St. Mark's Square tour with Bell Tower tickets in Venice

St. Mark's Square, the Bell Tower's terrace, and the Doge's Palace: all in one morning or afternoon

A private guided tour of St. Mark's Square in Venice with skip-the-line tickets to St. Mark's Bell Tower, led by a licensed guide in your choice of language. The 2-hour option covers the square and tower views. The 4-hour option adds skip-the-line entry to the Doge's Palace and its interior rooms. You meet your guide at Hotel Londra Palace on Riva degli Schiavoni and walk through Venice's most famous landmarks, learning the history behind the Venetian-Gothic architecture, the Astrological Clock, and the palace's role in Venetian power.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore St. Mark's Square and Bell Tower

• Meet guide at Hotel Londra Palace
• Tour St. Mark’s Square with guide
• See St. Mark’s Basilica exterior
• Visit Astrological Clock and Procuratie Vecchie
• Take lift to St. Mark’s Bell Tower terrace

The experience

St. Mark's Square is the principal public square of Venice, and this tour puts you inside it with a licensed private guide instead of wandering alone. You meet at Hotel Londra Palace on Riva degli Schiavoni, opposite the Monument to Victor Emmanuel II, and walk through the square to see the Basilica's Byzantine mosaics and statues from the outside, the Procuratie Vecchie, the Museo Correr, and the Astrological Clock of Torre dell'Orologio. The guide shares the history and the stories (including why Napoleon called this place the "drawing room of Europe"), and points out the details most visitors miss.

The Bell Tower is the centerpiece. Skip-the-line tickets are included, and a lift takes you to the viewing terrace, where you stand above the Old Town and look out over the Venetian Lagoon and San Giorgio Maggiore island. The 2-hour option ends here. If you choose the 4-hour tour, you move on to the Doge's Palace with skip-the-line entry as well, walk through the luxurious apartments where the Doges lived, cross the Bridge of Sighs, and learn how the palace also served as a prison. The guide speaks English, Spanish, Italian, French, or one of two additional languages, so the tour is personalized to your interests and pace. The operator sends details to your email the day before, and you can ask the guide for tips on local restaurants and cafes.

Weather can affect the Bell Tower: fog, strong wind, or intense cold may close it on the day of your tour. Skip-the-line tickets to the Doge's Palace are timed to a specific date and hour, so you skip the ticket queue but may wait in the security line with others in your time slot. Tickets to St. Mark's Basilica itself are not included in either option.

What’s included

• Private guided tour of St. Mark's Square with a licensed guide in your choice of language.
• skip-the-line tickets to St. Mark's Bell Tower with lift access to the viewing terrace.
• skip-the-line tickets to the Doge's Palace (4-hour option only).
• personalized tips on local restaurants, cafes and points of interest.

Options for this experience

2 options

2H: Mark's Square & Bell towerGuide in 6 languages · 12 departure times: the first at 09:30, the last at 20:30Lasts 2 hours and includes a guided walk around St. Mark's Square plus skip-the-line tickets for the Bell Tower. Covers St. Mark's Basilica, the Astrological Clock, and the Doge's Palace (exterior only). Led by an Official 5-Star Guide who specializes in this type of tour and speaks the chosen language fluently. ITVE007.

4-hour tour of St. Mark's Square with skip-the-line entry to the Bell Tower and Doge's PalaceGuide in 6 languages · 8 departure times: the first at 09:00, the last at 16:00Lasts 4 hours and includes a guided walk around St. Mark's Square plus skip-the-line tickets for the Bell Tower and the Doge's Palace. Also covers St. Mark's Basilica (exterior only). Led by an Official 5-Star Guide who specializes in this type of tour and speaks the chosen language fluently. ITVE007.

You pick the guide language when booking.

You see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates & prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day13 departure times: the first at 09:00, the last at 20:30

Book up to10h before

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French, German, Italian and Russian

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 12 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller friendlyPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Rosotravel - Italy City Tour

Is this one for you?Choose the 2-hour tour if you want the square and the tower views in a single morning or afternoon without the palace interior. Pick the 4-hour option if you want to spend time inside the Doge's Palace and learn the full story of Venetian power and its architecture.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French, German, Italian and Russian.

What's the difference between the 2-hour and 4-hour St. Mark's tours?

The 2-hour tour covers St. Mark's Square, the Basilica exterior, and the Bell Tower with its viewing terrace. The 4-hour tour adds a full interior visit to the Doge's Palace with skip-the-line entry, where you see the apartments and cross the Bridge of Sighs.

Do I need to buy tickets separately for St. Mark's Bell Tower?

No. Bell Tower tickets are included in both the 2-hour and 4-hour options and purchased on the spot. The lift to the viewing terrace is included. Entry to St. Mark's Basilica itself is not.

Where do I meet the guide, and what time does the tour start?

You meet in front of Hotel Londra Palace on Riva degli Schiavoni, opposite the Monument to Victor Emmanuel II. Do not enter the building. Your specific start time will be confirmed in the email the operator sends the day before your tour.

Is the Doge's Palace skip-the-line ticket included in the 2-hour tour?

No. Skip-the-line Doge's Palace entry is only included in the 4-hour option. The 2-hour tour views the palace exterior only.

What happens if the Bell Tower is closed on the day of my tour?

Fog, strong wind, or intense cold can close the Bell Tower. If this occurs, the operator will contact you with options. You can reschedule or adjust your tour plan.