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

5.0 (26 reviews) Venice, Italy
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Duration3h
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TicketMobile or paper ticket accepted
LanguagesEnglish
Private tourOnly your group will participate

Overview

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

  • Torture chamber
  • English-speaking tour guide
  • Hall of the Great Council
  • Skip-the-line access to St. Mark's Basilica (12€)
  • Special access to the Doge’s Palace Secret itineraries
  • New Prisons
  • Secret archives
  • Skip-the-line Doge's Palace tickets
  • Courtrooms and the Doges’ Apartments
  • Casanova’s prison cell
  • Gratuities
  • Hotel Pick-Up/Drop-Off

What to expect

  1. Palazzo Ducale
    2h 30m · Admission ticket included
    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. St. Mark's Basilica
    30m · Admission ticket included
    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.

Meeting and pickup

Meeting point

Please arrive 15 minutes prior to the start of your tour, your guide will be holding a yellow WalksDevour 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

Additional information

  • 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.
  • 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.
  • This tour is not suitable for people who are claustrophobic.
  • No refund will be provided if high tide prevents certain parts of the tour, but adjustments to the route will be made for client safety and comfort.
  • If access is restricted due to private events inside the Doge's Palace, we cannot be held responsible. This is a situation beyond our control. No refund will be issued.
  • All guests must supply their full name that matches a valid ID at the time of the booking. Should you fail to provide these, your reservation will be canceled. Name changes are not permitted.
  • 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.

Cancellation policy

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

Reviews

5.0 (26)
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