✅ What tours can I take to see St. Mark’s Basilica? What tours are offered?
Guided tours are a great way to discover a special attraction. St. Mark’s Basilica is probably the most important monument in Venice, and joining one of the numerous guided tours allows you to discover all the secrets of this impressive basilica.
It was also my personal experience, because you don’t just discover St. Mark’s Basilica superficially by admiring the architecture of this colossal building, but by getting much more insight into all the facets of one of Venice’s landmarks from the explanations of a dedicated tour guide.
These guided visits are recommended for solo travelers, groups of friends or couples. If you are traveling with children, I would suggest the activities mentioned later in the text, as children are rarely interested in the art and culture of a church building.
✅ Proposal: If possible, do not go through the basilica alone. It is better to join a group with other interested participants and enjoy the wide range of information and impressions together.
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The advantages of a guided tour of St. Mark’s Basilica
The advantages of a guided tour may be obvious. But I can’t emphasize enough how different it is from going it alone.
🗣️ Personal aspect: The tour guides usually make you feel welcome during the tour. Especially if you are traveling alone, it is also nice to receive some explanations in person and to be part of a whole group that has the same interest: to visit, discover and learn more about this magnificent cathedral.
ℹ️ Information: There is a big difference between reading a Wikipedia article and having an experienced tour guide who can explain the most important elements and information about the basilica. It is also easier and more interactive to have someone in front of you who is explaining things than to have a piece of paper with information on it.
🎟️ Skip-the-line access: Of course, the tour also includes fast-track entry to the cathedral, which is a benefit in itself. So choosing a skip-the-line entrance and a proper guided tour of the basilica is definitely a good idea.
🕒 Time saving: Are you flipping back and forth between Wikipedia articles and YouTube videos to understand the monument? Here you get it all in one place. You also have the opportunity to ask the guide many questions during the tour if some details remain unclear.
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In which languages are the tours available?
There are many tours to choose from and it depends on which tour you end up choosing.
Most visitors will certainly prefer a tour in their own language.
This is normal, of course, because as a rule you feel most comfortable in the languages you are most used to. It is also easier when it comes to grasping some details that you may only be able to understand in your mother tongue. Hearing many things in a foreign language accurately can also be exhausting. Besides, you want to enjoy the tour and not have to deal with language barriers.
🗣️ In your mother tongue: The basic tours should be available in your language. You are sure to find the tour you are looking for without any problems!
🗣️ In English: Some tours are only available in English. The aim here is to reach a broad and international target group of visitors and thus give many travelers the opportunity to take part in such a tour.
Combo tickets and tours of other attractions
As already mentioned, there are a variety of guided tours. Some of these tours can also be seen as a combination ticket, as you not only get access to St. Mark’s Basilica, but also to other attractions in the city.
This can be very advantageous as it allows you to learn more secrets about Venice and better understand the connection between all the different landmarks of Venice. These tickets thus include fast access to various attractions in the lagoon city.
So if you want to get a quick overview of Venice’s top attractions, it can be a good idea to book this type of compact tour. All entrance tickets to the monuments are included and the guides will give you all the information in an exciting format during an average of 2 hours.
No stress: Everything is organised for you, so all you have to do is book the tour.
Don’t forget that there are also tours with a gondola ride. This is unique to Venice and a great way to relax after visiting various monuments and gathering lots of new information.
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The highlights of the St Mark’s Basilica tour
Here are the main highlights that you will see on a guided tour of St Mark’s Basilica.
Venice’s Byzantine connection: There is a lot of background information. Architecture, art and historical significance. You will understand why St Mark’s Basilica looks so different from St Peter’s Basilica in Rome, for example.
The power of the Republic of Venice: St Mark’s Basilica is a statement of power, grandeur and influence. Its design, its treasures and even its location next to the Doge’s Palace exude autonomy and strength. You will understand why the Republic of Venice was so strong at the time and why the cathedral was built to show, in a way, that the Republic is superior.
Artistic techniques: There are so many elements everywhere in the cathedral. They all have their significance. Even from a perspective of power, all these details were designed to show how superior the Venetian Republic was at the time. The guides will tell you much more about the construction techniques and how these subtleties were handcrafted with precision.
Historical anecdotes: It’s a good idea to learn more about the history of Venice. Do you already know all the interesting facts about Venetian history? The secrets that are hard to find even online? The guidebooks will tell you a lot more about it. I hope you are ready for a successful history lesson!
Religious and cultural significance: It is important – at that time, St Mark’s Basilica was more than just a basilica, but a place of gathering! Religion had a completely different meaning in the lives of the citizens of Venice.
Places to visit before the tour
Here are some general tips and guidelines to keep in mind before joining a tour like this:
🚰 Water: It will be warm, especially in summer. Make sure you always drink plenty of fluids. You can always bring a bottle of water with you on the tour. The typical ‘kiosk’ is not so easy to find in Venice and there will be almost no opportunity to buy a water bottle during the tour. Please remember this!
👕 Dress appropriately: Don’t forget that St Mark’s Basilica is a place of worship. As a sign of respect, bring a shawl or clothing that covers your shoulders and knees.
👟 Walking shoes: You will be out and about in Venice all day. Fashion plays a big role in Italy. It is important that you wear good, but also really comfortable running shoes in which you can walk for several hours a day.
🕶️ Accessoires: Don’t forget your sunglasses. Pickpockets are not common in Venice, but if you have an expensive camera with you, play it safe and bring a secure place to store it.
🎟️ Tickets: Not just on your smartphone. What happens when the battery is dead? Try to bring a printed version of your tickets. Hotels usually have a printer and the option to print a ticket.
😴 Well rested: This is not a detail. If you are tired or in a bad mood when you take part in such a tour, it will not be a good experience. Please make sure that you are well rested and fit for the day.
⏳ Patience and respect: It is a tour that is full of cultural and artistic content. The tour guides will also touch on many historical points to give more explanations about the different periods in history. Not everything will always interest you personally. But please always respect the tour, the guides and the other participants. If you are not so attentive in between, don’t let it show and still try to listen to the explanations with respect so that the tour guides are not confused by inappropriate behaviour.
🗣️ Language barrier: Generally, and not just for the tour, it’s good to learn at least a few Italian words. At least ‘Buongiorno’ (hello) or ‘Grazie mille’ (thank you very much) should be in your vocabulary as a matter of courtesy before you travel to the beautiful city of Venice.
Is a guided tour of St Mark’s Basilica worthwhile?
✅ In my opinion, these tours are absolutely worthwhile.
First of all, there is the comfort aspect. When you book one of these tours, the ticket for the entrance without queuing is already included, so you don’t have to worry about anything and the tour guides will take care of this service for you.
Exploring Venice on your own can sometimes be a bit boring. You walk around the whole city trying to make sense of the various monuments, but there is no one to give you the most important information in a manageable amount of time. This is where the accompanying tours come in.
It is an opportunity to discover the most important sights of Venice with a group of other interested tourists. The tour guides will do their best to provide you with all the information.
It is more than just a guided tour, it can also be a real experience where you can meet people from other countries and exchange experiences. Every impression you get on a guided tour is different, so it’s all the more reason to take part in one!
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How long does a St Mark’s Basilica tour take?
✅ The tours take place almost in an average time frame of two hours.
In my opinion, this is also the most comfortable period for these tours. After two hours, concentration sometimes wanes and new information can no longer really be internalised.
Arrive on time! Have your tickets ready before you go on the tour. Make sure they are printed for security. If you have not printed them before arriving in Venice, please remember that you can also be helped at your accommodation. They usually have a printer and are happy to help!
Come well prepared. There will rarely be any breaks during the tours. If you need to go to the toilet, the guide will be happy to point out the nearest location.
Questions are allowed and the guides will do their best to answer them as well as possible. So a few questions are fine, but if you ask too many, you could hold up the tour and not all comments will be of interest to every participant.
If you fulfil all these requirements, you should generally plan on an average time frame of 2 hours.
Who should book such a tour?
These tours are highly recommended for almost everyone, even for those who are often less interested in the many details of art, culture and history. As soon as the tour begins, the tour guides can captivate you and spark an unusual interest. You often develop great passion and positive energy, you are infected by a good mood and start to actively listen to the information, even though you might not have been that interested at first.
👍 Highly recommended for solo travellers: Wandering around the city on your own can be a daunting task. Meeting up with other tourists or solo travellers can be a fun activity and give you the opportunity to make new contacts.
👍 Couples: Be sure to take part in a tour like this. You will learn new information, be in a group, have fun and learn a lot.
👍 Groups of friends: Sometimes groups of friends travel together for entertainment purposes. But a little culture is important too. It’s also a great way to do something fun together that the whole group will always remember.
❌ Here is a small exception: I wouldn’t really recommend such a tour for travellers with children, as they are rarely interested in the many cultural aspects. Small children could also potentially slow down the tour. I have written a separate article about many activities in Venice with children, which lists many suggestions that may be better suited to your family outing.
What can you do after the tour?
The tour is over and it is now a good idea to take a break.
After the last 2 hours of standing and walking, you will surely want to rest a little.
Whether you prefer to have a drink in a café or eat in a restaurant, I have a few recommendations for you.
All tours end at St Mark’s Square, so I suggest you find a place nearby.
Restaurant suggestions:
🍽️ Bistrot de Venise: Calle dei Fabbri, 4685, 30124 Venice
🍽️ La Piazza: S. Marco, 615, 30124 Venice
🍽️ Osteria Da Carla: Corte Contarina, 1535, 30124 Venice
Or some suggestions for bars:
🍹 Arts Bar Venice: Sestiere di S. Marco, 2159, 30124 Venice
🍹 Bar Dandolo: Calle Seconda de la Fava, 4196, 30122 Venice
🍹 All’Angelo Art Café: C. va al Ponte de l’Anzolo, 401, 30124 Venice
And here is a personal favourite:
🍹 Ombra del Leone: Sestiere San Marco 1364, 30124 Venice
