Book a tour for Doge's Palace and St. Mark's Church, or by ourselves?
Aug 15th, 2012, 10:55 AM
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Book a tour for Doge's Palace and St. Mark's Church, or by ourselves?
We can't decide if we want to do the Interiors Tour
http://www.discoveringvenice.com/en/...interiors.html
or The Secret Tour of the Doge Palace, or if we just want do it all on our own. We do enjoy tours, but also wondering if the audio guides are such that a tour might not be needed.
Thoughts anyone?
http://www.discoveringvenice.com/en/...interiors.html
or The Secret Tour of the Doge Palace, or if we just want do it all on our own. We do enjoy tours, but also wondering if the audio guides are such that a tour might not be needed.
Thoughts anyone?
Aug 15th, 2012, 12:59 PM
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So, I looked over the information on the link you provided. Didn't see the "Secret Tour" so can't comment on that. For the Interiors tour, the price (140 euro) for two hours of interior sounds about typical, especially for a private tour.
As to whether you are likely to get more out of your visit with a private guide, the short answer is ABSOLUTELY. Venetians are tremendously proud of their city and almost without exception are both wonderfully animated and funny as heck - whereas the recorded headphones aren't especially amusing. Besides, you can't ask a headphone a question.
The question is, are St. Marks and the Doge's Palace really your highest priority? If so, then that's where you should spend your private tour dollars - but since you CAN do that on your own, maybe consider taking a different private tour? Many/most visitors go to St. Marks and Doge's and then sort of wander aimlessly around the 'streets' without getting a lot out of it culturally, and it's kind of a shame.
I also looked at the other tours on that link, and if you do want the St. Marks/Doge's interiors, and if you can swing the time and the price, the four hour with boat tour looked even better. It's just a fact that the venetians went to a whole lot of trouble to look good from the water, and though you can get the same view on a (usually very crowded) water bus/vaporetto, you don't get any of the historical info - which is fascinating. The link says that the boat is a private water taxi, which is a luxury that would easily cost you between 50 and 75 euros on your own, so that's probably why that tour seems so much more expensive. Chiesa Frari is well worth a visit - again, a nominal entrance fee so not much of a wait (does close for siesta if you're going on your own).
I'm sure this info is available on other links, but to save you the time of looking:
Tour or not, there is no charge to enter St. Mark's except the 'price' of waiting in line - can easily be a couple of hours after about 9AM, and there is no shade. Line can usually be avoided after about 3PM, or go in for mass through the special doors on the left side of the building. Even if you're not Catholic, the mass is special. The tours, by the way, do get to jump the regular line, but there is a separate line for the guided tours. Sometimes there are no groups waiting, and even so, the line is always shorter than the regular line.
Assuming you go in through the main entrance, tour or not you enter with everyone else in some kind of line (!) and that line is encouraged to keep moving at a steady pace through the church. Most people are in and out in about 15 minutes.
There is rarely a line at the Doge's Palace because of the entry fee - not that it's high, but it seems to be true that wherever there is even a nominal entry fee lines are short.
In any case, your idea of a private tour instead of a larger group tour is a good one.
I've been to Venice a lot. Don't know everything about it, of course, but am happy to help if I can.
As to whether you are likely to get more out of your visit with a private guide, the short answer is ABSOLUTELY. Venetians are tremendously proud of their city and almost without exception are both wonderfully animated and funny as heck - whereas the recorded headphones aren't especially amusing. Besides, you can't ask a headphone a question.
The question is, are St. Marks and the Doge's Palace really your highest priority? If so, then that's where you should spend your private tour dollars - but since you CAN do that on your own, maybe consider taking a different private tour? Many/most visitors go to St. Marks and Doge's and then sort of wander aimlessly around the 'streets' without getting a lot out of it culturally, and it's kind of a shame.
I also looked at the other tours on that link, and if you do want the St. Marks/Doge's interiors, and if you can swing the time and the price, the four hour with boat tour looked even better. It's just a fact that the venetians went to a whole lot of trouble to look good from the water, and though you can get the same view on a (usually very crowded) water bus/vaporetto, you don't get any of the historical info - which is fascinating. The link says that the boat is a private water taxi, which is a luxury that would easily cost you between 50 and 75 euros on your own, so that's probably why that tour seems so much more expensive. Chiesa Frari is well worth a visit - again, a nominal entrance fee so not much of a wait (does close for siesta if you're going on your own).
I'm sure this info is available on other links, but to save you the time of looking:
Tour or not, there is no charge to enter St. Mark's except the 'price' of waiting in line - can easily be a couple of hours after about 9AM, and there is no shade. Line can usually be avoided after about 3PM, or go in for mass through the special doors on the left side of the building. Even if you're not Catholic, the mass is special. The tours, by the way, do get to jump the regular line, but there is a separate line for the guided tours. Sometimes there are no groups waiting, and even so, the line is always shorter than the regular line.
Assuming you go in through the main entrance, tour or not you enter with everyone else in some kind of line (!) and that line is encouraged to keep moving at a steady pace through the church. Most people are in and out in about 15 minutes.
There is rarely a line at the Doge's Palace because of the entry fee - not that it's high, but it seems to be true that wherever there is even a nominal entry fee lines are short.
In any case, your idea of a private tour instead of a larger group tour is a good one.
I've been to Venice a lot. Don't know everything about it, of course, but am happy to help if I can.
Aug 15th, 2012, 02:28 PM
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Wow thanks Deb, I may look at the four hour with boat tour. I know that a private gondola is expensive anyway, wasn't sure how we were going to do "Venice from the water" so maybe that is the best way.
The day that I'm thinking about the tours at SM is our first full day. We've booked a 3 hrs photography walk with Marco Secchi which will start early AM at the Rialto Market and end up around 11:00 at San Marco. So the 4 hr would work, or they offer a 3hr one also.
I thought the Photography walk sounded like a great intro to Venice!
http://www.marcosecchi.com/blog/venice-photo-walk-tour/
http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attract...ce_Veneto.html
In addition to that day, I'm leaving one day unscheduled so that we can decide what to do once we're there, and one day for the Islands.
The day that I'm thinking about the tours at SM is our first full day. We've booked a 3 hrs photography walk with Marco Secchi which will start early AM at the Rialto Market and end up around 11:00 at San Marco. So the 4 hr would work, or they offer a 3hr one also.
I thought the Photography walk sounded like a great intro to Venice!
http://www.marcosecchi.com/blog/venice-photo-walk-tour/
http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attract...ce_Veneto.html
In addition to that day, I'm leaving one day unscheduled so that we can decide what to do once we're there, and one day for the Islands.
Aug 15th, 2012, 03:20 PM
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Talk about rave reviews for Marco! Your photography tour sounds like a wonderful introduction to the city. I would be jazzed!
OK. So in THAT case (since I didn't know about that tour when I answered you before)...My guess is that Marco will provide a LOT of the same historical/cultural/fun info that you would get on any other walking tour - and from the sound of it he'll do it better than all but two others (since he's ranked #3 on trip advisor, right?). I probably wouldn't book another walking tour until after you get done with Marco and see how you're feeling. Truly, truly, walking tours are available from any hotel.
That being said, I wish I knew more about the Secret Doge's Palace tour. I bet you get the basic tour plus the secret parts. Sounds pretty neat. Sounds WAY neat.
If you did decide to go with the first company you wrote about, you could take the three hour version without the interiors (assuming you take the secret tour with whoever offers that). You'd then still get the Grand Canal by boat and Chiesa Frari and area.
A gondola ride costs about 75 euros for 45 minutes (without music). It's not really the best way to see Venice from the water because you're on smaller canals for the most part. I mean, it is an AWESOME experience, especially after dark, but you won't be gondola-ing up the Grand Canal to look at the palaces. I still think the water taxi tour is a nice idea.
It really sounds like you have a wonderful trip planned! Nice balance of planned and un-planned activity. Next time I'm in Venice (next month) I'll take that secret Doge's Palace tour to find out for myself!
OK. So in THAT case (since I didn't know about that tour when I answered you before)...My guess is that Marco will provide a LOT of the same historical/cultural/fun info that you would get on any other walking tour - and from the sound of it he'll do it better than all but two others (since he's ranked #3 on trip advisor, right?). I probably wouldn't book another walking tour until after you get done with Marco and see how you're feeling. Truly, truly, walking tours are available from any hotel.
That being said, I wish I knew more about the Secret Doge's Palace tour. I bet you get the basic tour plus the secret parts. Sounds pretty neat. Sounds WAY neat.
If you did decide to go with the first company you wrote about, you could take the three hour version without the interiors (assuming you take the secret tour with whoever offers that). You'd then still get the Grand Canal by boat and Chiesa Frari and area.
A gondola ride costs about 75 euros for 45 minutes (without music). It's not really the best way to see Venice from the water because you're on smaller canals for the most part. I mean, it is an AWESOME experience, especially after dark, but you won't be gondola-ing up the Grand Canal to look at the palaces. I still think the water taxi tour is a nice idea.
It really sounds like you have a wonderful trip planned! Nice balance of planned and un-planned activity. Next time I'm in Venice (next month) I'll take that secret Doge's Palace tour to find out for myself!
Aug 15th, 2012, 04:30 PM
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We'll be there next month also, will arrive in Venice Sept 21, leave Sept 25 ~ will we pass you in the street?
The idea of the water taxi tour is really beginning to grow on me. I wonder how late you can book, would hate to spend all that money and have it raining
Maybe I could re-adjust the schedule and leave the first afternoon after Marco's tour open for things he might suggest.
If we still feel we want a tour I could take a list and try to book something last minute for the next day............good idea or bad?
The idea of the water taxi tour is really beginning to grow on me. I wonder how late you can book, would hate to spend all that money and have it raining
Maybe I could re-adjust the schedule and leave the first afternoon after Marco's tour open for things he might suggest.
If we still feel we want a tour I could take a list and try to book something last minute for the next day............good idea or bad?
