St Mark’s, Doge’s Palace & Gondola with Murano & Burano
Venice and the lagoon in one booking: timed entry to the basilica and the palace, half an hour in a gondola, a lunch break, and three and a half hours on Murano and Burano in the afternoon.
Why people book this one
Timed entry to St Mark’s Basilica
Half an hour, guided, under the gold ground of the mosaics.
Timed entry to the Doge’s Palace
An hour and a half through the council chambers and the old prisons.
A 30-minute gondola ride
Shared, on the smaller canals, and included rather than upsold.
Three and a half hours on the islands
An hour and three quarters each on Murano and Burano.
Both demonstrations
Glassblowing at a Murano furnace and lace-making on Burano.
One guide for the whole day
Capped at 20 travellers, with a lunch break built into the middle.
Nine and a half hours, two halves, one guide
This is Venice and the islands in a single booking. The morning is the city — St Mark’s Basilica, the Doge’s Palace and a gondola — then a break for lunch, then the boat north to Murano and Burano for the afternoon.
Depending on your start time the two halves can swap, so check the running order on your confirmation. What does not change is the shape: four timed things in the city, three and a half hours on the islands, and one guide holding the day together.
Inside St Mark’s and the Doge’s Palace
Both entries are timed and both are included, which is the part that is genuinely hard to arrange yourself in high season. The basilica gets half an hour, guided, which is the right length for the gold ground of the mosaics and the Pala d’Oro.
The Doge’s Palace gets an hour and a half. That covers the council chambers, the armoury and the crossing of the Bridge of Sighs into the old prisons. It is the longest single stop of the day and the one most people remember.
Thirty minutes in a gondola
A shared gondola ride, half an hour, on the smaller canals rather than the Grand Canal. Shared means up to five other passengers in the boat with you.
It is included rather than optional, which matters: booked separately a gondola is one of the more expensive half-hours in Venice, and doing it inside a day that already has your guide and your tickets removes the negotiation entirely.
Three and a half hours on the islands
An hour and three quarters on Murano and the same again on Burano, reached by a boat chartered for the group rather than the public service. Both demonstrations are included, the glassblowing at a Murano furnace and lace-making on Burano.
That is more island time than several dedicated half-day departures give you, which is the surprise of this itinerary. It is a full Venice day that does not treat the lagoon as an afterthought. For what to look for on each island, see Murano glass and Burano lace.
Who this suits, and who should book something else
You have one full day in Venice and want the city and the islands without assembling four bookings and three timed entries yourself. It suits first-time visitors, and anyone arriving by cruise or by train with a single day to spend.
You only want the islands. The half-day boat tour from the same operator covers Murano and Burano for about a seventh of the fare. This day is also not wheelchair accessible, and nine and a half hours is a long stretch with small children.
What the fare covers
Included in the fare
- Expert English-speaking guide
- Timed-entry ticket and guided tour of St Mark's Basilica
- Timed-entry ticket and guided tour of the Doge's Palace
- 30-minute shared gondola ride
- Round-trip boat to Murano and Burano chartered for the group
- Glassblowing demonstration on Murano
- Lace-making demonstration on Burano
- Free time on both islands
- Free time for lunch
Not included
- Lunch
- Guide tips
The ID rule at the basilica
St Mark’s checks identification at the door, and the name on your ticket must match the name on your ID. Tickets are issued in the name entered at checkout, so book in the name on the passport you will be carrying.
Large backpacks and bags are not allowed inside either building. There is no cloakroom in the tour, so travel light or leave luggage at your hotel or the station before you start.
Meeting between the two columns in St Mark’s Square
The same meeting point as the operator’s half-day departure: between the columns of San Marco and San Teodoro, on the south side of the square by the water. Your guide holds a sign. Arrive fifteen minutes early.
Know before you go
- Government ID is required and must match the booking name. Book in the name on the passport you will carry, or the basilica can refuse entry.
- Large bags are not allowed inside. Leave luggage at your hotel or at Santa Lucia before you start; there is no cloakroom.
- Lunch is at your own expense. The break is built in, so budget for it and pick somewhere near the square in advance.
- The itinerary order varies by start time. Check your confirmation the night before so you know whether you begin in the city or on the water.
- This departure is not wheelchair accessible. Strollers are accepted, which is unusual on a day this long.
- Nine and a half hours is a long day. Eat properly at the break and carry water; there is little shade on either island.
What travellers say
★★★★★
A long day, and worth every minute of it. The palace and the basilica in the morning, then the gondola, a break for lunch, and out to the islands in the afternoon. Both guides knew the city inside out.
Corrinne P., United States · Family · June 2026
★★★★★
The meeting point was easy to find and the timing at each stop was generous without ever feeling rushed. We finished exactly when they said we would. Even our nine-year-old was captivated by the furnace.
Katlin S., United States · Family · August 2026
★★★
The wine and cicchetti were a nice touch on the crossing. Murano felt short for the town and the shops, though, and the demonstration itself was over quickly. Worth booking a departure with longer island time if browsing matters to you.
Leonard B., United Kingdom · Couple · July 2025
Questions about this tour
Is this too much for one day?
Are the tickets skip-the-line?
Is the gondola ride private?
How much time do I get on Murano and Burano?
What if I am travelling with children?
More photographs from this departure
