Venice In a Day St Mark's Doges Palace Gondola Ride and City Tour
Recommended by 95% of travelers
Venice, Italy
+23
- 4 to 6 hours (approx.)
- Group discounts
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Venice is home to hundreds of attractions, making it difficult to cover the highlights in limited time. Ideal for first-time visitors, this full-day tour of Venice checks off top sights. Stroll across the Rialto Bridge and browse the lively Rialto fish market, then hop aboard a traditional gondola for a romantic cruise along the Grand Canal. Finally, visit St. Marks's Basilica and enjoy skip-the-line entrance to the grandiose Doge's Palace.
- Soak up local life on a walking tour of Venice’s colorful neighborhoods and the Rialto markets
- Check off all of Venice's top attractions in just one day
- Skip the lines and explore the magnificent Doge’s Palace on a tour
- Learn more about Venice history and culture than you could alone
What's Included
- Skip-the-line ticket for St. Mark's Basilica (12€)
- Pre-reserved ticket to the Doge's Palace (25€)
- Gondola Ride (Venice Express Half Day Option excluded)
- Guided Walk of the back streets of Venice
- Bridge of Sighs
- Rialto Bridge
- Rialto Fish Market
- New Prisons
- House of Marco Polo ( exterior)
- Local English-speaking guide
- Hotel Pick-Up/Drop-Off
- Gratuities
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- Chiesa di San Giacomo di RialtoC.po San Giacomo, 30125 Venezia VE, Italy
Please arrive 15 minutes prior to the start of your tour, your guide will be holding a green Walks sign. This tour meets outside the entrance of the Church of San Giacometto at Campo San Giacomo di Rialto 255, 30125 Venezia VE, Italy.
End point
- St. Mark's SquarePiazza San Marco, 30124 Venezia VE, Italy
St. Mark's Square
Itinerary
Meet up with your guide and small group to emark on your adventure. The group size is limited to 20 people, so you don't have to worry about large crowds.
Start by strolling across Rialto Bridge as you take in the sights. Make your way to the bustling Rialto markets and stop at the fish market, learning about the history from your guide.
Next, be swept away on a romantic gondola ride along the Grand Canal. As you drift leisurely through the water, let Venice's charm and beauty enchant you before arriving at St. Mark's Basilica for a guided tour.
Finally, enjoy skip-the-line access at Doge's Palace before the tour comes to a close.
Start by strolling across Rialto Bridge as you take in the sights. Make your way to the bustling Rialto markets and stop at the fish market, learning about the history from your guide.
Next, be swept away on a romantic gondola ride along the Grand Canal. As you drift leisurely through the water, let Venice's charm and beauty enchant you before arriving at St. Mark's Basilica for a guided tour.
Finally, enjoy skip-the-line access at Doge's Palace before the tour comes to a close.
1
Ponte di Rialto
1 hour 45 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
Rialto Market (Pass By)
Casa di Marco Polo (Pass By)
2
Canal Grande
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
3
San Marco
45 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
4
Basilica di San Marco
1 hour • Admission Ticket Included
5
Palazzo Ducale
2 hours • Admission Ticket Included
Bridge Of Sighs (Pass By)
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Near public transportation
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- Unfortunately due to the nature of this tour it is not suitable for guests with mobility impairments or with wheelchairs, or strollers.
- If access is restricted due to private events inside St. Mark's Basilica and/or Doge's Palace, we cannot be held responsible. This is a situation beyond our control. No refund will be issued.
- In case of unforeseen circumstances such as bad weather (heavy rain, strong wind, high tide) conditions that prevent the gondola ride from taking place or any operational or safety reasons beyond our control it may be substituted for another experience, but no refund will be provided.
- Due to the religious nature of sites on this tour, all individuals (regardless of gender) must cover their shoulders and knees. It is acceptable to bring extra coverings to put on just before entering a holy site. Walks cannot be responsible for anyone denied entry.
- All guests must supply their full name that matches a valid ID at the time of the booking. Should you fail to provide these, your reservation will be canceled. Name changes are not permitted.
- Venice Express Option: Gondola is not included.
- Please note that a photo ID is required to visit the St. Marks Basilica. Failure to bring an ID can result in the security staff refusing your entrance to the monument.
- 8:30am tour is limited to 20 people and includes a lunch break on your own, while the 8:15am tour does not include a lunch break (shorter duration of 4 hours) and a maximum of 25 people in your group.
- St. Mark’s Basilica can be subject to closures due to particular liturgical celebrations, especially during major religious holidays such as Easter or Christmas. In the event that the Basilica is closed, explanations will be provided from the outside.
- Please note: This tour offers multiple options. Take a moment to choose the one that best suits your interests.
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 25 travelers
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 3 days in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.8
based on 4,812 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
Linda_W, Sep 2026
Ricardo was our tour guide! Highly recommend! He was very knowledgeable, efficient and made a historic tour very entertaining!!! He made the last tour of our trip a great one!!! Would give him 10 stars if possible!
Oscar_L, Sep 2026
Our guide Giuliano was great, gave us a real local's perspective while being super informative and providing great tips. Tour went smoothly and detailed but fun explanations of every location with historical and modern day context
Marlene_V, Sep 2026
Alexander was very permsonable, so full of energy and knowledge our tour was exciting. Totally worth the cost
Donald_S, Sep 2026
Pamala was excellent. History, culture and wit are are great combo for an entertaining tour. Thank you Pamala!
Ryan_B, Sep 2026
Grazia was a kind and incredibly knowledgeable tour guide. The walking tour of Venice and gondola ride were great - I actually wish we could’ve spent more time walking around Venice and learning about the city. St. Mark’s Basilica and Doge’s Palace was very information and history heavy - we spent an hour at Doge’s Palace which was longer than we needed.
Heather_V, Sep 2026
We learned so much! The tour was well paced (except for lingering in the fish market), and the gondola ride was special.
Rebecca_L, Sep 2026
Filippo our tour guide was a native Venetian and very energetic and engaging in sharing about the history.
It is well organized so you walk around and see popular sites early before they are too busy and tour indoor sites when it is hotter outside. It is a long day with a decent amount of walking but very nice to see everything! We also enjoyed the Gondola ride!
trish_a, Sep 2026
The walking tour is fascinating and done at the groups pace. We were a faster group albeit majority were middle age and up. Our guide Giuliano was fabulous. Funny, knowledgable, passionate and easy to follow.
Bradley_K, Sep 2026
The overall experience was great. We really enjoyed the walking portion through the city and the gondola ride. The experience through St. Mark’s and Doge’s Palace were a little long (and hot!). I’d definitely recommend doing the tour overall as it’s a great way to see the city in a morning. Valentina S. was a wonderful guide, super helpful, and easy to be with for the morning. Would recommend.
Leo_M, Sep 2026
Wonderful tour! Grazia was amazing and so informative. It’s a long one, so definitely pack a snack and drink.
Belyn_S, Sep 2026
This was a wonderful walking tour. Roberta, the guide, was informative. The reason I gave 4 star is that there were 20 people in the group and I mistakenly, I suppose, thought I was booking a more private (smaller) tour.
Linda_B, Sep 2026
Mose is a great guide. He knows Venice really well and shared the information in a fun and engaging way. We really enjoyed the tour.
Deborah_T, Sep 2026
This walking tour gave us a wonderful tour of Venice and some of it's major attractions. Our guide Nico was easy to understand and kept an easy pace for us as seniors. He has a wealth of knowledge of Venice! The Gondola ride was a must do, so thank you for including it in this tour. Nicole gave us a wonderful recommendation for lunch. One of your best tours and guides we have experienced.
Julie_S, Sep 2026
Wow! What an amazing experience
Our guide Valentina S had so much knowledge and was able to impart it without information overload
Beautiful places and to find out the history gave a new level of enjoyment and appreciation of the history of Venice
Jennifer_S, Sep 2026
Valentina S did a splendid job sharing her city with us! We learned so much. I appreciate that she moved at the pace of the group and made sure we were able to fully embrace the experience!
Mark_H, Sep 2026
Great guide. Lots of walking definitely worth seeing and doing. We only had a day and it was well spent.
ERIC_T, Sep 2026
Venice in a day tour with Roberta was great. Communication prior to tour was good. Meet up was easy and efficient. Started with a walking tour around several neighborhoods and markets, nice to see things away from the busy/tourist areas. Gondola ride was nice. Then on to St Mark's Square and Cathedral and Doges Palace. Entry to both was quick and easy, got to spend ample time in each. A most enjoyable and memorable tour.
Robert_W, Sep 2026
It’s fast paced and comprehensive. A good overview of all of the main sites. Clearly St. Mark’s basilica and the Doges palace could take much longer to do properly but this is a very good introduction.
Mark_B, Sep 2026
Tour guide very knowledgeable with fun delivery of content. If you only have a day or two this tour gives a good overview of St Mark's and Doge Palace.
Payton_K, Sep 2026
This is a great tour to get a feel of Venice and see all the big sites. Our guide was fantastic and was very knowledgeable about the artwork and you could feel how passionate he was about Venice.
FRANKO_R, Sep 2026
Paid for a Gondola ride, but found out at the end it wasn’t concluded. Contacted Viator customer service and they did little to rectify the situation. Probably choose a different tour provider in the future. Lots of options
Steve_B, Sep 2026
Great way to see the 'high points' with limited time. Guide was informative, entertaining and knowledgeable.
Couldn't ask for better.
Trisha_F, Sep 2026
Enjoyed this tour immensely. Very informative. Was able to see everything that there was to see. Long tour but worth it. Our tour guide, Guilliono was excellent.
Patricia_A, Aug 2026
This was an educational tour with highlights of several historical Venice sites. Doing the tour early morning was best since it was a warm day and several sites on the tour doesn’t have air conditioning. Our tour guide Denise was interesting and accommodating with our group.
OscarLuis_R, Aug 2026
Our day in Venice was truly unforgettable. From the moment we started, our guide made us feel welcomed, comfortable, and excited to discover this incredible city.
Exploring the magnificent Doge’s Palace and St. Mark’s Square was an amazing experience. His knowledge of Venice, its history, and its fascinating stories made every place come alive. He was not only extremely knowledgeable, but also warm, patient, attentive, and genuinely passionate about what he does.
The gondola ride through the beautiful canals was the perfect highlight of the day. Seeing Venice from the water was magical and created memories that we will treasure for a long time.
What made this tour especially memorable was the personal attention and positive energy our guide brought throughout the entire experience. He went above and beyond to make sure we enjoyed every moment.
Venice is a city that stays in your heart, and having such a wonderful guide made our experience even more special. I would highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting Venice. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Linda_M, Aug 2026
Lots of stairs over the bridges and in the church. By the end we were quite tired. Guide was very informative. But guide should have waited for us to catch up on occasion. - I use a cane and am a bit slower than “the pack”.
Jerry_C, Aug 2026
We really enjoyed Denise and her knowledge as she shared both her personal experience of living in Venice, as well as her knowledge of art and history. The context that she provided while walking through the various stops on our tour was a great value, adding needed context for what we were looking at. Although I’ve been to Venice once before, and had done Saint Marks Square, the Cathedral, and the Doge’s Palace, going through with Denise yesterday provided context that was not there the first time we went. Highly recommend working with somebody as knowledgeable as she is.
Laura_C, Aug 2026
From where the locals shop to seeing the big sights like the Palace and St. Mark's Basilica, my jaw was on the floor. Our guide Denise, a local Venetian herself, dove in deep with the culture, life style, and historical sights. Her can tell that being a guide is her passion. The church and palace are so stunningly beautiful. Venice is so romantic.
Kim_B, Aug 2026
Marie-Therese was extremely knowledgable, in particular with respect to the art and architecture. She had a terrific sense of humor that she used to great effect in conveying historical perspectives in an engaging, informative style that made it fun.
I think we hit everything that could be expected in a day, without feeling rushed or having anything glossed over. Well done.
Joseph_L, Aug 2026
This was a great experience to see Venice. We had a great time. Wear your comfortable shoes, this is a walking tour.
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