Discover the heart of Venice on an exclusive private experience through its most iconic landmarks. Your adventure begins in the magnificent Piazza San Marco, often described as the most beautiful drawing room in Europe, where you will admire the elegant Campanile, the historic Clock Tower, and the charming cafés that have witnessed centuries of Venetian life.
Tour Overview
Meet your private guide beneath the Column of St. Theodore in Piazza San Marco and begin your exclusive journey through the Doge's Palace, the magnificent seat of power of the Venetian Republic. Originally built as a fortress in the 9th century, the palace evolved into one of Venice's greatest architectural masterpieces, adorned with works by Sansovino, Titian, Tintoretto, and Veronese.
Your visit includes the elegant Golden Staircase, the Doge's Apartments, and the magnificent State Rooms, culminating in the spectacular Hall of the Great Council, where Tintoretto's monumental Paradise dominates one of the largest rooms in Europe.
You will then cross the iconic Bridge of Sighs to explore the historic prisons before returning to the palace courtyard to admire Sansovino's impressive Giants' Staircase, where the Doges of Venice were once ceremonially crowned.
Your experience continues with skip-the-line access to St. Mark's Basilica, one of the finest examples of Byzantine architecture in the world. Inside, admire its breathtaking interior, illuminated by more than 8,000 square metres of shimmering gold mosaics, before discovering the magnificent Pala d'Oro and stepping onto the panoramic terrace for unforgettable views over Piazza San Marco and a close-up look at the Basilica's famous bronze horses.
Tour itinerary
Meeting point
Meet your guide at Piazza San Marco under San Teodoro's column
Tintoretto's Paradise
The Hall of the Great Council was the political heart of the Venetian Republic, where up to 2,000 nobles gathered to shape the future of Venice. Dominating the hall is Tintoretto's Paradise, one of the largest oil paintings ever created and a masterpiece of Venetian art.
The Bridge of Sighs
The Bridge of Sighs is one of Venice's most iconic landmarks, connecting the Doge's Palace to the historic New Prisons. According to the legend it was names after the sighs of prisoners catching the last glimpse of Venice before imprisonment.
Scala dei Giganti
The Giants' Staircase, designed by Jacopo Sansovino in the 16th century, was the ceremonial entrance to the Doge's Palace and the site where the Doges of Venice were officially crowned.
St Mark's Basilica
St. Mark's Basilica is Venice's most important church and one of the world's finest examples of Byzantine architecture. Built to house the relics of St. Mark the Evangelist, it has symbolized the city's faith, wealth, and power for nearly a thousand years.
The Pala d'oro
The Pala d'Oro is the magnificent high altarpiece of St. Mark's Basilica, renowned as one of the finest masterpieces of Byzantine goldsmithing. Decorated with hundreds of enamels, pearls, gemstones, and precious metals, it reflects the wealth, faith, and artistic splendor of the Venetian Republic.
Horses of St. Mark
The Horses of St. Mark are among Venice's most treasured symbols. These remarkable bronze sculptures, originally created in antiquity and brought from Constantinople in 1204, have stood for centuries as a powerful emblem of the wealth and prestige of the Venetian Republic.