Venice and Veneto

Venice Essential Tour

  • Private Tour
  • 3 Hours
  • Venice and Veneto
  • 3 reviews

This private walking tour includes the must-sees of Venice and is the perfect introduction for the first time visitor

  • Discover the must-see sites of Venice
  • Visit Saint Mark's Church with skip the line tickets
  • See the Doge Palace, Sighs' Bridge, Rialto Bridge
  • Save time and don't miss out anything important 
  • Create lifetime memories and take amazing photos 
  • Friendly private guide included
  • Saint Mark's skip the line tickets included
  • Private gondola ride (optional at additional price)

Description:

Discover Venice with this private 3-hour tour of its must-sees, guided by a friendly, officially licensed private guide.

The tour begins in Piazza San Marco, where you will admire the magnificent Basilica of Saint Mark, the most important church in the city and a splendid example of Byzantine architecture in the Western world. The cathedral was originally built in 828 and then rebuilt in 978 after it was burnt during a rebellion. The mosaics covering the ceiling and the upper order of the interior are entirely made of gold, bronze and precious stones, hence the nickname of Chiesa d"oro (Golden Church). Your access will be quick and easy thanks to skip-the-line tickets. Your guide will share not only her knowledge of the rich art heritage the Basilica holds, but also fascinating stories about its history and its significance in Venice’s past.

Next, you will see the Doge’s Palace, one of the finest examples of Venetian Gothic architecture. You will admire its architecture and stunning facade, and learn about its history, along with the famous Bridge of Sighs, where prisoners saw the outside world for the last time before being imprisoned.

From there, you will continue with a stroll in Piazza San Marco. This is the only square in Venice officially called piazza (all other squares of the city are called campi). You will see the Torre dell"Orologio (Clock Tower), completed in 1499, and the elegant San Marco Bell Tower. You will also pass the Procuratie Vecchie, the former homes and offices of high-ranking Venetian officials, the many cafes, among which the historical Café Florian that was opened in 1720, and the prestigious jewelry and Murano glass shops. 

The tour will then take you to Santa Maria dei Miracoli, one of the most beautiful Renaissance churches in Venice. Known for its marble facade and rich interior, this hidden gem offers a more intimate experience of Venice’s artistic heritage (entrance fee not included in the tour price).

With your guide you will then continue to the Rialto Bridge, the most famous and spectacular of Venice"s many bridges. Designed by Antonio da Ponte, the bridge provides great views of the Canal Grande, the city"s main waterway. You will have the chance to take some beautiful photos before continuing on to the lively Rialto Fish Market, where your tour will end.

If you wish you can add a private gondola ride at the end of the tour. Your guide will take you to the dock where you wil board your gondola for a 30-minute private ride. It will be just you and your party, the gondola will not be shared with others. You will start from Canal Grande and you will then go through the smaller canals, pass below the narrow bridges and appreciate the beauty of Venice in a relaxing and intimate way. You can add the gondola experience from the options menu (in the reservation box, located in the upper right part of this page). 

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Included:

  • Private guide officially licensed
  • Skip the line tickets for Saint Mark Basilica

Not included:

  • Entrance to Santa Maria dei Miracoli (optional
  • 5 Euro per person)
  • Transportation
  • Food
  • Drinks
  • Gondola ride (optional at additional price)

Languages:

Italian, English, French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Mandarin, Russian, Polish

Meeting point:

Near Saint Mark. Detailed intructions and map will be emailed.

Duration:

3 Hours

Dress code:

Comfortable walking shoes recommended

Options:

Private gondola ride

Alternative tours:

If you have more time available we suggest taking our Venice in One Day private tour:

Venice in One Day
2 Reviews
€ 165.00

Reviews

(3 reviews)
30/04/2023

Kathleen Goodwin

Manchester - UK

The planning for our days in Venice and Milan was perfect. The private city tours were very enjoyable and the car transfers comfortable. Despite my initial worries, the drivers were polite and the cars spotless. Venice was amazing and the guide gave us tons of interesting information. Thank you for having helped us making our trip to Italy a splendid vacation!

22/03/2023

Ingrid C.

Moriac (Victoria), Australia

Thank you we had a magnificent day in Venice with David – we both decided that this was the best day and the best guide that we had experienced across our entire trip. David was a wonderful, well informed guide who really cared about what we wanted out of the day. Thank you for arranging a memorable day in Venice !!