Venice
Essential Venice Walking Tour with St. Mark's Basilica
St. Mark's Basilica on priority access, then the backstreets, ending at the Rialto
Sightseeing, Local Culture
Why We Love it
The second half is Castello — Santa Maria Formosa, San Giovanni e Paolo, and a guide explaining how a car-free city actually keeps itself standing.
The Experience
Three hours with a private English-speaking guide, starting in St. Mark's Square — the political heart of the Venetian Republic, and still the address of the Doge's Palace, the Bridge of Sighs, the Bell Tower and the Clock Tower.
Then inside the Basilica on priority access: 900 years old, gold Byzantine mosaics, domes. After that the route leaves the square for the backstreets, bridges and squares of Castello — Santa Maria Formosa, San Giovanni e Paolo — where your guide explains how a car-free city actually works and how the people who live in it keep it standing.
It ends at the Rialto: across the bridge and into the market that was the trading center of Venice.
My pick for a first visit to Venice, and for anyone who wants the Basilica done properly and then a guide who keeps walking once the square is behind you.
From $315 per person
3 Hours
Private
9:00 am or 2:00 pm
Highlights
What's Included
Private English-speaking guide
The highlights of Venice on foot
Interior visit to St. Mark's Basilica
What's Not Included
Gratuities
Need to Know
3 hours, departing 9:00 am or 2:00 pm
Private — your party only, with your own guide
The tour ends at the Rialto Bridge, not back where it started
Bring your passport or a copy of it — St. Mark's requires ID to enter
Shoulders and knees must be covered: no sleeveless tops, no shorts above the knee
St. Mark's is closed during Sunday morning mass and on Catholic holidays
Free cancellation up to 10 days before
Pricing Details
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Need to know
Three hours with a private English-speaking guide, starting in St. Mark's Square — the political heart of the Venetian Republic, and still the address of the Doge's Palace, the Bridge of Sighs, the Bell Tower and the Clock Tower.
Then inside the Basilica on priority access: 900 years old, gold Byzantine mosaics, domes. After that the route leaves the square for the backstreets, bridges and squares of Castello — Santa Maria Formosa, San Giovanni e Paolo — where your guide explains how a car-free city actually works and how the people who live in it keep it standing.
It ends at the Rialto: across the bridge and into the market that was the trading center of Venice.
My pick for a first visit to Venice, and for anyone who wants the Basilica done properly and then a guide who keeps walking once the square is behind you.