St. Mark's Basilica Tour: Golden Mosaics and History

Discover Saint Mark’s Basilica with priority access. Marvel at golden mosaics, learn its history, and explore its treasures with a knowledgeable guide.

Duration: 1 hour
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Piazza San Marco - Your adventure begins as you meet your knowledgeable guide near the famed Piazza San Marco, often called the “drawing room of Europe,” which is the principal public square of Venice and a masterpiece of urban design.
  • Basilica di San Marco - Prepare to be dazzled as you step inside and behold a shimmering expanse of golden mosaics that decorate the ceilings and walls, each telling a story of the church’s rich heritage.
  • St. Mark’s Basilica - From this vantage point, you’ll marvel at the panoramic views of Venice, with its labyrinthine canals and iconic landmarks stretching out before you. Gaze upon the bustling Piazza San Marco below, where centuries of stories unfold against the backdrop of majestic facades.

As you explore the terrace, our knowledgeable guide will illuminate the significance of each architectural detail, from the intricate mosaics adorning the basilica’s facade to the towering campanile that stands as a symbol of Venetian pride.

What's Included
  • Professional licensed tour guide
  • Panoramic views of Venice
  • Exclusive terrace access
  • Audio-receiver device and headphones
  • Reserved Skip-the-line entry ticket to St. Mark’s Basilica
What's Not Included
  • Food and Drinks
Additional Information

Your adventure begins as you meet your knowledgeable guide near the famed Piazza San Marco, often called the “drawing room of Europe,” which is the principal public square of Venice and a masterpiece of urban design.

From there, prepare to be dazzled as you step inside and behold a shimmering expanse of golden mosaics that decorate the ceilings and walls, each telling a story of the church’s rich heritage.

Throughout the tour, your guide will entertain you with tales of the Basilica’s past, from its humble origins as a simple chapel to its current grandeur as one of the most stunning religious sites in the world. Learn about the treasures within, including the golden altarpiece, as you explore the first floor of the Basilica. Marvel at its intricate details and exquisite beauty, which blend Byzantine, Gothic, and Renaissance styles in a harmonious symphony of art and architecture.

Take advantage of this opportunity to uncover the secrets of one of Venice’s most precious jewels.

Location
Colonna di San Todaro
Piazza San Marco
Meet in Saint Mark’s Square near the waterfront by the two large columns. Our Coordinator will be wearing a purple "Crown Tours" T-shirt/Jacket waiting for you under the Column with the marble statue of San Teodoro on top.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.4
(13 Ratings)
5 stars
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1 star
Laurenlp519xb
Aug 17, 2024
Highlight of Venice! - Our guided tour of St Mark’s basilica and Dodge’s Palace was spectacular — my partner and I agreed it was the highlight of our trip to Venice. Our guide, Adriana, was so knowledgeable, experienced and fun to be with. We highly recommend!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
435jimenap
Mar 26, 2024
Excelent - I highly recommend booking this tour! We booked this tour upon arriving to Venice, it was super quick and easy to book. The guide and staff were supper friendly and helpful.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Trek59054859126
Mar 25, 2024
Exceptional Saint Mark's Basilica Guided Tour! - I highly🔝recommend 👑Crown Tours Team for their outstanding service and expertise. From seamless booking experiences to knowledgeable and engaging guides, they consistently go above and beyond to ensure an unforgettable journey for their customers. Whether you're exploring historic landmarks or discovering hidden gems 💎 , you can trust them to provide an exceptional travel experience.✨
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Nicosliver
Mar 25, 2024
Fantastic! - What a great experience! We spent a fantastic morning in Piazza San Marco and as soon as we got into the Basilica we where overwhelmed by the magnificence of all this wonderful art. The guide was very professional and entertaining, and the guys from crown tours perfect ;)
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Daphneb623
Mar 24, 2024
One of the best tours I've ever done! - This tour definitely made our trip even more memorable! I've done many tours in my life but this was definitely one of the best ones! Our guide Marco was incredible, gave us so many historical facts and was very engaging with the group.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
V4115cvnicoleb
Mar 24, 2024
Tour of Palazzo Ducale - I did the tour with crown tours and they were really nice and helpful (grazie Lucia) and it was overall an amazing experience. The tour was super informative and I learned a lot about Venice and its history, I would definitely recommend it!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Taqwasaidsultana
Mar 23, 2024
Palazzo ducale with Crown Tours - It was our first visit in Venice and we had our tickets with Crown tours, it was very easy to find the coordinators and we met lovely Cherie and we entered directly very easily. It was an amazing experience. I definitely recommend them.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Food
Jun 11, 2024
No tour couldn’t make it undue circumstances - Actually didn’t take San Marco tour couldn’t make it due to a glitch on our cruise so we disembarked late There were no later tours I was given no refund although those were the rules 24 hrs ahead to cancel booking I thought I should have refund due to circumstances Wasn’t offered a future tour But rules are rules I guess
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Dennis_w
Mar 31, 2024
This is not skip the line - Priority access is not the same as skip the line tickets. On top of that we had to wait in the regular queue due to high water levels in the square. Due to late start we were rushed through the basilica passing by regular ticket holders who had the chance to enjoy the inside beauty. The experience is worth it but consider another tour with priority tickets.
Review provided by Viator
Elenort_a
Jun 29, 2024
Save your money - The basilica was ornated and beautiful. However, we couldn’t get in on time since the guide had the wrong tickets. I was the only one to get in right away, and the rest of the group got in 20 minutes later. They had to wait for the guide to be emailed the right tickets. Waste of time and money. Save your money and buy your own tickets.
Review provided by Viator
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September 2024
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