Your comprehensive introduction to Venice begins near St Mark’s Square with a two-hour guided walking tour highlighting the city’s important monuments. Follow your guide to the famous piazza and learn the history behind its landmarks, including the Byzantine architectural heritage of St Mark's Basilica and the adjoining prisons of Doge's Palace.
Visit the famed basilica of St Mark's with skip-the-line admission, without having to stand in long queues! At the Scuola di San Marco, learn about the medieval trade schools of Venice that provided the foundations for the great mercantile empire of Venice.
Leaving the crowds behind, enter a labyrinth of narrow passageways, alleys and meandering canals punctuated by delicate bridges as you further explore the enchanting city with your guide. Explore the lively Campo Santa Maria Formosa with its outstanding Gothic palaces, and view Marco Polo's house as well as an old merchant's warehouse and the city’s most beautiful wellhead.
Complete your walking tour near the Rialto Bridge, and enjoy free time before your boat tour of the Grand Canal begins. (Depending on the season, your boat tour will start between 4:00pm and 5:00pm. Your guide will provide details of the exact meeting location and time after the walking tour.)
Next, enjoy a relaxing one-hour cruise along the Grand Canal of Venice via water taxi. Along the way you will learn the history of the stunning palaces and churches that line the famous canal, as well as hear anecdotes about the famous people who have resided on Venice's most important ‘street.’ During the second half of your boat tour, discover the minor canals of Venice and soak up the romantic atmosphere.
Please note: St Mark's Basilica is free of charge to enter and we guarantee that you'll skip any long lines as part of this tour. Venice is subject to flash floods and occasionally the Basilica is closed to the public (without notice) because of high water or festivities.