Do we need to hire a guide before going to Venice to do the doge palace and the secret tour, or is it offered directly through the Doge. Lines too long that way? Thnx

You can book ahead from the Doges Palace web site. The Secret Itinerary is docent led. No need to hire another guide.

http://palazzoducale.visitmuve.it/en...isita/tickets/

You can skip the lines and see the best of the Doge's palace with the Secret Itineraries tour. Buy in advance here:
http://selectitaly.com/browse/things...eraries-venice

The Secret Itineraries Tour is a guided tour provided by the Palace. Tours in English are limited, along with the number of participants, so it's best to reserve in advance for a specific date and time. The online reservation/payment process is not fun or user-friendly. I have no idea why e-commerce code writers in Italy make everything so complicated. Once you obtain your PIN number, the lines to exchange this for a ticket are not a problem.

I read about the advice of reserving in advance before we went to Venice in 2004. We went to the Doge's Palace ticket office first thing in the morning and were in an English speaking tour in half an hour. The crowds may have gotten worse since.

Oh thank you all dear travelers for your wise advice