
Venice Tour: Skip-Line St Mark’s & Gondola Ride
Traveler rating
4.6/5
Based on 530 traveler reviews. Ratings and reviews provided by Viator and Tripadvisor.
Quick answer
Is Venice Tour: Skip-Line St Mark’s & Gondola Ride worth booking?
Venice Tour: Skip-Line St Mark’s & Gondola Ride is a 3-hour experience in Venice, Italy, from $113 per person. It scores 73 out of 100 on the Outty Ranking, which we label “Strongly Recommended”, based on a 4.6/5 rating across 530 reviews. This booking is non-refundable, so pick your date carefully. Same-day spots are currently showing.
- Outty Ranking
- 73 / 100
- Rating
- 4.6/5 (530)
- Duration
- 3 hours
- From
- $113 per person
A first-timer to Venice, or don’t know where to begin your explorations? Over the course of this tour, experience many of the city’s top highlights. See the Rialto Bridge, fish market, historic mansions, and a quirky bookshop on a city walk before admiring the shimmering gold mosaics inside St. Mark’s Basilica. Plus enjoy a relaxing gondola ride and explore areas of the city that many tour groups miss. If you're short on time or want an introduction to Venice in just 2.5 hours, select the Welcome to Venice Express option at time of booking. Note: This option does not include a gondola ride.
What you get
About this experience
A first-timer to Venice, or don’t know where to begin your explorations? Over the course of this tour, experience many of the city’s top highlights. See the Rialto Bridge, fish market, historic mansions, and a quirky bookshop on a city walk before admiring the shimmering gold mosaics inside St. Mark’s Basilica. Plus enjoy a relaxing gondola ride and explore areas of the city that many tour groups miss. If you're short on time or want an introduction to Venice in just 2.5 hours, select the Welcome to Venice Express option at time of booking. Note: This option does not include a gondola ride.
What's included
Included
- Famous local bookstore
- Rialto Fish Market
- Local English-speaking guide
- Skip-the-line access to St. Mark's Basilica (12€)
- Rialto Bridge
- Expertly guided walking tour
- Palazzo Grimani (exterior)
- Gondola Ride (if option selected)
- St. Mark’s Square (Piazza San Marco)
Not included
- Gratuities
- Hotel Pick-Up/Drop-Off
- Guide (during gondola ride)
What you'll see and do
Mercati di Rialto
Meet near the Rialto Bridge and learn why it was initially considered a very bad idea to build it. Take a quick look at the Rialto Fish Market to learn about the long fishing history of the city and its famous cuisine. Get a couple of restaurant recommendations from your local guide!
30 minutes here
Continue your walking tour to discover some of the city’s hidden gems. You'll learn what it is like to live on the island today as you meander through hidden alleyways. See a remarkable statue by Verocchio on the Campo San Giovanni and Paolo, where you will also see a variety of typical Venetian architectural styles.
50 minutes here
Museo di Palazzo Grimani
Pause to admire a unique mansion that belonged to a powerful Venetian family.
Pass by without stopping
Libreria Acqua alta
You'll learn what it is like to live on the island today as you meander through hidden alleyways, stopping along the way at a quirky Venetian bookstore with a stunning canal view and friendly resident cats. Your guide will wait outside, allowing you few minutes inside to explore on your own.
10 minutes here
Basilica di San Marco
With pre-reserved entry, you’ll bypass the often long lines and head inside this extraordinary church. Your expert guide will bring the basilica to life—revealing how its unique blend of eastern and western design came to be, uncovering the dramatic story of how St. Mark’s relics arrived in Venice, and helping you appreciate the shimmering gold mosaics that make this place unlike anywhere else in the world.
30 minutes here · Admission included
Your guide will then leave you to enjoy a 30-minute (approximately) gondola ride with a professional gondolier. Limited to only 5 people per gondola, this experience will be both intimate and relaxing. Punt through the quieter canals of Venice as you relax and enjoy the city at its best! Note: the Welcome to Venice Express option does not include a gondola ride.
30 minutes here
Where it starts and ends
Meeting point
Venice
Please arrive 15 minutes prior to the start of your tour, your guide will be holding a yellow WalksDevour sign. This tour meets outside the entrance of the Church of San Giacometto at Campo San Giacomo di Rialto (also known as Campo San Giacometto).
Hotel pickup
No pickup: everyone meets at the start point.
Ends at
In St. Mark's Square.
Options you can book
Welcome to Venice
Duration: 3 hours: Learn the history of Venice on a walking tour, skip-the-line access to St. Mark’s Basilica, and enjoy a gondola ride.
Private - Welcome to Venice
Duration: 3 hours With Gondola Ride: Learn the history of Venice, visit famous monuments, see St. Mark’s Basilica, and a gondola ride down the enchanting canals.
Before you book
- Cancellation
- If you cancel at least 3 full day(s) before the scheduled departure time, you will receive a full refund.<br>If you cancel within 3 day(s) of the scheduled departure, you will receive a 0% refund.
- Languages
- en
- Ticket
- Mobile Only
- Runs on
- Every day
- Group size
- Up to 15 travelers per booking
- Operated by
- Walks - Italy & Spain
Know before you go
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Unfortunately due to the nature of this tour it is not suitable for guests with mobility impairments or with wheelchairs, or strollers.
- The Rialto Fish Market is closed on Sundays.
- This is a walking tour. Guests should be able to walk at a moderate pace without difficulty.
- Large bags, trolleys and backpacks cannot be accommodated on this tour.
- During times of high tides, flooding, or heavy rain, the gondola ride may be substituted for another experience.
- The full names of all participants must be provided at the time of booking and must match the names on the ID/Passport. Name changes are not permitted.
- 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.
- 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.
Photos






What travelers are saying
Outty’s summary of the themes that recur across 527 traveler reviews. Written by us, not quoted from reviewers.
The guide
6 mentionsTravelers single out the guide as the reason the experience works.
Knowledge and storytelling
6 mentionsReviewers describe the commentary as informative rather than scripted.
Pace and timing
2 mentionsSeveral reviewers comment on how the schedule is paced.
Traveler reviews
527 verified traveler reviews for Venice Tour: Skip-Line St Mark’s & Gondola Ride. Ratings and reviews provided by Viator and Tripadvisor.
We loved Shannon our guide!
Shannon is an excellent tour guide. She is an American but explained that she has lived in Venice since 2008. So she had the best of the Italian culture with an American flair to share with us. She told many interesting stories about the history, architecture and lifestyle of Venice that you wouldn’t get from anyone who didn’t live there. We really appreciated her making sure everyone could see and hear all the fine points of Venice. Great overall tour and guide!
via Tripadvisor
Very well done
Shannon was our guide. She was American and was easier for us to understand. Also the hearing devices they gave us were better than we usually get as we have done quite a few tours. She explained things we never would have understood if we had done these places ourselves.
via Viator
Wonderful experience
Shannon was excellent. She was very thorough, knowledgeable, and patient.
via Tripadvisor
Awesome guided tour of all of Venice
First time in Venice and the tour provided a look at both the big things but also an expert guide to some of the off the main canal places - all of them beautiful. Our gondola ride was spectacular!!
via Viator
Not enough information beforehand
You need to have shoulders and knees covered to go in St Marks. This is information that should have been given in the what to expect portion of the tour information
via Viator
Good to know
- Duration
- 3 hours
- Free cancellation
- Non-refundable
- Minimum age to book
- All ages
- Availability
- Bookable today
- Runs on
- Every day
- Price range
- $113 to $650
- Hotel pickup
- No pickup, meet at start point
- Booked in 30 days
- 186
- Verdict
- Strongly Recommended
Who runs this experience
Operated by Walks - Italy & Spain, who run 54 experiences we rank across 9 cities, with an average Outty Ranking of 61.1 and 2 in the 90+ Club.
See everything Walks - Italy & Spain runsWhy this scores 73
The Outty Ranking is a weighted composite. Here is how this experience performed on each component.
Venice Tour: Skip-Line St Mark’s & Gondola Ride: questions travelers ask
Practical detail on this experience, plus the wider planning questions for Venice.
How much does Venice Tour: Skip-Line St Mark’s & Gondola Ride cost?
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Prices start at $113 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 Venice Tour: Skip-Line St Mark’s & Gondola Ride take?
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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 Venice Tour: Skip-Line St Mark’s & Gondola Ride worth it?
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It holds an Outty Ranking of 73 out of 100, which we label "Strongly Recommended". That score blends traveler sentiment (4.6/5 across 530 reviews), the depth of that review evidence, recent booking momentum, value for money against comparable food & drink in Venice, and how flexible the cancellation terms are.
Can I cancel or reschedule Venice Tour: Skip-Line St Mark’s & Gondola Ride?
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No. This experience is sold on a non-refundable basis, so only book a date you are confident about. Similar experiences in the city do offer free cancellation if flexibility matters more than price.
Is Venice Tour: Skip-Line St Mark’s & Gondola Ride suitable for kids and families?
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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 Venice Tour: Skip-Line St Mark’s & Gondola Ride?
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Around 186 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?
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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 Venice Tour: Skip-Line St Mark’s & Gondola Ride start and how do I get there?
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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?
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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?
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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?
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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?
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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 Venice Tour: Skip-Line St Mark’s & Gondola Ride?
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Included: Famous local bookstore; Rialto Fish Market; Local English-speaking guide; Skip-the-line access to St. Mark's Basilica (12€); and Rialto Bridge. Not included: Gratuities; Hotel Pick-Up/Drop-Off; and Guide (during gondola ride). Always check the voucher for the final list before you travel.
Where is the meeting point for Venice Tour: Skip-Line St Mark’s & Gondola Ride?
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Please arrive 15 minutes prior to the start of your tour, your guide will be holding a yellow WalksDevour sign. This tou. Hotel pickup is not included, so plan your own transport and arrive 15 minutes early.
What languages is Venice Tour: Skip-Line St Mark’s & Gondola Ride offered in?
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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 Venice Tour: Skip-Line St Mark’s & Gondola Ride?
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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.
Is Venice Tour: Skip-Line St Mark’s & Gondola Ride wheelchair or stroller accessible?
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The operator notes: Unfortunately due to the nature of this tour it is not suitable for guests with mobility i. If accessibility is critical, contact the operator after booking to confirm arrangements for your date.
What happens to Venice Tour: Skip-Line St Mark’s & Gondola Ride if the weather is bad?
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It generally runs rain or shine, so dress for the forecast in Venice. Standard cancellation terms apply.
What do travelers say about Venice Tour: Skip-Line St Mark’s & Gondola Ride?
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Across 530 reviews averaging 4.6 out of 5, recurring themes include the guide, knowledge and storytelling. Travelers single out the guide as the reason the experience works. One thing to know: Several reviewers comment on how the schedule is paced.
What booking options are available for Venice Tour: Skip-Line St Mark’s & Gondola Ride?
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There are 2 options to choose from, including Welcome to Venice, Private - Welcome to Venice. Prices and start times differ by option, so compare them on the booking screen.
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