Do I HAVE to have pre-ticket for Doge's Palace & St.Mark's Basilica?
 

Hopefully this is a quick, easy question:

Traveling to Venice in May - only there for 2 days. We would like to see Doge's Palace and St. Mark's Basilica. All of my searches gives information for pre-booked tours/ Secret Itineraries etc..

Can we purchase a pre-timed ticket for each of these locations on their own ? We would like to go inside both locations but thnk our time may be limited to do full Secret Itinerary tour for example at Doge's.

Thank you

Is your question whether you can buy two separate but timed tickets for each? Or whether you can just walk up, wait in line and go in? I don't know the answer to #1, but the answer to #2 is yes. Just be prepared to wait. Last May we probably waited 30-40 minutes at the Doge's Palace (it was pouring rain, so everyone who would normally be wandering the streets was there) and 15ish at St. Mark's. Your mileage may vary.

(We did not do the Secret Itinerary tour. That may need to be prebooked, I'm not sure.)

I think you need to book the Secret Itinerary in advance - since numbers are limited. We have gone in May a couple of times (good weather) and never had a wait of more than a few minutes at either one. (Probably because we got there before the invading tour groups, since we were only staying a few blocks away.)

Sorry, I wasn't more clear. I'm trying to figure out how to avoid the potential lines without booking larger tour such as Secret Itineraries.

Walks of Italy had a Doge's/ Basilica tour - 2 1/2 hours total but not on the day we could go.

On your own, how long approximately did you spend in location? Did you simply walk around on your own or use audioguides, etc.?

Did you buy each ticket separately or part of a larger tourist card ?

Thanks

We spent about ¾ hour in the Basilica, and two or three hours in the Doge Palace. This was our second visit, so we skipped the Bridge of Sighs and the prison.

We did not buy tickets for the Basilica, and “walked up” for the Doge Palace – that was in December, mid morning, and Venice is relatively quiet then. We did not use audio guides.

We did not pre-book the Secret Tour. We walked in, expecting to book for another day and got an English tour that started 20 minutes later.

We were probably in the Doge's Palace a couple of hours, maybe two and a half, and we didn't spend very much time in St Mark's - maybe 20 minutes. We didn't use the audio guides for either.

The Secret Itineraries tour is very worthwhile...I'd recommend pre-purchasing a ticket for that. We also toured the Basilica with a guide, and I'd recommend that as well. Don't forget to go upstairs where the original bronze horses are kept...magnificent, and gorgeous views over both the interior of the Basilica and the Piazza.

You can purchase tickets online for Doge's Palace. It costs 16 Euros and includes:

Doge’s Palace AKA Palazzo Ducale
Museo Correr
Museo Archeologico Nazionale
Monumental Rooms of the Biblioteca Nazionale Marciana

OR you can purchase the Secret Itineraries Tour on the same website and it costs 20 Euros and may be cheaper than going through a tour company. The tour is about 1 hour and 15 minutes long for the secret itineraries part and you also have access to the rest of Doge's Palace without a guide.

http://palazzoducale.visitmuve.it/en/home/

Our trip is not until May either so I do not know how much it normally costs for tickets if you wait to buy them once you get there as I have not been there yet.

As for St. Mark's Basilica, you can reserve an entry time to visit the Basilica. You’ll get a confirmation number that you just need to present to the guards at the entrance. You get about a 15-minute window in which to enter the church. It’s only €1 per person to reserve an entry time. There’s no entry fee for the Basilica, but there are fees for other parts of the basilica like the museum, Pala d' Oro & Treasury.

http://www.basilicasanmarco.it/eng/v...cat=6&subcat=5

We were in Venice during a September trip, and the line waiting to enter the Basilica was about 150 people long. We walked to the front of that line to the guard, showed our 'reservation' and went right in. I found the scope of the mosaics work (the detailed handwork it must have required!) and the overall history of the place to be deeply moving. There are some rooms at mezzanine level that are free to enter. Note that backpacks or improper dress will have you turned away by the guard.

Travelnut- when you say backpacks get you turned away what size to you mean, I intent to carry a small rucksack with me just with my water, maps and things in, do you think that would be ok? Thanks

The website just says Suitcases, backpacks and extra-size bags are not allowed into the Basilica. Unless it looks like a small purse, I probably wouldn't chance it.

nic81, I had this bag with me, with water, camera, etc, and had no issues. If you have a backpack, it might cause more of a problem (crowded tourist attractions tend not to allow those more than they ban cross-body bags or purses - it's easier to knock into things or people with a backpack, so they keep an eye out). I don't know about the Basilica specifically, though.

http://products.lowepro.com/product/...ing,2190,4.htm

http://www.basilicasanmarco.it/WAI/e...erne/orari.bsm
Quote:
- You cannot enter the basilica with luggage. Luggage must be deposited in Ateneo San Basso (Piazzetta dei Leoncini - in front of the Gate of Flowers, north façade);
- Non è possibile entrare in Basilica <b>con bagagli o borse voluminose</b>. Questi devono essere depositati in Ateneo San Basso (Piazzetta dei Leoncini - di fronte alla Porta dei Fiori, facciata settentrionale);