Private Doges Palace Secret Passages Tour and St. Mark's Basilica

3 hours (approximately)
Offered in: English and 1 more

Experience the Doge's Palace with special access to areas that most visitors never see. With a dedicated guide, explore the secret passages connecting hidden archives, council rooms, and the notorious torture chamber. Climb into the palace attic to view high-security prison cells, including the one famously escaped by Casanova. Continue with a complete tour of the Doge's Palace, including grand halls filled with works by Venetian masters that show the city at its height. This tour is completely private, with no other guests in your group and a guide that's focused on you. Enjoy more time to ask questions, linger where interest strikes, and appreciate the details.

What's Included

English-speaking tour guide
Skip-the-line access to St. Mark's Basilica (12€)
Special access to the Doge’s Palace Secret itineraries
Skip-the-line Doge's Palace tickets
Gratuities
Hotel Pick-Up/Drop-Off

Meeting and pickup

Meeting point
Museo Correr

Please arrive 15 minutes prior to the start of your tour, your guide will be holding a green Walks sign. This tour meets at Correr Museum in Piazza San Marco 52. Your guide will be waiting under the portico just outside the entrance of the museum.

End point
Saint Mark's Basilica

Ticket Redemption Point

Museo Correr

Itinerary

Duration: 3 hours (approximately)
  • 1
    Doge's Palace

    Explore the Doge's Palace on a private tour that begins inside the restricted Secret Itineraries, where hidden archives, council rooms, and the torture chamber reveal the workings of the Venetian Republic. Continue into the attic to see high security prison cells, including the one tied to Casanova, and learn the stories behind his escape. After the backstage route, enjoy a complete tour of the palace's grand halls decorated with masterpieces and finish by crossing the Bridge of Sighs into the New Prisons for a final view of Venice's judicial past.

    2 hours 30 minutes Admission ticket included
  • 2

    Your tour finishes next door at St. Mark's Basilica. Bypass the lines and gaze up at the shimmering gold mosaics on the church's ceiling. On a fully guided tour of the basilica, your guide will uncover the dramatic story of how St. Mark’s relics arrived in Venice and help you appreciate the unique blend of eastern and western architecture.

    30 minutes Admission ticket included

Additional info

  • Public transportation options are available nearby
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels
  • This is a walking tour. Guests should be able to walk at a moderate pace without difficulty.
  • Unfortunately due to the nature of this tour it is not suitable for guests with mobility impairments or with wheelchairs, or strollers.
  • Guests should be prepared for a moderate level of physical activity, including standing for extended periods and climbing stairs, which may not be suitable for travelers with certain health conditions or mobility limitations.
  • Due to Doge's Palace regulations, children under the age of 6 are not permitted inside the secret itineraries and therefore cannot take this tour.
Supplied by Walks - Italy & Spain

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Tags

Half-day Tours
Private Sightseeing Tours
Audio Guides
Architecture Tours
Cultural Tours
Historical Tours
Walking Tours

Cancellation Policy

All sales are final. No refund is available for cancellations.

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