goal was to finish the tour with an unforgettable proposal and she helped me make that happen by organizing a photographer and a romantic, private, gondola ride at the end - complete with serenade from the gondolier! The tour was focused on a less crowded area of town which was really appreciated and she included lots of little historical bits of information and folklore about some of the things we saw. Valentina is very accommodating, flexible, and seems to really enjoy what she does. I have no problems at all recommending her!Wonderful Romance Tour of Venice!

Renee

(About local Valentina)

23 February 2025

Thank you Valentina for a lovely afternoon full of interesting facts and spectacular scenery. It was a pleasure meeting you and wandering around Venice. Spectacular!

David🇫🇷 France

(About local Valerio)

22 February 2025

Nous avons passé un excellent moment avec Valerio, passionné limite enflammé par Venise. Il connaît les endroits et l'histoire de sa ville et a su transmettre son ethousiasme. Il nous a montré les différentes facettes de la cité, des ambiances contrastées de foule et de calme, des lieux atypiques. Plein de bons conseils. Merci Valerio !Le vrai vénitien, amoureux de sa ville

Jane

(About local Valentina)

17 February 2025

Valentina agreed to meet us at our hotel and arrived promptly. She gave us an interesting and informed tour of several of the main areas of Venice and indicated other areas we might want to visit during our stay. The 3 hours past really quickly but gave us a great grounding for the rest of our stay. Many thanks Valentina!Great 3 hour tour

Diane

(About local Lucia Bondetti )

16 February 2025

For 3 Jewish women, this was a highlight of our trip to Venice. Lucia told the story of the ghettos and ghetto experience so personally, complete with family photos. It is necessary to tell our story, but Lucia's tour will be meaningful to non-Jewish visitors too. The experience is a first-hand view through the eyes of a Venice local. Below is a question about Price-value rating. This is not your typical tour experience, and in my opinion, worth every dollar, eruo or shekel.Passionate Lucia

Lori🇺🇸 United States

(About local Valerio)

13 January 2025

While visiting Venice, I had the pleasure of booking a tour with Valerio for fish shopping at Rialto Market followed by home cooking in Murano. The experience was nothing short of extraordinary and truly authentic. We began our day at Rialto Market, selecting fresh, local ingredients under Valerio's expert guidance. From there, we traveled to his lovely home in Murano, where he prepared a mouthwatering multi-course meal, perfectly paired with libations for each course. What made the experience even more special was how hands-on it was—my friend and I got to help with some of the preparations, which made the meal feel even more personal and rewarding. Throughout the day, Valerio’s warm and engaging personality shone. He answered all our questions about life in Italy with patience and enthusiasm, sharing fascinating insights into local culture and traditions. Despite our endless curiosity, he never seemed to tire of our company and made us feel completely at home. To top it off, Valerio provided excellent recommendations for other unique experiences and activities we could try during our trip. His hospitality, knowledge, and passion for sharing the Italian way of life made this tour the highlight of my visit to Venice. If you’re looking for an authentic, unforgettable experience in Venice, I cannot recommend Valerio enough. He is the perfect host and guide, and this experience is not to be missed!A Highlight of My Venice Trip!!

familie

(About local Monica)

7 January 2025

Alicia🇺🇸 United States

(About local Mina)

6 January 2025

Mina is incredibly knowledgeable, kind, and a true gem who brought the city’s history and charm to life. His passion for Italian history and insights made the experience enjoyable. I highly recommend him to anyone visiting Venice!!!

zchian🇸🇬 Singapore

(About local Monica)

2 January 2025

We had a great time with Monica. She managed to bring us to Murano and Burana and get us back in time for our Gondola ride and all the while catching the incredible sights and view. Wonderful knowledge of the place.Excellent Guide

Elisabeth 🇺🇸 United States

(About local Valentina)

29 December 2024

Steve🇺🇸 United States

(About local Valerio)

14 December 2024

We took the Brunetti tour with Valerio last week. Valerio was very accomodating in adjusting our start time and meeting location. We had just arrived the previous day and were still getting up to speed. Needless to say, the tour was absolutely fascinating. We learned some very interesting facts about Venice as well as about Donna Leon and Brunetti's Venice. A most enjoyable 2 hours. If your a fan of Brunetti and visiting Venice, definetly look at this tour. It was the highlight of our trip. Aside form the tour, Valerio was extreemly helpful in giving us some recommedations for restaurants and some things to do in Venice and Murano. We visited some areas that were definetely not on the normal tourist track, which made the tour that much more interesting. Thanks Valerio!Brunetti's Venice with Valerio

Stephanie 🇺🇸 United States

(About local Valentina)

3 November 2024

Valentina was the best tour guide we had on our entire 15 day trip. She was extremely knowledgeable and allowed us to customize our tour to accommodate my physical ability. She took us to the best Tiramisu Cafe on the planet! We had the best time and would highly recommend taking her personalized tour! A personal thank you Valentina!Excellent Tour!

Karin🇦🇹 Austria

(About local Valerio)

1 November 2024

Super interessante Führung mit vielen Tipps, Empfehlungen und dem Besuch von unbekannten Plätzen in Venedig. Sehr persönlich gestaltet und auf individuelle Bedürfnisse eingegangen. Jedenfalls eine Weiterempfehlung!Brunetti Tour durch Venedig mit Valerio

Michael🇺🇸 United States

(About local Valentina)

19 October 2024

Even though cut short because of our own schedule, Valentina made the most of our time together. She gave us a perfect glimpse of Venice and left us wanting more. We highly recommend Valentina and will definitely be selecting her as our guide the next time we are in Venice! We loved our time with Valentina

Jutta🇩🇪 Germany

(About local Valerio)

18 October 2024

Valerio war ein unglaublich freundlicher und äußerst kompetenter Reiseführer. Seine tiefgehenden Kenntnisse über Venedig, von der Geschichte bis hin zu versteckten Geheimtipps, machen die Tour zu einem unvergesslichen Erlebnis. Er war stets geduldig unbeantwortete alle unsere Fragen mit Begeisterung. Zudem spürte man seine Liebe zur Stadt in jeder seiner Erzählungen. Die Tour war nicht nur informativ, sondern auch sehr unterhaltsam. Absolut empfehlenswert!Ausgesprochen gut

Shawn

(About local Valentina)

16 October 2024

Valentina was an amazing host. She was like a walking encyclopedia (wiki for you young folks) but her facts were not dry. She was relevant and informative with a sensitivity to our family and how much we wanted. Her pace was amazing. We covered so much ground, saw everything we wanted, and yet never felt rushed. This was our first With Locals tour. Because of Valentina I will do one again!Great Dosoduro experience

Andy🇦🇺 Australia

(About local Mina)

16 October 2024

We're a family of 4 (kids aged 10 and 8) who did a two hour tour of Venice with Mina. We all enjoyed it a lot, Mina knows Venice and its history very well. Thanks Mina!Great afternoon with Mina

Unknown

(About local Valentina)

10 October 2024

We really enjoyed our tour and training with Valentina. She trained in a kind way and it was a very enjoyable way to see the city.Great way to see Venice