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Venice Tour: Skip-Line St Mark’s & Gondola Ride

4.6(525 reviews)Venice, Italy
3hDurationEnglishOffered inMobile ticketTicketNot includedPickupEasyLevel

About this experience

This tour includes a city walk through Venice, highlighting the Rialto Bridge, the fish market, historic mansions, and a unique bookshop. Participants will visit St. Mark’s Basilica to view its gold mosaics and will take a gondola ride through the canals. The tour lasts for 2.5 hours and is suitable for first-time visitors or those looking for a brief introduction to the city. An Express option is available at booking, which does not include the gondola ride.

Itinerary

1

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!

2

Museo di Palazzo Grimani

Pause to admire a unique mansion that belonged to a powerful Venetian family.

3

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.

4

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.

What's included / not included

Famous local bookstoreRialto Fish MarketLocal English-speaking guideSkip-the-line access to St. Mark's Basilica (12€)Rialto BridgeExpertly guided walking tourPalazzo Grimani (exterior)Gondola Ride (if option selected)St. Mark’s Square (Piazza San Marco)
GratuitiesHotel Pick-Up/Drop-OffGuide (during gondola ride)

Additional information

Accessibility and comfort

  • Public transportation options are available nearby
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels

Good to know

  • 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.

Traveller reviews

4.6525 reviews

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