Skip The Line St. Mark’s Basilica & Doge’s Palace Tour

Venice: St. Mark’s Basilica and Doge’s Palace Tour

Join your private guide and prepare to have your breath stolen by the architectural beauty, centuries of fascinating historic tales, and artistic wonders displayed on this special skip-the-line tour of St. Mark’s Basilica and Doge’s Palace – the two most significant locations in all of Venice.

What’s Included In Our Guided Tour of St Mark’s Basilica and Doge’s Palace?

• Private English-speaking guide
• Tour of St. Mark’s Square
• Skip the line tickets to St.Mark’s Basilica & guided tour
• Queue jump tickets to the Doge’s Palace (the official residence of elected leaders) & guided tour

St. Mark’s Basilica and Doge’s Palace Tour Description

The tour begins with your private guide meeting you at St. Mark’s Square, where you can follow in the footsteps of legendary figures such as Casanova and Napoleon, who once referred to the square as the ‘drawing room of Europe’ due to its rich history and the undeniable opulence and grandeur that envelop you on every side.

25th Anniversary Trip to Italy Using Italy by Luxe, the best decision ever! I worked with Marta for about 6 months developing an itinerary for our 12 days in Italy. We wanted to see Venice, Tuscany, Rome, and the Amalfi Coast with our 3 boys 22, 20 & 17. She coordinated everything for us from hotels to private transfers, restaurant options, excursions, and more. Her quick response to all of my crazy questions/changes, before and during our trip was so comforting. I always knew everything would be great. She even surprised us with a bottle of Champagne on our anniversary! Each of the guides Marta set us up with were also amazing. Their knowledge of the history, architecture, and background stories was incredible. Giorgia in Venice, Elena in Tuscany, Kylie in Rome, Gabriella in Pompeii, and Fernando and Mario in Sorrento. Each of them were so accommodating knowing we were jet-lagged and it was HOT! They each weaved us through the back streets, avoiding crowds and amazing us at every turn. Our drivers were always on time, very professional, and friendly. We will definitely be using Travel by Luxe for our next trip to Greece!

Jeannie R ★★★★★

Skip-The-Line Entrance To St Mark’s Cathedral

As official guides in Venice, we are able to offer skip-the-line access to the Basilica. 

Dating back to the 11th Century, St Mark’s has been a symbol of the wealth, power, and status of Venice, and this is etched large into the architecture of the building with its ornate design and particular Italian Renaissance style flair, containing as it does, 43 thousand square feet of stunning mosaic.

Explore The Treasures That Await You Inside St Mark’s Basilica

Once inside, your guide will be on hand to discuss the innumerable treasures, sculptures, and priceless artworks on display, including the ‘Triumphal Quadriga’ – the famous bronze horses of Saint Mark.

Private Tour of Doge’s Palace

On your next stop, we will again skip the line as we enter the Doge’s Palace, found to the right of St. Mark’s, and distinguished by its white and rose-colored herringbone brick façade and highly stylized Gothic white stone arches that lend it a uniquely Venetian flavor.

Scandal, Fascinating Tales, and Artistic Masterpieces In The Doge’s Palace

The building served as the seat of the government and was the Doge’s residence (alongside serving as a prison and torture chamber!) until the Napoleonic invasion of 1797. Truly the heart and soul of Venice’s power throughout the years, your guide will revel in describing the scintillating tales of scandal and political intrigue that occurred within its walls throughout history.

The interior of the Palace is a feast for the eyes in every sense, and your tour guide will be with you to discuss the context, subject, and history behind the jaw-dropping galleries and frescoes that adorn its walls, featuring works by world-renowned masters such as Titian, Veronese, and Tiepolo.

The tour culminates with you viewing the famous ‘Bridge of Sighs’ and exploring the interrogation quarters with your guide.

Wonderfully planned and executed 10 day vacation across Italy. Great travel planning! After a friend recommended Travel by Luxe, we used their company to book a 9 day tour around Italy. We started with three days in Rome across a very rainy Christmas, then we were driven south for a quick day tour of the Amalfi coast and a night in Sorrento. The following day we saw Pompeii in the morning, had Pizza in Naples for lunch, and took the rapid train to Venice. Two fabulous days in Venice were followed by a day in Florence, then back to Rome by train for one more day, and then home. We had a fabulous time. Marta of Travel by Luxe proposed itineraries based on what we told her of our interests. We had private tours everywhere. She booked fabulous hotels for us - the rates were ok and we got upgraded in rooms at least a couple of times, as it was off season and the pandemic was still going strong. The tour guides were superb in Rome, Pompeii, Florence and especially Venice, where Giorgia Stainer was our guide for two days on the streets and waterways of Venice and Murano and Burano. All of the guides were knowledgeable and fun to talk to - about art, architecture, ruins, and food, for example. We had walking tours with nice lunches in Rome, Venice and Florence. No detail was unattended to. Transfers from airports, train stations, hotels, and the tourist sites were all right on time and very nice. Exceptional high points included Pompeii, the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel, the Colosseum, a trip to the glass making factory, New Murano Gallery, near Venice, and all of the amazing art in Florence. Christmas Lunch in Rome and traditional foods in every city were standouts as well. This experience was a solid “5” on the five point scale. If I could rate it a “6” I probably would.

Ellis N ★★★★★

Why Choose Luxe For Your Tour of St Mark’s and The Doge’s Palace?

While there is plenty here to gaze upon for the uninitiated, you simply do not get the full experience and taste of what these structures mean to Venice and their place in history without a qualified and knowledgeable guide to bring these tales to life.

Reserving your private tour with us means you will benefit from:

• Guaranteed skip-the-line access to the frequently sold-out sites
• More time to spend on the locations, artifacts, and areas of interest that you find the most fascinating
• Special access to the first-floor terrace of St. Mark’s Basilica 
• The enthusiasm, passion, and intricate local knowledge of your private guide