St. Mark's Basilica Guided Tour

St Mark's Basilica tours offer an immersive experience by letting you explore one of the most iconic churches in the world and also the largest one in Venice. You get to take a tour of the church built in the 9th century, for the purpose of housing the last remains of St. Mark, which were smuggled from Egypt to Venice by Venetian merchants. Stroll into the Byzantine-style Basilica which has been designed in the shape of a Greek cross and is famed as the Church of Gold, owing to the enormous use of gold in its construction. Interestingly, you also get to explore its interior to admire its marble inlays and gold mosaic work portraying scenes from the Bible. Take an audio guide along to learn about the history of the place and about its various attractions. 


To make your experience complete, you can opt for one of the St Mark's Basilica guided tours, where an expert guide will take you to all the important attractions of the place such as the tomb of St Mark, the Dome, Museo di San Marco, Pala d'Oro, the treasury, and Campanile. The expert guide will inform you about the church’s history, architecture and special attractions. 

Why Take The St. Mark's Basilica Tour?


Why Take The St. Mark's Basilica Tour?
  • St. Mark's Basilica is one of the iconic churches in the world and is worth a visit.
  • St Mark's Basilica tours will take you inside the church to witness its marble inlays and mosaic works, along with its magnificent architecture and installations.
  • While on the tour, you will be able to witness the special attractions of the place such as the tomb of St Mark, Pala d'Oro, the treasury, the Dome, Museo di San Marco and Campanile.
  • You can opt for a 25-min audio guide, to make your tour more interesting.
  • You can also prefer a guided tour to save time. Tour guides are experts and knowledgeable and hence can tell more about the history of the church, the amazing architecture as well about its main attractions.
  • Additionally, if you opt for skip-the-line access tickets, you will be able to get priority access to the church.

Available St. Mark's Basilica Tours

Skip-the-Line Tickets to St. Mark's Basilica
Skip-the-Line Tickets to St. Mark's Basilica

Skip-the-Line Tickets to St. Mark's Basilica allow visitors to bypass long queues and enjoy fast-track entry to this iconic Venice landmark. By purchasing these tickets, you can save time and make the most of your visit to the stunning basilica, renowned for its beautiful Byzantine architecture and breathtaking mosaics. With Skip-the-Line access, you can explore the basilica at your own pace, admiring its intricate details and soaking in its rich history without the hassle of waiting in line.

St. Mark’s Basilica + St. Mark’s Bell Tower Tickets
St. Mark’s Basilica + St. Mark’s Bell Tower Tickets

St. Mark's Basilica and St. Mark's Bell Tower Tickets offer a combined experience to explore two of Venice's iconic landmarks. With these tickets, visitors can enjoy skip-the-line access to both the breathtaking St. Mark's Basilica, known for its stunning mosaics and the magnificent St. Mark's Bell Tower, offering panoramic views of the city.

Doge’s Palace & St. Mark’s Basilica
Doge’s Palace & St. Mark’s Basilica

Doge's Palace & St. Mark's Basilica Tickets provide a comprehensive experience of two significant landmarks in Venice. These tickets allow visitors to explore the opulent Doge's Palace, once the residence of the Venetian Doge and a symbol of Venetian power, as well as the magnificent St. Mark's Basilica, renowned for its Byzantine architecture and stunning mosaics. With these tickets, visitors can conveniently access both attractions without waiting in long queues, ensuring a seamless and immersive exploration of Venice's rich history and artistic treasures.

Walking Tour of Venice with Doge's Palace & St. Mark's Basilica
Walking Tour of Venice with Doge's Palace & St. Mark's Basilica

The Walking Tour of Venice with Doge's Palace & St. Mark's Basilica offers an enriching experience of the city's highlights. This guided tour takes visitors through the charming streets of Venice, culminating in visits to the iconic Doge's Palace and St. Mark's Basilica. Led by knowledgeable guides, participants gain insights into the history, art, and culture of Venice while exploring these magnificent landmarks. By booking these tickets, visitors can enjoy a comprehensive and immersive journey through Venice's architectural gems and hidden treasures, making the most of their time in this unique city.

What to Expect on a St. Mark's Basilica Tour?

What to Expect on a St. Mark's Basilica Tour?

You can expect to cover all major attractions during a St. Mark's Basilica tour. These attractions include the dome, the St. Mark’s Museum, the Tomb of St. Mark, the dome, the treasury, Campanile Pala d’Or, the Transept Chapels, and the Basilica Terrace. During your tour, you will be able to witness the exquisite gold mosaic work depicting stories from the Bible and other historical events. To learn more about the rich history and the stunning architecture of the church, you can opt for an audio guide during your tour. The 25-minute audio guide is available in 10 languages and will help you enhance your visit as well as the experience. If you opt for a guided tour, your knowledgeable expert guide will provide you further information about the place and will also answer all the questions that you have regarding the church.

Highlights Covered on Your St. Mark's Basilica Tour

Dome
Dome

A must-visit highlight of your St Mark's Basilica guided tours are the 5 ornate domes or cupolas of St. Mark's Basilica. All the 5 cupolas - the Western dome, the Northern dome, the Southern dome, the Central dome, and the Narthex are decked with golden mosaics. You can take a close look at them to identify various scenes from the holy Bible. Also, visit the galleries near the museum to get the best view of these cupolas.

Pala d'Oro
Pala d'Oro

The Pala d’Oro is one of the most precious treasures of the St. Mark's Basilica, located near the high altar and is known to be one of the world’s most accomplished and sophisticated works. As you visit the church, take a good look at this exquisite structure that has been made by Byzantine enamel. Also, observe thousands of pearls and jewels decked on both sides of this altarpiece. 

Treasury
Treasury

Housed inside the treasury at St. Mark's Basilica are the most beautiful collections of the Byzantine portable objects. Your St Mark's Basilica guided tours will take you to these ancient rooms located between the ducal palace and the church. Stroll across the four sections of the treasury and admire its precious items which includes 283 pieces in gold, silver and glass. These items were brought to Venice from Constantinople after the Venetian conquest. Observe bowls and patens in semi-precious stone mounted on Byzantine enamelled gold-work, along with liturgical chalices, two icons of the Archangel Michael with enamelled frames and much more. 

Museo di San Marco
Museo di San Marco

The Museo di San Marco or the St. Mark’s Museum is another place that you will be covering during your St Mark's Basilica tours. You will find the museum housing various artefacts and objects that are related to the historical heritage of the church. Feel awe-struck looking at Persian carpets, liturgies, 78 bones of different Saints, golden tesserae, broken fragments of mosaic, and many more items as a part of the collection.

Tomb of St. Mark
Tomb of St. Mark

St. Mark's Basilica was built to serve as a tomb for St Mark, and the putative corpse is housed inside this church. Today, St Mark’s corpse has become a symbol of Venice’s prestige. You will be able to witness this 800-year-old corpse, covered with a blue sheet, under the main altar inside the St. Mark's Basilica.

Transept Chapels
Transept Chapels

Located inside St. Mark's Basilica are several transept chapels with marble structures, exquisite Byzantine mosaics, and paintings as a part of their architecture. You can visit the Cappella della Madonna Nicopeia and the Cappella di San Giovanni on the north transept. If you go to the south transept, you will be able to see the Cappella di San Clemente, which was formerly known as Doge’s chapel. Another chapel worth seeing as a part of your St Mark's Basilica tours, is Madonna del Mascoli.

Mosaic and Marble Inlays
Mosaic and Marble Inlays

Two key and popular features of St. Mark's Basilica are its golden mosaics and marble floors. The marble floor stretches over an area of, 2099 sq m and is made of thousands of earth-toned individual pieces, depicting stories from the Bible. You will find depictions of events from the life of Virgin Mary, Saint Christ, Saint Mark as well as many other saints. The mosaic is made of ground gold and depicts various scenes from the bible along with many other historical events.

The Basilica Terrace
The Basilica Terrace

The Basilica Terrace is also worth a visit during your St Mark's Basilica tours. Overlooking the St. Mark’s Square, the terrace will enchant you with its displays of precious textiles, rare tapestries and the original horses of St. Mark’s Basilica. The terrace will also give you an excellent view of the city of Venice.

Campanile
Campanile

The bell tower of St. Mark's Basilica is known as Campanile as it is freestanding from the body of a church. This 99m high structure is one of the most popular landmarks of Venice and is made of flute brick. You can opt to purchase a ticket and go to the top of the tower to enjoy the breathtaking view of Venice and its lagoons.

Guided Vs Non Guided Tours

Guided Tour
Guided Tour
  • Opt for one of the many St Mark's Basilica guided tours to see all the major attractions of the church in a short duration.
  • Guided tours have a fixed itinerary which will cover all the major highlights of the church.
  • Visit the prime attractions of the church - Pala d'Oro, the Tomb of St. Mark, the treasury, St. Mark’s Museum, the dome, Campanile, and the Basilica Terrace.
  • Choose from the 4 languages for the guided tours - English, Spanish, French and German - as per your requirement.
  • Take advantage of the in-depth knowledge of the expert tour guides who will share various highlights of the church and will also answer your queries.
  • Opt to include the skip-the-line feature with your guided tour and avoid waiting in long queues.
Non Guided Tours
Non Guided Tours
  • Explore the Basilica at your own pace, without having to tag along with others in a group.
  • Take the help of the 25-minute audio guide to enhance your experience while visiting the largest church of Venice.
  • Choose from the 10 languages for the audio guide experience - English, Spanish, Italian, Chinese, Japanese, Portuguese, German, French, Korean and Russian.
  • Learn about the history of the Basilica and about various points of interests from the audio guide.
  • Visit the prime attractions of the church - the treasury, Pala d'Oro, the Tomb of St. Mark, St. Mark’s Museum, Campanile, the dome, and the Basilica Terrace.
  • Opt for a skip-the-line ticket to avoid standing in long queues and enjoy priority access.

Know Before You Book St. Mark's Basilica Tours

Essential Information
How To Reach?
Visitor Tips
Essential Information

Location: P.za San Marco, 328, 30100 Venezia VE, Italy


Operational Hours:

  • St. Mark's Basilica is open every day from 9:30 AM to 5:15 PM.
  • On Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation, the Basilica is open from 2 PM.
  • The Loggia dei Cavalli museum is open on Sundays from 9:30 AM to 2 PM.
  • The Bell Tower is open daily from 9:30 AM to 9:15 PM.
  • Visitors can enter the Basilica for free for prayer, mass, and services.
  • Use the entrance Porta dei Fiori on the north side from Piazzetta dei Leoncini square.
  • Prayer times are from 8 AM to 7:30 PM daily.
  • The last admission for tourists to enter St. Mark's Basilica is at 4:45 PM.
  • The final entry time to the Bell Tower is at 8:45 PM.

Book St. Mark's Basilica Tours & Tickets

St Mark's Basilica: Entry Tickets
i4.5 Stars| Rated By 39+ Customers
St Marks Basilica Entry Tickets
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Starts at
12.63
Saving 1%
12.5
/per adult
Highlights
  • Explore the famous St. Mark’s Basilica and wonder at its majestic architecture

  • Be amazed by biblical depictions made from golden mosaics over an area of 8,000 square meters

  • Stroll around this millennia-old cathedral and admire the beauty of 5 domes of St. Mark’s Basilica

  • Learn about the artwork, history and significance of St. Mark’s Basilica with help of a guide

Scroll down to read more
Must Know Before You Go
  • The activity is not suitable for people with back problems.
  • The activity is not suitable for people with mobility impairments.
  • The activity is not suitable for wheelchair users.
  • Please wear comfortable shoes.
  • All foreign nationals must share their passport and visa details upon arrival.
  • ID proof is mandatory for each individual guest upon arrival.
  • You cannot enter the basilica with luggage (there is a Luggage Storage in Piazzetta dei Leoncini, a few metres from the Basilica).
  • Shorts, short skirts, sleeveless clothing not allowed on the activity.
  • Please bring your own earphones and a fully charged smartphone.
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St Mark's Basilica - Bell Tower Access: Skip-the-line Tickets
i4.5 Stars| Rated By 39+ Customers
St Marks Basilica Bell Tower Access Skip The Line Tickets
highlightGuide
highlightMobile Voucher
View More Details
Starts at
16.13
Saving 7%
15.07
/per adult
Highlights
  • Explore the famous St. Mark’s Basilica and wonder at its majestic architecture

  • Be amazed by biblical depictions made from golden mosaics over an area of 8,000 square meters

  • Stroll around this millennia-old cathedral and admire the beauty of 5 domes of St. Mark’s Basilica

  • Learn about the artwork, history and significance of St. Mark’s Basilica with help of a guide

Scroll down to read more
Must Know Before You Go
  • The activity is not suitable for people with back problems.
  • The activity is not suitable for people with mobility impairments.
  • The activity is not suitable for wheelchair users.
  • Please wear comfortable shoes.
  • All foreign nationals must share their passport and visa details upon arrival.
  • ID proof is mandatory for each individual guest upon arrival.
  • You cannot enter the basilica with luggage (there is a Luggage Storage in Piazzetta dei Leoncini, a few metres from the Basilica).
  • Shorts, short skirts, sleeveless clothing not allowed on the activity.
  • Please bring your own earphones and a fully charged smartphone.
Scroll down to read more

FAQs

How long should one spend inside St. Mark's Basilica?

    One should spend at least an hour inside St. Mark's Basilica to fully appreciate its architectural and artistic beauty, explore its various features and attractions, and learn about its history and significance. However, the amount of time can vary depending on personal interest and pace. Some visitors may choose to spend more time admiring the intricate details of the mosaics and sculptures, while others may prefer to spend more time learning about the history and cultural significance of the Basilica.

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