Venice Skip the Line

This private tour will show you the most important and iconical buildings of Venice: St. Mark's Basilica and the Doge's Palace. After meeting your guide, you'll have preferential entrance to the Basilica which takes its name from the remains of St. Mark's, preserved inside. Built by the Venetians in 820 and consecrated in 832, it lost its original form due to a serious fire in the early 1900s. From 1063, thanks to the Doge Domenico Contarini and his successors, the Basilica took its current form and by virtue of the treasure of San Marco, of the ornate mosaics and of the majestic design elements that made the sacred building the visible symbol of the power and wealth acquired by the Serenissima, became the main architectural site of Venice, constituting one of the best known symbols of the city and of the Veneto in the world.The Basilica of San Marco.

The Pala d'Oro
Behind the main altar you can admire the Pala d'Oro, the only example in the world of large Gothic jewelery that has remained intact.
3.34 meters wide and 2.12 meters high, it is divided into two main parts, one lower and one upper, and is made up of about 250 cloisonné enamels on gilded silver sheet and is decorated with 1927 precious stones and gems.

The Museum and the Horses Loggia
The Museum exhibits the sumptuous works of Flemish and Medicean tapestry, the altar frontals, Persian carpets and other furnishings, which, for centuries and centuries, were the undisputed protagonists in the sumptuous and refined "scenography" of the functions presided over by the figure of the Doge, they lose their "status" and are relegated to the darkness of warehouses.
The Marcian quadriga is the arrival point of the entire museum itinerary. The horses can be reached along the exhibition of a series of stone fragments and capitals from the late antique and mid-Byzantine era.
The four horses, until 1977 on the loggia of the Basilica of San Marco, after a meticulous restoration, were replaced by reproductions and hospitalized in the museum in 1982, for conservation needs.

What's included

• Professional art historian guide.
• Private tour.
• Skip the line entrance to St. Mark Basilica, Access to the Pala Oro ,the Horsesì Loggia and the Museum (from April to October).
• Preferential Entrance to Doge's Palace.

What's excluded

• Gratuities.
• Transportation to / from attractions.
• Food and drinks.
• Hotel pickup and drop-off.

Accessibility

• Not wheelchair accessible.
• Stroller accessible.
• Service animals allowed.
• Near public transportation.
• A dress code is required to enter places of worship and selected museums. No shorts or sleeveless tops allowed. Knees and shoulders MUST be covered for both men and women. You may risk refused entry if you fail to comply with these dress requirements.
• Child under 18 old must provide valid ID to have reduced price to museums Pictures inside the St Mark’s Basilica is not allowed and Doge’s Palace allowed only if flash is off.
• Food and drinks are not allowed in the museums or churches.
• Please specify at time of booking what time you want to start your tour.