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Doge’s Palace

  • Venice, Veneto, Italy

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: 0
Age suitable: 18+
When: All year around

Who to go with: organised tours

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

  • Venice

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 €79

Min age 0

Rating 4.40 / 5 [1187 ratings]

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  • Venice

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 4.53 / 5 [509 ratings]

Tour supplied by:

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  • Venice

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 €101

Min age 0

Rating 4.20 / 5 [466 ratings]

Tour supplied by:

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  • Venice

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 $115

Min age 0

Rating 4.49 / 5 [375 ratings]

Tour supplied by:

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  • Venice

If you want to make sure you cover the highlights of Venice, this full day tour is your best choice. If you’re only spending a few days in Venice, covering the best attractions in a single day is a smart idea. That way, you can spend the remainder of your time in Venice sipping Prosecco by the canals. This tour includes stops at St Mark’s Basilica and Square, the Rialto Bridge, Doge’s Palace (including Casanova’s prison cell), a half hour gondola ride and plenty of hidden gems along the way. A lunch break is scheduled into the tour - we would never let you go hungry in Italy!

Price $114

Min age 0

Rating 4.58 / 5 [337 ratings]

Tour supplied by:

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