lawlibn

I'm planning to pre-book admission times at St. Mark's Basilica and at the Doge's Palace, but I'm a little puzzled. The Basilica website indicates that you're only allowed 10 minutes. The guidebooks reference a 10-minute window of entry time, so at first I thought that was all it meant, but on the Basilica site is says "The visit inside the Basilica lasts about 10 minutes". We're going in October, so I don't know that we'll be able to join an English tour, but I'd planned for 60 - 90 minutes. Is it really true that we'll be out in 10?

cruiseluv

Hi,

Last month we pre-booked the admission. The 10 minutes refers to the window of time to go into the Basilica. Once you're in you can stay as long as you want. Make sure you climb to the top. To me that was the best part.

Where are you booking the admission? We didn't book it through the Basilica website but through a different booking service (free!). I think it's called Alata or something like that. If you need the info let me know and I can try to find it.

enzian

10 minutes? No. We spent at least 30 minutes up on the balcony with the wonderful (replica) horses. Then 20 minutes inside, in the presence of the well-traveled real ones. Then downstairs to the main floor, where you do a counter-clockwise lap (or two, or three. . . ) with the crowd, marveling at everything. Just admiring the floor take another 30 minutes.

lawlibn

I'm at Alata.it, which is the booking site the Basilica refers you to. Alata also indicates your visit should LAST 10 minutes: "How shall I visit the Basilica?
Beside being a grand architectural monument, the St. Mark's Basilica is also an important place of worship and as such it deserves respect. Therefore you should remember to wear adequate clothes and to respect the silence during your visit that should not last for longer than 10 minutes. This time is sufficient to visit the building and allows to reduce the wait for those that have to get in." I've seen posts from others that indicate they were in the Basilica for a couple of hours.

Sue_xx_yy

I got the impression from alata that the visit should last 10 mins as well, although it turned out to be a moot point because when push came to shove, I couldn't get the site to work to make me a booking.

At around 15:15 or so the line was short enough that it only took about 7 mins to enter the place. Then we spent the last 2 hours until closing. So I was glad I didn't feel morally bound to respect a 10 minute limit.

cruiseluv

lawlibn,

That's where I made my reservation too a couple of months ago for our trip in late August. Either I didn't notice the message or it wasn't there.

Regardless, I don't see how they are going to enforce how long you stay inside. You go in unescorted and the place is huge. I wouldn't worry about it.
Late in the afternoon I noticed the line was shorter, as Sue said. But in the AM (when we went with the reservation) the line was humongous . We just went right to the front, showed the guard our reservation and went in. As simple as that.

mw2006

Would you mind sharing the website for making the reservation? We leave for Venice this afternoon, and I haven't done the best job of preparing.

Thank you!

missypie

Be sure and pay the extra euro or so to see the jeweled altarpiece, and to go upstairs to see the horses. We probably spent an hour total there.

lawlibn

MW2006, hope this isn't too late:
http://www.alata.it/eng/BOOKING/sanmarco.asp
Thanks, all. I wasn't exactly worried about them enforcing the time limit, but I was trying to book both the Doge's Palace and the Basilica on the same day, and couldn't figure out how long to allow us between them. I decided to book one in the morning and one early afternoon.

kathyandrick2

Everyone has said to be sure to go "upstairs" to see the replica horses and viewing area. Can someone tell me if there is an elevator to this floor? If not, are many steps involved? I am traveling with my elderly father.

cruiseluv

Hi Kathy,

I'm sorry, there is no elevator( at least I didn't see it and I looked for it). If he has mobility problems I wouldn't recommend it.

sharone

bookmarked

missypie

Kathy, the stairs going up to the musuem have a higher than normal rise, also. I remember this because we were told that the ladies worshipped from upstairs and I wondered aloud with my girls what it must have been like for them to climb those stairs in their long, full dresses.

mw2006

If you go later in the day, there's little to no wait. We visited the basilica around 3:45 and waited about 10 minutes to get in. You can stay as long as you like once inside. Arrived at the Doge's palace around 4, and there wasn't a single person in line.