Venice walking tour and gondola ride : experience Venice

st mark square venice panorama vivovenetia

gondola st mark square venice vivovenetia

Discover Venice’s rich history and beauty on our guided tour, where you’ll skip the lines at Saint Mark’s Basilica and the Doge’s Palace. Learn about the basilica’s stunning mosaics and the palace’s role in Venetian governance.

Afterward, enjoy a classic gondola ride through Venice’s enchanting canals, offering a unique perspective of this historic city. Perfect for combining multiple iconic experiences in one unforgettable day in Venice.

WHY DID WE LIKE THIS EXPERIENCE SO MUCH?

Super Saver Combo: Includes 3 top-selling Venice tours.
Photographic Opportunities: Capture stunning memories at iconic locations.
Expert Guides: Local and passionate guides lead you through Venice’s history.

Price

Adult: € 140 per person
Child 6-14 years: € 120
Child 2-5 years: € 44
Infant 0-2 years: free

Other practical information

• Meeting point 15 min before
• This tour is not suitable if you have limited mobility
• This activity is not wheelchair accessible
• This tour operates rain or shine
• Shoulders and knees must be covered inside the Basilica
• Backpacks are not allowed inside Saint Marks Basilica or the Doge’s Palace

Spoken Languages

Italian
English
French
German
Spanish

Included / Excluded

Included :

Skip-the-line access to the Doge’s Palace and a guided tour of the first floor of Saint Mark’s Basilica.
Entrance fees included for Doge’s Palace, Saint Mark’s Basilica (guided visit) and Museum Correr (unguided visit).
Multilingual commentary available in English, Italian, German, French, and Spanish via personal audio system and headset.
Complete your experience with a tranquil 30-minute shared gondola ride through Venice’s picturesque canals.

Excluded :

• Hotel pick-up and drop-off
• Food and drink
• Optional gratuities
• Hidden itineraries in the Doge’s Palace
• The gondola is not guided
• Pala d’oro

Sales Conditions

Cancellation more then 48 hours – there will be an administration charge of 20% of the total cost of the tour.
Less than 48 hours, Late arrivals or NO SHOW – 100% charge
It is your responsibility to be at the meeting point punctually

Availability

Check the availability

Duration

Around 3.5 hours

Features

Child Friendly
Sustainable

Booking

Take our guided tour of Venice, where you’ll skip the lines at Saint Mark’s Basilica and the Doge’s Palace. Explore the Basilica’s history and beautiful mosaics. Then visit the Doge’s Palace, where Venice’s ruler lived.

Take a gondola ride through Venice’s canals. It’s a great way to combine many famous tours in one day. Everything is set up so that you can discover Venice easily during your trip.

Walking tour and gondola ride, Venice: what to see ?

Here is the schedule for the day. From 10:30 AM to 3:00 PM, you will be on an excursion starting with a guided tour of the Doge’s Palace, followed by the Basilica of St. Mark. Then, your guide will leave you in the care of a gondolier, and you will embark on a ride in this traditional boat.

Please note that the audio guide is available in English, Italian, French, German, and Spanish. Thanks to this, everyone can understand the Venice history in this tour guide.

Morning Tour: Doge’s Palace & Saint Mark’s Basilica

Meet Your Guide: Start your day at 10:30 am with a professional guide who will show you the important buildings in Saint Mark’s Square (meeting point).
Go to the Doge’s Palace and learn about the Doge’s role, Venetian legends, and Casanova’s escape. Walk through dark passageways to reach the prison cells.
Go to Saint Mark’s Basilica, which is a symbol of the lagoon and has many treasures and gold mosaics. Your guide will tell you why it is important in history and art.

Break: From 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm, enjoy free time to explore Saint Mark’s Square, have lunch, or visit the Correr Museum, included with your ticket.

Afternoon Tour: Classic Gondola Ride

Gondola Ride: At 3:00 pm, meet 15 minutes before behind the Correr Museum. Relax as you glide along the Grand Canal and waterways, appreciating the gondolier’s skill in a group gondola that can hold up to 5 people.
- April – October gondola at 3.00pm or 5.15 pm
- November – March gondola only at 3.00 pm

Venice walking tour and gondola ride : overview of the city

Doge’s Palace

The Doge’s Palace, or Palazzo Ducale, stands as a testament to Venice’s rich history and artistic heritage. Originally constructed in the early 9th century as a fortified wooden structure, it underwent significant transformation into stone during the 12th century. Its current majestic form largely dates from the 14th and 15th centuries, showcasing the elegant Venetian Gothic style with its exquisite Istrian stone and pink Verona marble facades. Notably, the Gothic masterpiece Porta della Carta was added in the 1430s, enhancing the palace’s grandeur.

A devastating fire in 1577 prompted extensive reconstruction efforts, incorporating Renaissance elements under the guidance of architects Antonio da Ponte and Andrea Palladio. Throughout its illustrious history, the palace served as the nucleus of the Venetian Republic’s political and administrative activities, housing governmental offices, courts, and infamous prisons, including the renowned Bridge of Sighs.

With the downfall of the Republic in 1797, the palace transitioned into a museum, preserving and showcasing its historical significance. Today, the Doge’s Palace continues to captivate visitors, offering a vivid glimpse into Venice’s enduring legacy and cultural brilliance.

Saint Mark’s Basilica on St Mark s square

St. Mark’s Basilica, located in Venice, is a masterpiece of Byzantine architecture and one of the city’s most iconic landmarks. Originally built in the 9th century to house the relics of St. Mark the Evangelist, the patron saint of Venice, it was reconstructed in its current form after a fire in 976. Construction of the present basilica began in 1063 and was completed in 1094, inspired by the Church of the Holy Apostles in Constantinople.

Famous for its majestic domes and golden mosaics, the basilica symbolizes the wealth and power of the Venetian Republic. The facades are adorned with detailed sculptures and precious marbles, while the interior is decorated with mosaics depicting biblical scenes and saints, creating an atmosphere of divine splendor.

The basilica served as the private chapel for the Doges of Venice, highlighting the connection between religious authority and political governance. Its proximity to the Doge’s Palace, connected by an interior door, facilitated the Doge’s participation in important religious ceremonies.

Today, St. Mark’s Basilica symbolizes the fusion of art, faith, and Venetian history.

Venezia. Luoghi di interesse. Canal Grande

Grand Canal and minors canals

The Grand Canal is the main street of Venice, Italy. It’s 3.8 kilometers long. From the 13th to the 17th centuries, it features stunning palaces and churches that reflect the opulence of the Venetian Republic. The canal is full of buildings from the Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque periods. They have intricate details like arches, columns, and paintings.

Venice has many small canals called “rio” that connect neighborhoods and islands. These waterways were important for trade and transportation in the past, which made Venice unique and special. They offer beautiful views of daily Venetian life with charming bridges, colorful facades, and windows overlooking the shimmering waters.