St Mark's Basilica Piazza San Marco Independent guide to the heart of Venice

Experiences in Venice

From skip-the-line Basilica access to a sunset gondola ride: the most booked experiences for visitors short on time in the lagoon.

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Why book in advance
Piazza San Marco is among the most visited sites in the world. During peak months the walk-in line for the Basilica can exceed an hour; with a fixed time slot you're in almost immediately.
The most requested experiences
Basilica Skip-the-Line
Priority entry to the basilica, with a combined option for the Pala d'Oro and the San Marco Museum.
See tickets
Doge's Palace & Secret Itineraries
A guided tour through the palace's hidden rooms: the inquisitors' offices, prison cells and secret passages not seen on the standard route.
See tours
Classic gondola ride
30-35 minutes through the smaller canals, away from Grand Canal traffic. Fixed price per gondola, up to 6 people.
Check availability
Grand Canal by tourist vaporetto
A narrated ride along the Grand Canal, a great way to get your bearings among the historic palaces before exploring on foot.
See tours
Murano, Burano & Torcello in a day
All three islands in a single boat tour, with a guide and a lunch stop. The easiest option if you only have one day.
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Walking tour through the bacari
Cicchetti and glasses of wine in the historic bacari of Cannaregio or Rialto, with a guide who knows where to go.
See tours
More experiences in Venice
The full catalogue, filterable by date and category.
Events and local activities
What's happening beyond the landmarks: seasonal festivals, exhibitions and evening experiences.
Festivals

Carnival, the Biennale, the Historic Regatta

Carnival takes over the city in February, the Art/Architecture Biennale alternates between April and November, and the Historic Regatta colours the Grand Canal on the first Sunday of September.

See what's on
Exhibitions

Exhibitions at the Doge's Palace and civic museums

Venice's civic museums change their exhibition programme seasonally, with temporary shows at the Doge's Palace, Ca' Pesaro and the Correr Museum.

See the current exhibition
Evening plans

Sunset gondola ride and a bacaro crawl

A gondola ride at sunset on the Grand Canal, or a bacaro crawl through Cannaregio's wine bars and cicchetti: two very different ways to close the day.

See evening experiences
Operatori del Territorio
Chi ti aspetta a Venezia
Attività locali selezionate dalla redazione — contattale direttamente.

Spazio Promozionale

Promuovi qui la tua attività locale

📞 Chiama

Spazio Promozionale

Promuovi qui la tua attività locale

📞 Chiama

Spazio Promozionale

Promuovi qui la tua attività locale

📞 Chiama

Spazio riservato agli operatori locali del territorio.

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