Legendary Venice: St. Mark's Basilica & Doge's Palace Tour

Step inside the Doge's Palace and St. Mark's Basilica to learn the history of Venice in one captivating tale after another. You'll meet your local guide in St. Mark's Square, one of the loveliest public squares in all of Europe, before using your pre-reserved tickets to skip long lines for a complete St. Mark's Basilica tour.

Inside, you'll encounter opulence at a level you can barely imagine. With 43,000 square feet of golden mosaics glowing above your head, you'll explore this vast church and hear the story of how it was founded through angelic prophecy and, um, grave robbing; as well as how it grew along with the fortunes of Venice, which weren't always the most scrupulous. With special access, you'll also get to see some of its most coveted treasures. On the first level, you'll find the famous bronze horses (they have a great story) and get closer to the mosaics. Finally, step out onto the balcony of the church for a beautiful view over St. Mark's Square, the Doge's Palace and the lagoon beyond.

Next up, it's your skip-the-line Doge's Palace tour. Walk through the palace doors and enter into the administrative and political heart of an empire that once encompassed much of the Mediterranean. You'll explore the general access rooms, as well as the incredible council chamber where the Doges held their most important meetings under frescoes by Veronese and Tintoretto. As you marvel at the architecture and decorations, your guide will tell you about all the backstabbing and skullduggery that went on behind the scenes here; and why one of the Doges has been covered with a veil in his official portrait.

You'll also walk through the palace armory, featuring all the weapons that Venice used to defend its trade routes; as well as the New Prisons, where inmates could be thrown for a litany of offenses that were deemed threatening to life in the lagoon. On the way you'll stroll across the famous Bridge of Sighs, which, as your guide will tell you, isn't quite as romantic as you might have thought.

Led by a local tour guide, this tour is the most enjoyable (and affordable) way to get a taste for the history of Venice. And with skip-the-line access at both the busiest sites in the city, it's the best way to make the most of your time on the islands of Venice.