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Byzantine Venice Walking tour & Saint Mark's Basilica

star-3.5132 Reviews
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Venezia, Italy
Byzantine Venice Walking tour & Saint Mark's Basilica
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Byzantine Venice Walking tour & Saint Mark's Basilica
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From $64.65

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icon2 hours 30 minutes  (approx.)
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iconOffered in: English and 4 more

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Overview

No visit to Venice is complete without a tour of the awe-inspiring architecture of St Mark’s Square. Escape the crowds and discover highlights of Venetian history with a guided, small-group walking tour. Explore the magnificent Doge’s Palace and photogenic bell tower, and skip the front of the queue to see the dazzling gilded interior of St Mark’s Basilica.
  • One-hour small group walking tour of St. Mark's Square
  • Enter the backwaters of Venice away from the crowds
  • Entry to St. Mark's Basilica
  • Personalized small group (maximum 25 people)
  • English-speaking guide
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From $64.65

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Guided walking tour covering the areas of Saint Mark's Square and Castello;
Guided tour of Saint Mark's Basilica;
Personal audio system and headset for tour commentary;
Live tour commentary provided in English, French, Spanish, German or Italian.
Food and drink,
Hotel pickup and drop-off,
Optional gratuities,
Admission to the upper floor of the Basilica
Calle larga de l'Ascension, 1256 , Calle larga de l'Ascension, 1256, 30124 Venezia VE, Italy
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15 min before in Calle larga de l’Ascension 1256 - 30124 next to the post office San Marco (opposite side of the Saint Marks Basilica). Look for the yellow sign "Meeting point" on the wooden kiosk. Children are free until 5 years, from 6 they pay the full ticket (document required).

9:00 AM
Piazzetta dei Leoncini , Piazzetta dei Leoncini, 30124 Venezia VE, Italy
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The tour ends outside the Saint Mark's Basilica in piazzetta dei Leoncini in Saint Mark's square

Get an insider’s view of St Mark’s Square and avoid the tourist rush with this informative, 1-hour tour. Your experienced English-speaking guide will lead you in a group of no more than 25 people on a walking tour of Venice’s famed architectural complex.
Skip the long lines at St Mark’s Basilica and step inside its Italo-Byzantine splendor. Walk among the intricate mosaics and murals that decorate every surface of the cathedral, and admire the work of generations of Venetian goldsmiths who created the glittering Pala d’Oro, or golden altar (additional expense). 
Gaze up at the iconic clock tower in St Mark’s Square and discover the fascinating history of the Doge’s Palace, Sansovino library and the ornate bell tower crowned by a massive winged lion statue. Your guide will entertain you with tales of legendary Venetian figures including Marco Polo and Casanova. At the end of the tour, you’ll have a great orientation to Venice’s central highlights to help you plan further exploration.
Please note: St Mark’s Basilica is occasionally closed to the public due to flooding or special events.
Itinerary
Stop At:  
Piazza San Marco
The tour starts with a historical introduction of St. Marks’s Square, and its architectural delights, allowing you to discover the history of the majestic St. Mark’s Basilica, the illustrious Doge’s Palace, once the seat of the power of the Republic of Venice, and the extraordinary, renaissance clock tower.
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Duration: 10 minutes
Admission Ticket Free
Stop At:  
Campo Santa Maria Formosa
Leaving the square, you will be guided into the residential Castello area, allowing you to discover this part of Venice in all of its elegance, through its labyrinth of narrow alleys - “calli”, many bridges, winding canals and wide picturesque squares - “campi”. You can expect to see campo Santa Maria Formosa, one of the largest squares in Venice with its church, named after its visitation of the Holy Virgin.
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Duration: 30 minutes
Admission Ticket Free
Stop At:  
Basilica dei Santi Giovanni e Paolo (San Zanipolo)
You will also see Campo Santi Giovanni and Paolo where you will be able to admire the famous church, the resting place of several Doges; and the equestrian monument of Bartolomeo Colleoni, an Italian mercenary Captain.
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Duration: 30 minutes
Admission Ticket Not Included
Stop At:  
Casa di Marco Polo
The former residence of Marco Polo, probably the most famous Venetian merchant, and the Malibran theatre are also part of the itinerary.
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Duration: 30 minutes
Admission Ticket Not Included
Stop At:  
Basilica di San Marco
After returning to Saint Mark's Square, an official guide will provide you with a detailed tour of the Golden Basilica, once the private chapel of the Doge of Venice, the only one of its kind in Italy, thanks to the sumptuous golden mosaics and impressive marble inlay flooring. During the tour you will be able to sit down in the church and absorb the atmosphere whilst listening to your guide who will describe the biblical scenes represented throughout the building, together with history and particularities of this ancient Basilica. The tour includes the visit of the famous Pala d’Oro -an altarpiece made of gold and silver and an exquisite example of Byzantine art with a myriad of gems and precious stones. This 2 hour and 30 minute combined tour concludes outside the Basilica, in Saint Mark's Square.
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Duration: 50 minutes
Admission Ticket Included
  • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
  • Check-in is 15 minutes prior to booked tour start time;
  • Not wheelchair accessible
  • Stroller accessible
  • Near public transportation
  • Shoulders and knees must be covered inside the Basilica;
  • Backpacks are not allowed inside the Basilica;
  • This tour operates rain or shine;
  • Tour maybe affected in the case of high tides;
  • Most travelers can participate
  • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 20 travelers
  • OPERATED BY Venice Events srl
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
  • For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
  • If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
  • Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
  • Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.

Learn more about cancellations.

The answers provided below are based on answers previously given by the tour provider to customers’ questions.
Q:
What is the policy on face masks and attendee health during Byzantine Venice Walking tour & Saint Mark's Basilica?
A:The policies on face masks and attendee health are:

  • Face masks required for travelers in public areas
  • Face masks required for guides in public areas
See all safety measures taken by Byzantine Venice Walking tour & Saint Mark's Basilica.
Q:
What is the policy on sanitization during Byzantine Venice Walking tour & Saint Mark's Basilica?
A:The policies on sanitization are:

  • Gear/equipment sanitized between use
  • Transportation vehicles regularly sanitized
See all safety measures taken by Byzantine Venice Walking tour & Saint Mark's Basilica.
Q:
What is the social distancing policy during Byzantine Venice Walking tour & Saint Mark's Basilica?
A:The policy on social distancing is:

  • Social distancing enforced throughout experience
See all safety measures taken by Byzantine Venice Walking tour & Saint Mark's Basilica.
Q:
What measures are being taken to ensure staff health & safety during Byzantine Venice Walking tour & Saint Mark's Basilica?
A:The policies on staff health & safety are:

  • Guides required to regularly wash hands
  • Regular temperature checks for staff
See all safety measures taken by Byzantine Venice Walking tour & Saint Mark's Basilica.

Traveler Photos

Reviews

3.5
star-3.5
132 Reviews
5 stars
41
4 stars
44
3 stars
17
2 stars
18
1 star
12

Reviews by Viator travelers

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Showing 1-10 of 132 reviews
star-5
Our guide was excellent. Learned so...
lynnvivian
, Nov 2016
Our guide was excellent. Learned so much about the history, architecture, and art in the church and in the square.
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star-5
Informative, animated, engaging tour...
Mireille S
, Oct 2016
Informative, animated, engaging tour guide who really shared her passion for Venice and it's history. You must ask when you book to stay in the Basilica at the end of the tour to go upstairs and visit the horses an extra 5. If you have more time you can always visit them at another time.
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star-4
This was our 4th tour with Viator, and...
Gretchen M
, Sep 2016
This was our 4th tour with Viator, and they did not disappoint! I can't remember our guides name it was a very unique name but do remember that he was very knowledgeable and made the tour a lot of fun! I was only disappointed with the tour b/c I didn't see the 2 hour tour option and my friend and I had to leave the tour after an hour so we didn't get to see the castle. I know to look a bit more in the future, but this was a great little tour and would totally recommend it!
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star-1
Very disorganised, tour started 2 and...
adrian.selinapearce
, Aug 2016
Very disorganised, tour started 2 and half hours late, extremely disappointed
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star-1
We found the tour very borring, we had...
Elizabeth S
, Aug 2016
We found the tour very borring, we had to cut in half because we were bored.
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star-5
The title of this tour should be...
David N
, May 2016
The title of this tour should be changed to St. Marks Cathedral tour as this is what the tour was about...and very good at it too. Unfortunately we did not tour or discuss the square which has a different history and story. I will use this tour company again as the tour and ease of signing up is easy but would call ahead when possible to confirm the content.
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star-2
The tour was only of St Mark's and...
IVEYK1
, Oct 2015
The tour was only of St Mark's and started an hour late. The tour company was incredibly disorganized. That said the guide did an excellent job in St Marks and gave a greater understanding of the Basilica's history and art.
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star-4
When we were trying to skip the line...
Terry P
, Sep 2015
When we were trying to skip the line, another tour guide spoke to us about not skipping the line, so not sure what that meant. Also, wondering why after paying for the tour on-line, they asked for more money to see one more feature. It would be better if it was all inclusive. The guide was knowledgeable and easy to listen to. I enjoyed the tour very much.
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star-2
Was good to skip the queues. Our guide...
Jane B
, Aug 2015
Was good to skip the queues. Our guide was very hard to understand with a very strong accent. We were moved along at a rapid pace and he did say to us this was a new rule and before he had been allowed time to stand and describe everything in more detail.
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star-2
My daughter and I could not hear the...
Katherine M
, Aug 2015
My daughter and I could not hear the tour guide because the basilica was so crowded and noisy and the headset they provided only had one ear piece. It was not worth my money.
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star-4
Guide was a little hard to understand...
gmdevils
, Jul 2015
Guide was a little hard to understand and my teenage kids lost interest. Church was beautiful and where Saint Mark is buried is amazing to see.
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star-4
Interesting, you could see Mark square...
Relinda M
, Jul 2015
Interesting, you could see Mark square from the balcony giving you a different view of the place.
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star-3
This tour was worth the money if for no...
Mary S
, Jul 2015
This tour was worth the money if for no other reason but to eliminate the long wait in line to get into St. Mark's basilica. The tour guide was very pleasant and accommodating given that we had to work through a large number of crowds. At some points through the tour it was hard to hear, but given the crowds I think that was unavoidable.
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star-1
This one was the BIGGEST rip off! We...
Sandda M
, Jun 2015
This one was the BIGGEST rip off! We didn't learn anything except basilica was "splendid." Just go early and get in line to go in yourself. The entrance is free! Also look at fine print, tour guide collects 4 Euro per person for Pala de Oro, but the TRUE fee the basilica charge is actually 2 Euro.
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star-2
The company itself was good and the...
Alana K
, Oct 2014
The company itself was good and the ladies who met us were lovely. The guide however was far from it. She seemed to be in a hurry, and rushed through the tour with all information given about the basilica beginning with 'of course, as you know..' um no we don't know; that's why we are doing a tour
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star-4
Very knowledgeable guide and we'll...
Meredith F
, Sep 2014
Very knowledgeable guide and we'll worth bypassing the line to get in to the basilica
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star-5
Very good tour. The tour guide was just...
Vladimir E
, Sep 2014
Very good tour. The tour guide was just excellent keeping in mind craziness of St Mark's square
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star-5
Very informative guide who also gave...
Tom D
, Sep 2014
Very informative guide who also gave interesting facts. Extremely friendly as were other representatives who we met. Easy to find them at the meeting point and consequently negotiate S.Marco at a busy time of the day as the tour began. I Noticed also how well frail and disabled we supported which was impressive. Excellent value for money,thank you.
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star-2
OK - only wish the guide could speak...
David L
, Sep 2014
OK - only wish the guide could speak English well enough to understand and also spend less time telling us how good it was getting past all the queues and how good it is to have a guide - not once but at least 4 times - long and laboured. Got stung and extra 4€ a head entrance fee when the ticket price was 2€
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star-4
Highly recommended as the line was v e...
thegrants3
, Aug 2014
Highly recommended as the line was v e r y long. The guide was most knowledgeable and interesting.
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