
St. Mark’s Basilica & Doge’s Palace Guided Tour with Gondola Ride
Traveler rating
4.4/5
Based on 493 traveler reviews. Ratings and reviews provided by Viator and Tripadvisor.
Quick answer
Is St. Mark’s Basilica & Doge’s Palace Guided Tour with Gondola Ride worth booking?
St. Mark’s Basilica & Doge’s Palace Guided Tour with Gondola Ride is a 3-hour experience in Venice, Italy, from $171 per person. It scores 72 out of 100 on the Outty Ranking, which we label “Strongly Recommended”, based on a 4.4/5 rating across 493 reviews. Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before the start time. Same-day spots are currently showing.
- Outty Ranking
- 72 / 100
- Rating
- 4.4/5 (493)
- Duration
- 3 hours
- From
- $171 per person
Experience the best of Venice in one seamless tour combining St. Mark’s Basilica, Doge’s Palace, and a classic gondola ride. Enjoy reserved entry and explore with an expert guide who brings the city’s history to life. Step inside iconic landmarks, glide through scenic canals, and discover Venice’s magic in a perfectly paced, unforgettable experience.
What you get
About this experience
Experience the best of Venice in one seamless tour combining St. Mark’s Basilica, Doge’s Palace, and a classic gondola ride. Enjoy reserved entry and explore with an expert guide who brings the city’s history to life. Step inside iconic landmarks, glide through scenic canals, and discover Venice’s magic in a perfectly paced, unforgettable experience.
What's included
Included
- Learn from a knowledgeable English-speaking guide
- Experience Venice’s top landmarks in one seamless itinerary
- Discover the history of Venice at the Doge’s Palace
- Enjoy a 30-minute shared gondola ride through scenic canals
- Explore St. Mark’s Basilica with reserved access and expert guide
Not included
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Gratuities
- Food and beverages
What you'll see and do
Piazza San Marco
Start in the heart of Venice, St. Mark’s Square, where history, architecture, and atmosphere come together.
Pass by without stopping
St. Mark's Basilica
Step inside the Golden Basilica and uncover dazzling mosaics, soaring domes, and centuries of history brought to life by your expert guide.
45 minutes here · Admission included
Walk the halls of power in the Doge’s Palace, where Venice ruled the seas. Cross the Bridge of Sighs and discover the stories behind the Republic’s rise and fall.
90 minutes here · Admission included
Bridge Of Sighs
Pass by the iconic Bridge of Sighs, where prisoners once took their final glimpse of Venice before imprisonment, one of the city’s most hauntingly beautiful landmarks.
Pass by without stopping
Canal Grande
Let Venice unfold from the water as you glide along its charming canals, passing under bridges and beside timeless palaces on a shared gondola (No commentary included during the gondola ride.)
30 minutes here · Admission included
Where it starts and ends
Meeting point
Venice
Meet at Venice City Tour Office, Calle della Rasse 4536 (City Wonders Meeting Point). From St. Mark’s Square, head toward Doge’s Palace, continue past the Bridge of Sighs, then turn left onto Calle de le Rasse. Please arrive 15 minutes before departure.
Hotel pickup
No pickup: everyone meets at the start point.
Ends at
Returns to the starting point
Options you can book
Group Tour
Duration: 3 hours Best of Venice: Discover Venice with a guided tour of St. Mark's Basilica, Doge's Palace, and a shared gondola ride, all in just a few hours.
Private Tour
Duration: 2 hours 30 minutes Experience the best of Venice: on a private tour of St. Mark's Basilica & Doge's Palace, followed by a traditional gondola ride through its iconic canals.
Before you book
- Cancellation
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
- Languages
- en
- Ticket
- Mobile Only
- Runs on
- Every day
- Group size
- Up to 15 travelers per booking
- Operated by
- City Wonders Ltd
Know before you go
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Please note that entry to St. Mark’s Basilica is subject to a strict dress code. Guests must ensure that their shoulders and knees are covered. Visitors who do not comply with these requirements may be refused entry.
- Only small bags are allowed in St Mark's Basilica
- Due to St. Mark's Basilica security regulations, a PASSPORT OR VALID ID DOCUMENT IS MANDATORY to join this tour. It is your responsibility to ensure you have a valid document with you on tour. Passengers who fail to provide a valid proof of identity will be denied entry.
- Each gondola can host maximum 6 people; the seat aboard cannot be chosen but will be assigned by the gondolier.
- Please note that Gondola tours are not guaranteed in case of bad weather (rain, strong winds, high/low tide). The itinerary of gondola ride may change in the event of wind or bad weather
- The Municipality of Venice has introduced an Access Fee that applies on specific dates. To avoid any inconvenience, we recommend checking the official guidelines and completing the necessary registration through the provided link before your visit. (https://cda.ve.it/en/ Official Link for Registration)
- The official ticket price for St. Mark’s Basilica is €10.00 per person (standard entry)
Photos






What travelers are saying
Outty’s summary of the themes that recur across 493 traveler reviews. Written by us, not quoted from reviewers.
The guide
7 mentionsTravelers single out the guide as the reason the experience works.
Knowledge and storytelling
5 mentionsReviewers describe the commentary as informative rather than scripted.
Traveler reviews
493 verified traveler reviews for St. Mark’s Basilica & Doge’s Palace Guided Tour with Gondola Ride. Ratings and reviews provided by Viator and Tripadvisor.
Tour guide Valentina was so great!
Valentina was incredible!!!! Thank you Valentina for an amazing tour experience!
via Tripadvisor
Best of Venice
This tour gives you the best of everything to do in Venice at a very reasonable price. Highly recommend.
via Viator
Excellent comprehensive tour, and without being rushed left dangling around
Guide was very knowledgeable, entertaining and considerate of my mobility limitations. Highly recommend!
via Tripadvisor
Your guide makes the difference!
The locations are incredible, and will amaze you even without a guide. But our guide Valentina made this amazing place come alive!! I will NEVER visit another historicaly significant site without a CityWonders guide. Our guide clearly loves this city, it's rich history and traditions, and her passion for this place made our experience more than we ever imagined possible. THANK YOU for our memories!
via Tripadvisor
Horrible with cancellations and rebooking
Horrible with cancellations of tours. I had an 11 am tour booked at least a week before we left for vacation, which I had to re-book because of a previous tour cancellation by the provider. They reached out 3 days before, 11 am tour was cancelled, moving to 2 pm. I agreed, I show up after a confirmation email and message. I was told the tour was cancelled. Do yourself a favor a book directly with a tour operator like The Tour Guy or other. The problem is Viator is a second party that organizes trips, but does not have timely response between the person taking the trip and the operators. Hence the several cancellations or last-minute changes. I never write reviews that I had to share this. I tried to cut and paste my emails, but it wouldn’t allow me to.
Response from the operator: Dear Chip_W, Thank you for reaching out and sharing your feedback with us. We are truly sorry for the frustration, inconvenience, and disappointment caused by the changes and cancellation of your tour. We would like to clarify that whenever we need to move a booking or adjust a time, it is because the entry ticket times were officially changed by the venue itself. However, we completely understand how frustrating it is to receive short-notice changes and to arrive for a confirmed tour only to face a cancellation. We deeply apologize for the miscommunication and the impact this had on your vacation, and we appreciate you bringing this to our attention.
via Viator
Good to know
- Duration
- 3 hours
- Free cancellation
- Up to 24h before
- Minimum age to book
- All ages
- Availability
- Bookable today
- Runs on
- Every day
- Price range
- $171 to $750
- Hotel pickup
- No pickup, meet at start point
- Booked in 30 days
- 173
- Verdict
- Strongly Recommended
Who runs this experience
Operated by City Wonders Ltd, who run 66 experiences we rank across 12 cities, with an average Outty Ranking of 74.4 and 1 in the 90+ Club.
See everything City Wonders Ltd runsWhy this scores 72
The Outty Ranking is a weighted composite. Here is how this experience performed on each component.
St. Mark’s Basilica & Doge’s Palace Guided Tour with Gondola Ride: questions travelers ask
Practical detail on this experience, plus the wider planning questions for Venice.
How much does St. Mark’s Basilica & Doge’s Palace Guided Tour with Gondola Ride cost?
+
Prices start at $171 per person. The final price depends on the date, the time slot and the number of travelers, and peak weekends in Venice usually price higher than midweek mornings. Live pricing and remaining availability are confirmed on the booking screen before you pay.
How long does St. Mark’s Basilica & Doge’s Palace Guided Tour with Gondola Ride take?
+
Plan for about 3 hours from start to finish, not counting travel to the meeting point. Most travelers leave another 30 minutes on either side so the rest of the day in Venice is not rushed.
Is St. Mark’s Basilica & Doge’s Palace Guided Tour with Gondola Ride worth it?
+
It holds an Outty Ranking of 72 out of 100, which we label "Strongly Recommended". That score blends traveler sentiment (4.4/5 across 493 reviews), the depth of that review evidence, recent booking momentum, value for money against comparable last minute in Venice, and how flexible the cancellation terms are.
Can I cancel or reschedule St. Mark’s Basilica & Doge’s Palace Guided Tour with Gondola Ride?
+
Yes. Cancel free up to 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. Inside that window the booking is non-refundable, and no-shows are not refunded.
Is St. Mark’s Basilica & Doge’s Palace Guided Tour with Gondola Ride suitable for kids and families?
+
Yes, all ages are welcome. Families should still weigh the 3-hour running time, and strollers are easier on the earlier, quieter departures.
How far in advance should I book St. Mark’s Basilica & Doge’s Palace Guided Tour with Gondola Ride?
+
Around 173 people booked this in the last 30 days, so popular slots go early. Two to three weeks ahead is comfortable in shoulder season, while summer weekends and holidays in Venice can sell out a month out. Same-day spots do open up when other travelers cancel, so it is worth checking if you are already in town.
What should I bring or wear?
+
Bring photo ID, your booking confirmation on your phone, a refillable water bottle and comfortable shoes. Dress for the weather in Venice and add a light layer if any part of the 3-hour experience runs outdoors or after sunset.
Where does St. Mark’s Basilica & Doge’s Palace Guided Tour with Gondola Ride start and how do I get there?
+
The exact meeting point and directions are on your voucher once you book, and they sit in central Venice within reach of public transport. Arrive 15 minutes early: late arrivals are treated as no-shows by most operators.
What are the best things to do in Venice?
+
On Outty we rank every Venice experience on the same 0 to 100 scale, and alongside this one the highest scorers right now include Venice Pasta & Tiramisu Cooking Class with wine by Cooking Italy, Eating Venice Small Group Food & Drinks Tour, Tour of The Real Hidden Venice. The city page groups everything into most popular, highest reviewed, last minute and family-friendly so you can build a day around what actually delivers.
When is the best time to visit Venice?
+
Booking patterns follow the same curve: prices and queues climb in peak weeks, while shoulder season gives you better availability on the top-ranked experiences and more room to change plans.
How many days do you need in Venice?
+
Three full days covers the headline sights without sprinting. A workable rhythm is one anchor experience each morning, such as this one, an unhurried afternoon in a single neighborhood, then a food or nightlife booking in the evening. Five days lets you add a day trip outside the city.
Do I book through Outty or through the operator?
+
Outty ranks and explains the experiences, then hands you to Viator to complete the booking with the operator directly. The price is the same as booking on Viator yourself, and Outty earns an affiliate commission on the referral, which is how the rankings stay free to read.
What is included in St. Mark’s Basilica & Doge’s Palace Guided Tour with Gondola Ride?
+
Included: Learn from a knowledgeable English-speaking guide; Experience Venice’s top landmarks in one seamless itinerary; Discover the history of Venice at the Doge’s Palace; Enjoy a 30-minute shared gondola ride through scenic canals; and Explore St. Mark’s Basilica with reserved access and expert guide. Not included: Hotel pickup and drop-off; Gratuities; and Food and beverages. Always check the voucher for the final list before you travel.
Where is the meeting point for St. Mark’s Basilica & Doge’s Palace Guided Tour with Gondola Ride?
+
Meet at Venice City Tour Office, Calle della Rasse 4536 (City Wonders Meeting Point). From St. Mark’s Square, head toward Doge’s Palace, continue past the Bridge of Sighs, then turn left onto Calle de le Rasse. Hotel pickup is not included, so plan your own transport and arrive 15 minutes early.
What languages is St. Mark’s Basilica & Doge’s Palace Guided Tour with Gondola Ride offered in?
+
It runs in English. Pick your language when choosing a date and time, as not every departure runs in every language.
Will I get instant confirmation and a mobile ticket for St. Mark’s Basilica & Doge’s Palace Guided Tour with Gondola Ride?
+
Confirmation is sent by the operator after booking, usually within 48 hours; if it is not confirmed you are not charged. Mobile tickets are accepted, so you can show the voucher on your phone.
What happens to St. Mark’s Basilica & Doge’s Palace Guided Tour with Gondola Ride if the weather is bad?
+
It generally runs rain or shine, so dress for the forecast in Venice. Standard cancellation terms apply: free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start.
What do travelers say about St. Mark’s Basilica & Doge’s Palace Guided Tour with Gondola Ride?
+
Across 493 reviews averaging 4.4 out of 5, recurring themes include the guide, knowledge and storytelling. Travelers single out the guide as the reason the experience works.
What booking options are available for St. Mark’s Basilica & Doge’s Palace Guided Tour with Gondola Ride?
+
There are 2 options to choose from, including Group Tour, Private Tour. Prices and start times differ by option, so compare them on the booking screen.
Ready to lock in your spot?
Pick a date, choose your group, and see the exact price for St. Mark’s Basilica & Doge’s Palace Guided Tour with Gondola Ride.
Pick your date




