Historic Center Walking Tour

If you’re a first-time visitor to Venice then this tour is for you. Our introductory excursion begins with a selection of must-see spots including St. Mark’s Square, the former political center of the Venetian Republic.

The square contains many famous buildings: the Doges’ Palace, the Bridge of Sighs, the Marciana Library, the Bell Tower, the Clock Tower, and more. Using our priority access line when available, we will enter St. Mark’s Basilica, a 900-year-old marvel of architecture. The Church is unique in Italy for its golden Byzantine and Medieval mosaics, its intricate stone and marble traceries and remarkable Middle Eastern domes. From St. Mark’s, we will escape the crowds and walk through the backstreets and squares to explore the city’s maze-like layout. You will be swooned by the silence and intimacy that only a car-free city can provide. We will end our visit in the busy neighborhood of Rialto, once the trade center of Venice. We will cross its famous bridge over the Grand Canal and explore the best fresh produce market in the city.

If you are a returning visitor to Venice, there are many variations to this tour that include different sites and deeper exploration of the city. Some of these include: The Frari church and the “Scuola” of St. Roch, off the beaten paths in Castello, and Dorsdoduro, the southern district of Venice.