Venice In a Day: St Mark's, Doges Palace Gondola Ride & City Tour
Recommended by 95% of travelers
Venice, Italy
- 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
- Local English-speaking guide
- Expertly guided walking tour
- 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)
- Headset
- Hotel Pick-Up/Drop-Off
- Lunch
- Gratuities
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- Chiesa di San Giacomo di RialtoCampo S. Giacomo di Rialto, 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
Mercato di Rialto (Pass By)
Marco Polo's House (Pass By)
2
Canal Grande
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
3
Venice
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.
- This tour is non-refundable. 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.
- 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 3,765 reviews
Genene_S, Apr 2026
Be prepared to walk quite a bit; wear comfortable shoes. You'll cover a lot of territory on uneven walkways. It's a good overview of Venice, and our tour guide "Francesca" was terrific. However I felt very shortchanged because we didn't get see the place I was most eager to see! The Basilica San Marco wasn't available to us. Surprisingly, no partial refund (entry cost that was included in our tour price) was offered.
Sue_N, Apr 2026
Wear comfy shoes, bring water, well worth every moment, phillipe was the greatest, very informative, very funny and made the tour one to remember
Charlotte_L, Apr 2026
Excellent jam-packed tour if you have limited time to see the top highlights. Moses is a great guide
Syed_A, Apr 2026
Very well done and thorough tour. Phillipe was an amazing guide, very funny and extremely knowledgeable. Highly recommend!
Maria_T, Apr 2026
Moise the best guide ever. High quality tour with a balanced mix of culture and history and charm. The palace was so beautiful.
Michele_G, Apr 2026
The majority of the tour was great Matteo was adorable. The only negative was that we didn’t get to see Doges Palace. The line was eternal and it never moved. It wasn’t Matteo’s fault. I’m not sure what happened at the venue but they were not honoring timed tickets.
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Hello Michele,
Thank you for sharing your feedback.
We’re so pleased to hear that you enjoyed the majority of your tour and that Matteo made such a positive impression—he’ll be delighted to hear your kind words.
That said, we’re very sorry that you were unable to visit the Doge’s Palace as planned. We understand how disappointing this must have been, especially as it is a highlight of the experience. Unfortunately, on rare occasions, issues at the venue—such as delays or challenges with timed entry—can impact even pre-booked visits, despite our best efforts to schedule everything carefully.
We truly appreciate your understanding that this was beyond your guide’s control, and we will continue to monitor these situations closely with the venue to minimise disruptions wherever possible.
Thank you again for your feedback, and we hope to welcome you again for a more seamless experience in the future.
Warmest regards,
Princess
Walks and Devour Feedback Team
Zoe_M, Apr 2026
Excellent local Venetian guide who gave us a great tour around Venice. Lots of historic information and very knowledgable. Broken up well with gondola ride and food break so 12/14yr olds managed well.
Only disappointment was on arrival finding St Marks was closed for Good Friday - sounds like this was well known but no alteration to advertised tour on this date despite beng a local expert company. We would have booked a different day if had known. Refund to be given. Guide made up well with lots of external information and probably more time in Doge’s palace.
Shahenda_A, Apr 2026
It is the worst tour I have ever had!!! The tour guide was a horrible story teller. I could not understand what he is saying with his thick accent. Moreover, we waited for a long time to get into the Doges palace. The tour started at 8:25 and time was wasted in the Gondola ride and other non important stuff. But the time we arrived at the Doges palace, it was too late and it was so crowded. I am going to ask for my honey back. Not only I wasted a lot of money but also wasted precious time of my vacation!
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Dear Shahenda,
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback.
We’re very sorry to hear that your experience did not meet expectations and that you left feeling disappointed. We understand how frustrating it must have been to feel that your time was not used effectively, especially during a planned day of sightseeing.
We regret that you found it difficult to follow your guide’s commentary. All of our guides are carefully selected for their knowledge and passion, but we appreciate that clarity and delivery are just as important, and we will be sure to pass your comments on for review.
We’re also sorry to hear about the delays at the Doge’s Palace and the impact this had on your visit. While we aim to carefully balance the itinerary—including the gondola ride and guided tour—crowd levels and entry conditions at popular sites can sometimes affect timings throughout the day.
We take your concerns seriously and would like the opportunity to look into this further for you. If you’re open to it, please reach out to us at feedback@walks.org with your booking reference so we can review your experience more closely.
Thank you again for your honest feedback. It helps us improve, and we hope we’ll have the opportunity to provide you with a much better experience in the future.
Kind regards,
Princess
Walks Feedback Team
Patricia_M, Apr 2026
We didnt love this tour.We were instructed to stay in a line because the locals would cuss at us and we learn bad words in french if we didnt stay on the right side of the streets.We were a group of roughly 20, Consequently our head sets were out of range being in the back of the line, so we couldn't hear the guide most of the time. We paid for entry to the Basillica and we were not able to do so.We waited in line for about 35 minutes to take the Gondola ride, while the operator was yelling over our heads the entire ride, talking to the operator from the Gondola in front of us., and or he was on his cell phone. There were so many people in the other attractions and the guide was explaining the history (not very well may i add) before everyone could get close enough to hear her on the headset because they were trying to move through the people. There were a few people that were a little older so they had taken the elevator up in the Doges, and she left them upstairs with out telling them where to go to get back down the elevator or any warning thst she was moving to the next floor. When she was informed of them being out of the group she went to find them,as they had made thier way down the stairs at that point, like 10 minutes later, and sent them straight to the exit from the elevator and told them to wait outside. Pretty disheartening. The group was way to large for the guide. I wouldn't recommend this tour unless it was 6 to 8 people in a group. Dont take any older people that might need the elevator because the stairs in the Doges are hefty. You would be better off doing this one without a guide. You can look up the history if you dont know it already. Everywhere tour throughout our 2 month travel has been fantastic..This one...I think I will request my m9ney back on.
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Dear Patricia,
Thank you for taking the time to share such detailed feedback.
We’re very sorry to hear that your experience did not meet expectations, particularly in relation to group size, communication, and overall organisation.
We understand how frustrating it must have been to struggle to hear the guide, feel rushed in crowded areas, and encounter difficulties with coordination during the visit.
We also regret the issues you described regarding the Basilica access and the gondola experience, as well as the situation involving members of your group who required the elevator.
This is certainly not the level of care and attention we aim to provide, and we appreciate you bringing these points to our attention.
While Venice can be extremely busy and managing group movement in such conditions can be challenging, your feedback highlights areas where we clearly need to improve—particularly in group management, communication, and ensuring all guests feel supported throughout the tour.
We truly value your comments and will be sharing them with our operations and guiding teams for review.
If you’re open to it, please reach out to us at feedback@walks.org with your booking reference so we can review your experience more closely.
Thank you again for your honesty. We truly regret that we didn’t deliver the experience you were hoping for, and we hope we might have the opportunity to provide you with a much better experience in the future.
Warmest regards,
Princess
Walks and Devour Feedback Team
Amabelle_G, Apr 2026
This 3-n-1 activity is great especially for first timers like us in Venice. Plus we had a great tour guide Nico! He made history fun for us. Very knowledgeable, jolly and funny guy. After the tour we had a pretty good picture how Venice was centuries ago and amazed how structures are frozen in time and we get to see them. Will definitely recommend this tour to family and friends! And to have Nico as the guide is really a big bonus!
Greg_B, Apr 2026
This is a very good way to get an overview of Venice and several key sights like St Mark's and Doge Palace without waiting in lines. Wandering through the markets including the fish market while learning historic details from our very informative guide Francesca brought a more inmtimate engagement with the city. As a solo traveler experiencing a gondola ride was as bonus. Overall, good value and highly recommended
Bradford_H, Apr 2026
Very informative, nice pace. Group of 20 and we never felt crowded. The guide was entertaining and knowledgeable
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Hi Bradford,
Thank you for your wonderful feedback! We’re delighted to hear that you enjoyed the Venice In a Day tour and that the pace, group size, and guide’s engaging style all contributed to a positive experience.
Making sure guests feel comfortable while discovering Venice’s highlights is always our goal, and it’s great to know this was reflected in your tour.
We hope to welcome you back for another Venetian adventure in the future!
All the best,
Samantha. Walks & Devour Feedback Team
Michail_P, Apr 2026
Great tour if you want to see Venice and the highlights of the town in half a day. A lot of walking around the streets of Venice and plenty of explosions from the guide.
kristin_M, Apr 2026
Interesting guide gave us great background/history. Knowledgeable and funny guide. Enjoyed the tour.
Antonio_M, Apr 2026
Loved the walking tour and the gondola ride. It is impressive the history shared and our tour-guide was very knowledgeable.
Jamie_T, Mar 2026
Nicoletta is incredibly knowledgeable - would recommend for those interested in the history of Venice. I really enjoyed it. Lots of walking - my feet are sore - but very doable. Enough breaks.
Paul_M, Mar 2026
Great way to see and learn so much in a short period of time. We would have just wandered around without appreciating where we were if not for the tour!
Kat_D, Mar 2026
This tour does what it says on the tin, but no more. Our guide told us at the start of the day that she wasn’t local to Venice, and unfortunately that was clear. She had a detailed script but didn’t like to deviate from it. At one point I asked about the zodiac clock in the Senate Room of the Doge's Palace in Venice, and she said she’d been “about to explain” but then said the clock “always” pointed to Libra (the scales) to indicate justice – I looked it up online later and this just isn't the case. Outside we passed the location of the famous gondola chase from the James Bond film Moonraker. We recognised it, but she didn’t mention it, and instead spent five minutes telling us about Jeff Bezos’ wedding and how a local woman had managed to enter without an invite. She was also very softly spoken which meant we had to use the Bluetooth earpieces we were given at all times, but it was disorienting and difficult to hear with that in one ear and her voice (and other sounds) in and out of the other ear. Overall although we did get to see everything, I sincerely can’t say I’d recommend this tour. If I were asked I’d tell people to choose “Eat Like a Venetian”. We learned so much more on that one!
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Dear Kat,
Thank you for taking the time to share your detailed feedback. We're very sorry to hear that the experience did not meet your expectations. We are pleased you were able to experience the highlights inspite of the other issues that impacted your day.
We expect our guides to deliver engaging, accurate and flexible experiences, so your comments have been taken very seriously and have been shared with our management team for review,
We would appreciate the opportunity to look into this further and make things right. Please contact us at feedback@walks.org
with your booking details so we can investigate and follow up with you directly.
We hope to have the chance to provide a better experience in the future.
Samantha.
Walks & Devour Feedback Team
Jason_W, Mar 2026
Venice essentials but as always the guide was knowledgeable beyond the tour answered all our questions. Gondola ride was a plus and the gondolier Regatta and Skills Competition is in September if you are interested.
Jeffrey_H, Mar 2026
Denise was awesome she gave very fun information packed tour. She went above and beyond with explaining how things were in Venice along with the Venetian view of how they are now. I highly recommend her!!!
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Thank you for the 5-star review, Jeffrey! We are so glad to hear that Denise made your Venice in a Day tour such an awesome experience.
It’s wonderful to know that you enjoyed her "information-packed" approach and that she went above and beyond to provide that unique contrast between historical Venice and the local Venetian perspective today. Providing that kind of authentic context is exactly what we strive for!
I will be sure to share your high recommendation and kind words with Denise and the rest of the Venice team.
Kind Regards,
Gerard
Karen_s, Mar 2026
It was so informative and our guide was amazing and entertaining. He was so knowledgeable. We would have liked more time in the Dodges Palace especially the weapons display. But Michael was the best guide!
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Thank you for the 5-star review, Karen! We are so pleased to hear that Michael made your day in Venice both informative and entertaining.
Michael is a wealth of knowledge, and it is wonderful to know he kept the group engaged throughout the highlights of the city. We appreciate your feedback regarding the Doge’s Palace; with so much history packed into one building, it can certainly be tempting to stay even longer! We're glad you enjoyed the weapons display and will keep your comments in mind as we continue to refine our tour pacing.
I will be sure to share your kind words with Michael and the rest of the Venice team.
Kind Regards,
Gerard
Carol_R, Mar 2026
The tour was pretty decent. Our tour guide Roberta was engaging and did a nice job of showing us around some of the lesser traveled areas of the city. The access to San Marco just afternoon provided a good time to see the frescos illuminated. The 20 minute gondola ride was fun and the access to the Doge’s palace was worth the visit. There was an extended break in the middle for lunch. Overall it was a good tour.
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Hi Carol,
Thank you for sharing your feedback! We're delighted to hear you enjoyed your time with Roberta and appreciated exploring some of the lesser-traveled areas of Venice. It’s also great to know the timing for St. Mark’s Basilica, the gondola ride and the visit to the Doge’s Palace all helped make for an enjoyable day.
We’ll be sure to pass along your kind words to Roberta — she’ll be very pleased to hear them. We hope to welcome you on another tour with us in the future!
Samantha.
Walks & Devour Feedback Team
Estela_L, Mar 2026
We had a great tour guide. He was funny and very knowledgeable. He shared lots of interesting facts and stories.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Thank you for the 5-star review, Estela! We are so pleased to hear that you had such a great experience on our Venice in a Day tour.
It is wonderful to know that your guide’s blend of humor and deep knowledge made the history of Venice come alive for you. We truly believe that the best way to experience the stories and facts of the city is through an engaging and fun perspective!
I will be sure to share your kind words with the Venice team.
Kind Regards,
Gerard
Yimmy_R, Mar 2026
Recommended for people that want to know more about Venice in a short time
Elena our fuide was a local resident with plenty of knowledge of the city
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Thank you for the 5-star review, Yimmy! We are so pleased to hear that our Venice in a Day tour was the perfect fit for your trip.
Elena is a fantastic guide, and there is truly no substitute for the insight and passion of a local resident. It is wonderful to know that her deep knowledge helped you discover so much about the city’s history and culture in a shorter timeframe. We aim to make the most of every minute for our guests, and we’re glad Elena hit the mark!
I will be sure to share your kind words and recommendation with Elena and the rest of the Venice team.
Kind Regards,
Gerard
Nancy_D, Mar 2026
This tour exceeded our expectations! Elena provided so much history and many fun facts about Venice and the specific places we visited. Her English is flawless, so we easily understood her. I would absolutely recommend this tour!
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Thank you for the 5-star review, Nancy! We are thrilled to hear that our Venice in a Day tour exceeded your expectations.
Elena is a fantastic guide, and it is wonderful to know that her deep knowledge of Venetian history and her collection of fun facts made the day so engaging for you. We take great pride in ensuring our guides provide clear and accessible commentary, so we’re glad you found her so easy to follow and highly recommend the experience!
I will be sure to share your kind words with Elena and the rest of the Venice team.
Kind Regards,
Gerard
Gordon_J, Mar 2026
This was the best walking tour we have taken. Our guide Michele was informative, friendly, respectful and very funny.
tak2104, Mar 2026
Great guide and overall experience. Guide was very informative. Trip took us around the highlights of Venice and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Thank you for the 5-star review! We are so pleased to hear that you thoroughly enjoyed your Venice in a Day tour.
It is wonderful to know that our guide provided such an informative experience and that you enjoyed seeing the highlights of this beautiful city—from St. Mark's and the Doge's Palace to that iconic gondola ride. We always strive to provide a comprehensive and memorable overview for our guests, and it sounds like your day was a great success!
I will be sure to share your kind words and high recommendation with the rest of the Venice team.
Kind Regards,
Gerard
mbhartz200, Mar 2026
Wonderful experience! Our guide, Pamela, set a great pace - little breaks when needed. She also had tons of information about the sights we visited, but kept it light and interesting (not like a school class like some guides!). Great way to see the most important sights in a day without feeling short-changed. Many thanks to Pamela! Highly recommend!
Christina_J, Mar 2026
Wonderful summary of the city! Roberta, a born local, was excellent and very knowledgeable. We thoroughly enjoyed it, and recommend!
MaryAnn_M, Mar 2026
There was information covering history, art and local areas. Guide was fun. As our guide had lived in Venice she also knew the areas well. You could tell she was still excited to see everything and Venice is dear to her heart.
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