«

Doge's Palace (Palazzo Ducale), Venice

Ticket information for Doge's Palace in St Mark's Square

Venice st mark's square, doge's palace with campanile
Doge's Palace is right next to St Mark's Campanile

Overview of Doge's Palace for first-time visitor

Doge's Palace (Palazzo Ducale) is located in Piazza San Marco (St Mark's Square) is the heart of Venice right next door to the Basilica.

Until 1797, the Doges ruled the Venetian Empire and the Palazzo Ducale was where they ruled from.

A Venetian Gothic fantasy palace, it was one of the first things those arriving in Venice saw as their ships sailed through the lagoon and landed at Saint Mark's Square.

The Doges lived here and the government offices were also in this building. Justice was meted out here and the Golden Book, listing all the important families of Venice, was housed here.

No one whose family was not in the Golden Book would ever be made a Doge.

Inside the palace is wonderful art (paintings by Titian, Tintoretto and Veronese), majestic staircases, the Doge's apartments, the government chambers, the prison cells and the Bridge of Sighs.

Outside, along the piazzetta, each column is different. Between the ninth and tenth column death sentences were declared and executions carried out.

Doge's Palace and St Mark's Square - ticket information

Venice doge's palace
Doge's Palace, Venice

Tickets for Doge's Palace are available as part of a combined package for the St Mark's Square Museums, including Museo Correr, Museo Archeologico Nazionale and Monumental Rooms of the Biblioteca Nazionale Marciana.

The ticket is valid for three months with one one single admission to the Doge’s Palace and each entrance respectively.

Reduced tickets are available for children and students (see website below for details).

Doge's Palace - official website

Venice doge's palace

DOGE'S PALACE TICKET OPTIONS

venice doge's palace
Choose from a range of tickets including fast track, or in combination with St Mark's Basilica etc

• A range of ickets available including fast track • Add on St Mark's Palace, Museum, gondola tours, etc • Small group options available

The Grand Canal & walking to St Mark's Square

Venice grand canal
Making your way by land and water in Venice

The Grand Canal is 3.8km (2.4 miles) in length and travels in an S shape between the two islands Venice is built upon.

The Grand Canal links the entry point to Venice for most (Santa Lucia Railway Station and Piazzale Roma) and St Mark's Square where it spills out onto the open ocean.

Nearly everybody arrives in Venice along the causeway from mainland Italy and are deposited by the bus or rail station which are next to each other.

Your options are either to walk or to get the Venice water bus down the Grand Canal to Mark's Square.

The following few paragraphs outline the main walking route.

Walking notes to St Mark's Square via Rialto Bridge from train/bus station

Venice walking tour

BEST OF VENICE 3-HOUR TOUR

venice walking tour doge's palace
Guided tour with entrance to St Mark's Basilica & Doge's Palace + gondola ride

 • Skip-the-line entry to Doge's Palace • Entry into St Marks Basilica • Gondola ride • Profesisonal art historian guide • Small group tour

Venice bridges

BEST OF VENICE 9-HOUR TOUR

venice gondala ride
Guided tour with entrances to St Mark's Basilica & Doge's Palace, gondola ride & Murano & Burano islands visit

 • Skip-the-line entry to Doge's Palace • Skip-the-line entry to St Marks Basilica • Round Trip Transportation to/from Murano & Burano Island • Professional guide • Glass blowing and lace making demonstrations • 30-min gondola ride • Small group tour

Gondola rides from St Mark's Square

Venice Gondala Traffic Congestion
Venice Gondola in front of Doge's Palace, St Mark's Square

The Venice Gondola is perhaps one of the instant images most people have when Venice is mentioned.

Although you will come across gondolas all over Venice, at least the parts frequented by tourists, the most popular base by far for gondola departures, is the waterfront at St Mark's Square.

Up to six people can share a gondola. The city of Venice sets official rates for gondola rides, typically a rate for 40 minutes, then additional increments of 20 minutes. Seek out the official rates by all means, but don't expect the actual price to be exactly the same rate in your head - make sure you have an agreement on price before you depart. In the evening rates may climb.

From the busy gondola stops by St Mark's most gondolas will follow the same route in a circuit behind St Mark's Square along the narrow canals there. At busy periods the route can have the water equivalent of traffic congestion, (see image).

Venice Gondola Rides - More Details 

Venice walking map route between Piazzale Roma / Santa Lucia Railway Station and St Mark's Square via the Rialto Bridge

venice walking map routes

italy hotels search

MOST POPULAR VENICE TOURS 2024

St Mark's Square, Basilica & Doge's Palace Tours

Skip the Line: Saint Mark's Basilica Tour (1 hour)

Orientation of St Mark's Square plus tour of Basilica

From €32

Skip the Line: Doge's Palace Fast track Guided Tour (1 hour)   

See the best of Doge's Palace

From €57

Skip the Line: St Mark's Basilica and Doge's Palace Tour

See the best of Doge's Palace + St Mark's Basilica

From €79

Private Best of Venice Walking Tour with St Mark's Basilica 

2 Hour Walking Tour of 'hidden Venice' + St Marks with skip the line basilica tour

From €173
Best Of Venice Tours

Skip the Line: Venice in One Day Including Boat Tour 

3-hr combination walking and boat tour of Venice with Grand Canal & St Mark's Basilica

From €121

Skip-the Line Doge's Palace, St Mark’s Basilica Tours + Venice Walking Tour & Gondola ride

Experience all the highlights of Venice around St Mark's Square in 1 day + gondola ride

From €110

Skip-the Line Doge's Palace, St Mark’s Basilica Tours + Venice Walking Tour, Gondola ride & Islands visit

Experience all the highlights of Venice around St Mark's Square in 1 day + gondola ride + Murano & Burano Islands visit

From €138

Venice Gondola Rides  

A selection of gondola ride opportunities in Venice

From €31

Murano, Burano and Torcello Half-Day Sightseeing Tour  

Tour the outer islands of Venice by boat

From €26
Venice Shore Excursions From Cruise Ships Docked

Cruise Ship Shore Excursions 

A choice of Venice tours independent of the pricey ship offerings

 


italy hotels search
Every effort is made to keep all our information correct and the advertised prices up to date. We endeavour to be as accurate a source of information as possible but Travellers Toolkits cannot be held responsible for any price differential between our stated prices and those of the companies supplying the product or accuracy of information provided on our sites.