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Doge’s Palace

Last updated: 29 March, 2024

With its rose pink-and-white brickwork shimmering on the edge of the lagoon, the Doge’s Palace seems more mirage than monument. While other states fortified their power with forbidding castles, the Venetians showed off their security with this airy, ethereal palace.

The hub of the far-reaching political power of La Serenissima since the 9th century, today it is a testament to the best of Byzantine, Gothic and Renaissance architecture and painting.

Highlights include the arcaded courtyard, the frescoes by Veronese, Tiepolo and Tintoretto in the grand chambers and the collection of armour and weapons in the old Armoury. Tintoretto’s Paradiso is the largest oil painting in the world.

While you’re there

The famous ‘Bridge of Sighs’ joins the interrogation rooms in the Doge’s Palace to a prison. Convicts will supposedly sigh at their final view of Venice before imprisonment. Legend also has it that lovers who kiss under the Bridge of Sighs on a Gondola will be granted eternal love.

Also check out the 15th-century statue of a worse-for-wear Noah propped up by a vine. It can be found on the corner of the outer facade of the palace, before the Bridge of Sighs.

Logistics

Price from: £25
Minimum age: Any
Age suitable: 18+
When: All year around

Who to go with: organised tours

18

Our selection of the best Viator tours of this attraction or activity

Skip-the-Line: Doge's Palace & St. Mark's Basilica Fully Guided Tour

  • Venice

Skip-the-Line: Doge's Palace & St. Mark's Basilica Fully Guided Tour

Viator

Our Doge’s Palace and St. Mark’s Basilica tour is perfect for visitors with only a limited time in Venice, who want to get a true taste of the city. In just a few hours we take you to the most famous sites of the city, seeing the Rialto Bridge and venturing inside St, Mark’s Basilica and the Doge’s Palace.

Price €89

Min age 0

Rating 4.38 / 5 [845 ratings]

Tour supplied by:

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Doge's Palace & Prisons Tour

  • Venice

Doge's Palace & Prisons Tour

Viator

Skip the lines at the iconic Doge’s Palace in Venice and uncover its highlights and secrets on a 2-hour tour. Walk right past the main entrance queues with your knowledgeable guide, and delve into the magnificent palace’s history as you explore its lavish public chambers. See prized Italian Renaissance artwork by Tintoretto and Veronese, and learn about the dark deeds of the city’s former rulers and secret service. Then, wander across the world-famous Bridge of Sighs and end your tour with a visit to the New Prisons.

Price €75

Min age 0

Rating 4.50 / 5 [442 ratings]

Tour supplied by:

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Website >

Doge's Palace and St Mark's Basilica Tour

  • Venice

Doge's Palace and St Mark's Basilica Tour

Viator

Take a 2-hour tour of the Doge’s Palace and St. Mark’s Cathedral, two must-visit Venice monuments. With a guide, you’ll follow in the footsteps of the Venetian doges, the elected officials who ruled the city for centuries. A tour not only to see Venice, but to experience this city through its history and glorious past, still shining in its historical sites and legendary characters.

Price €103

Min age 0

Rating 4.25 / 5 [427 ratings]

Tour supplied by:

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St Marks, Doges Palace, with Murano and Burano & Gondola Ride

  • Venice

St Marks, Doges Palace, with Murano and Burano & Gondola Ride

Viator

Want to explore the best of Venice with limited time on your hands? This tour combines some of the city's most Prestigeous sites in a one-day itinerary! Enjoy skip the line access into the St Marks Church, marvel the hallways of the Doges Palace and explore the city from the waterfront during your gondola ride - accompanied by one of our Gondoliers! After some leisure time for lunch our tour embarks on an adventure to explore the world renown islands of Murano and Burano. Our guide will whisk you through the islands most charming streets on your way to witness the age-old craft of Lace making and Glass Blowing. This tour is the perfect combo of Venetian History, Local Craftmanship and Sightseeing!

Price $149

Min age 0

Rating 4.49 / 5 [228 ratings]

Tour supplied by:

Viator Logo
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Skip the Line Venice Doge's Palace and St. Mark's Basilica Tour - T23

  • Venice

Skip the Line Venice Doge's Palace and St. Mark's Basilica Tour - T23

Viator

Explore the exquisite city of Venice on a 2-hour walking tour that covers the most significant highlights of St. Mark’s Square, with entrance to the Doge's Palace and St. Mark's Basilica.

Price €99

Min age 0

Rating 4.07 / 5 [211 ratings]

Tour supplied by:

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Destination guides

1

Destination guides including or relevant to this experience

Venice

  • Veneto, Italy

Venice

Destination guide

Crammed with picturesque canals, Renaissance palazzos and artistic masterpieces, this unique and alluring city is heaven-on-earth for art lovers and romantics.

Round-ups

1

Round-ups that include this experience

  • Multiple countries

100 World’s greatest historic buildings

Inspiration

The great civilisations of the past have left a legacy of constructions that still stand out and inspire. Built without the wonders of 20th-century technology, many are also monumental feats of engineering; others offer such grace and beauty, that they’ll literally take your breath away.