Venice Guided Walking Tour

Venice guided sightseeing of around 2 hours to visit St. Mark’ s Square, the Basilica and the Doge’ s Palace.

Staff

Expert Guide

How to move

Walking Tour

Highlights

St. Mark's square

Duration

2 Hours

Tour Type

Private

Main attractions

St. Mark’s Square
St. Mark’s Basilica
Doge’s Palace
Bridge of Sighs

Venice Guided Walking Tour is an introductory sightseeing tour of Venice visiting St. Mark’s Square, the St. Mark’s Basilica and the Doge’s Palace.
An expert local guide will lead you for around 2 hours to the discovery of one of the most romantic city in the world!

 

Discover St. Mark’s square, the political and religious centre of the Republic of Venice. Since ancient times it has been a place extraordinarily rich in historical and artistic value.

A tour of the sumptuous halls of power in the Doge’s Palace, once the seat of the Serenissima government, offers an insight of Venice efficient and fascinating political life. Admire the paintings extolling the Myth of Venice, its conquests and diplomatic successes. Relive the pomp and ceremony of one of Europe’s most prestigious capitals.

The Basilica of Saint Mark, now the city’s cathedral, was once both the Ducal Chapel and a reflection of State magnificence. You’ll be dazzled by its golden mosaics and precious marbles, works of art that have turned the church into one of the most beautiful monuments in the world.

Included
  • Licensed Local Guide
  • Visit as per itinerary
  • Walking Tour
Not Included
  • Admission fees
  • Beverages and meals
  • Gratuities and tips
Contact us for more information

St. Mark’s Square

St. Mark’s Square (or Piazza San Marco) is the main square of Venice, dominated by the great St. Mark’s Basilica, one of the best known examples of Italo-Byzantine architecture. The Basilica has a separate bell tower, almost 100 meters tall (323 ft). The other main building of St. Mark’s Square is Doge's Palace, a beautiful Gothic structure that faces the Venetian lagoon. Between the Palace of the Doge and the Library is the Piazzetta San Marco (Piazzetta means little square). This Piazzetta is known for two large granite columns carrying symbols of the two patron saints of Venice: St. Mark and St. Theodore. When the columns have been erected the water was closer that now, just on the edge of the lagoon, and the columns have long served as the official gateway to the city from the sea. Until the mid 18th century, the Piazetta was also an area were criminals were executed.

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St. Mark’s Basilica

St. Mark’s Basilica is one of the best known examples of Italo-Byzantine architecture. It lies at the eastern end of the St. Mark’s Square (Piazza San Marco), adjacent and connected to the Doge's Palace. Originally St. Mark’s Basilica was the chapel of the Doge, and has been the city's cathedral only since 1807. St. Mark’s Basilica is world known for its opulent design and gilded interior mosaics, and nicknamed Church of Gold. More than 8000 square metres of mosaic cover the walls, vaults and cupolas of the Basilica. They represent stories from the Bible (Old and New Testaments), allegorical figures, events in the lives of Christ, the Virgin Mary, Saint Mark and other saints.

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Doge’s Palace

The Doge's Palace (Palazzo Ducale) is a palace built in Venetian Gothic style in St. Mark’s Square. The palace was the residence of the Doge of Venice, the supreme authority of the former Venetian Republic. Due to fire and political changes it became necessary to rebuild, modify and extend the Palace more than once over the centuries. Today the Doge's Palace is an impressive structure in Gothic style composed by a mix of original foundations and significant Renaissance and opulent Mannerist adjunctions. The structure is made up of three large blocks. The oldest part of the Palace is the wing overlooking the lagoon. Porta della Carta was the ceremonial entrance to the building and this gate leads directly to the courtyard. The Doge's Palace includes the courtyard and the Loggias, the Museo dell'Opera, the Doge's apartments, the Institutional chambers, the Prisons and the Armoury. The famous Bridge of Sighs connect the New Prison to the interrogation rooms in the Doge's Palace.

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Bridge of Sighs

The Bridge of Sighs was built in the 17th century to connect the Old Prison and interrogation rooms in the Doge's Palace to the New Prison, which was situated directly above the canal. The singular name of the Bridge dates from the Romantic period and maybe concerns the "Sighs" made by prisoners crossing the bridge and moving to the Prison. A romantic theory refers to the last glimpse at Venice through the small window. A funny story says that if a couple stays in gondola under the bridge and they kiss at sunset, therefore they will enjoy eternal love. A romantic view of the Bridge was created by the Poet Lord Byron with his writings: "I stood in Venice on the Bridge of Sighs, a palace and prison on each hand".

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