PALACE TOURS · ITALY PALACE TOURS

15 Italian Palaces Worth Flying For

138 tours  ·  from $7 a head

A doge’s seat on the lagoon, Florentine palazzi built as statements of credit, royal apartments in Turin and Naples. These 15 compare entry, guided rooms and the combined tickets, priced and timed.

Venice: Doge's Palace Reserved Entry Ticket - The Gothic exterior and Golden Staircase
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Venice: Doge’s Palace Reserved Entry Ticket

1.Doge’s Palace Reserved Entry Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 42,716 reviews · 1 day · from $41Our pick

Use a reserved digital ticket to enter Doge’s Palace without the standard ticket queue. Tour the Gothic palace at your own pace, cross the Bridge of Sighs, and visit the Correr Museum, National Archaeological Museum, and Marciana Library. This is self-guided entry, not a guided tour.

“It's just a skip-the-line ticket -- no personal guide or even an audio guide. The palace is breathtaking... so much to see. Like other reviewers we didn't have time to see the other ticket inclusions.”

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Doge's Palace & St. Mark's Basilica with Terrace Access Tour - St. Mark’s Basilica and the bronze horses
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Doge’s Palace & St. Mark’s Basilica with Terrace Access Tour

2.Doge’s Palace & St. Mark’s Basilica with Terrace Access Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 10,697 reviews · from $123

See Venice’s essential sights with a local guide such as Federica, Francesca, Elena, or Matteo. Enter St. Mark’s Basilica, climb to its terrace for lagoon views, then tour Doge’s Palace, the Bridge of Sighs, and the New Prisons. Private and small-group options are available.

“Elena was one of the best guides we have ever had. Very knowledgeable, charismatic, and very accommodating!”

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Venice: Doge's Palace and St Mark's Basilica Walking Tour - Inside the Doge’s Palace and the Venetian government
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Venice: Doge’s Palace and St Mark’s Basilica Walking Tour

3.Doge’s Palace and St Mark’s Basilica Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 6,291 reviews · 2 - 2.5 hours · from $101

Explore Venice’s two essential monuments in 2 to 2.5 hours with a live guide in English, Italian, French, Spanish, or German. See the Doge’s grand council halls, cross the Bridge of Sighs, then admire St Mark’s mosaics, museum, and terrace if your option includes them. Guides such as Denise, Marina, and Donatella have earned especially warm praise.

“Very informative! The explanations of the artwork and history were great!”

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Legendary Venice: Doge's Palace, St Mark's & VIP Terrace Access - Meeting in St. Mark’s Square
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Legendary Venice: Doge’s Palace, St Mark’s & VIP Terrace Access

4.Legendary Venice: Doge’s Palace, St Mark’s & VIP Terrace Access

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 5,033 reviews · 2 to 3 hours (approx.) · from $76

Visit St. Mark’s Basilica and Doge’s Palace in a 2 to 3-hour English-language tour. Walk through Byzantine mosaics, ducal rooms, the Bridge of Sighs, and the basilica terraces if selected. The 8 AM departure adds early entry to the palace, while private tours serve up to six people.

“We loved "skip the line" as there was a large crowd that was touring that day. Our tour guide was amazing and was adaptable to the interests of our group. Wear comfy shoes - there are quite a lot of stairs, but all well worth the views.”

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Florence: Palazzo Vecchio Entrance Ticket & Audioguide - Entering from Piazza della Signoria
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Florence: Palazzo Vecchio Entrance Ticket & Audioguide

5.Palazzo Vecchio Entrance Ticket & Audioguide

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 4,822 reviews · 1 day · from $37

Enter Palazzo Vecchio from Piazza della Signoria, collect your ticket at the InfoPoint, and explore at your own pace with an audio or 7-inch multimedia guide. See the Salone dei Cinquecento, Medici rooms, and Renaissance art, then add Arnolfo’s Tower for a stair climb and broad views of Florence.

“The videoguide was easy to use and very informative.”

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Florence: Entrance Ticket to Pitti Palace - Starting at window number 3
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Florence: Entrance Ticket to Pitti Palace

6.Entrance Ticket to Pitti Palace

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 4,528 reviews · from $18

Use a reserved ticket to explore Pitti Palace at your own pace. See the Palatine Gallery, Medici treasures, royal apartments, Gallery of Modern Art, temporary exhibitions, and Costume Gallery. The ticket is valid for one day, with optional audio guide support in several languages.

“I would highly recommend going early in the day. When we came out there had to be 200 people in line … but … even then the pre reserved ticket line was empty! Huge value to reserve tickets!”

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Venice: Doge's Palace and St. Mark's Basilica Tour - Entering the Doge’s Palace and the world of the doges
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Venice: Doge’s Palace and St. Mark’s Basilica Tour

7.Doge’s Palace and St. Mark’s Basilica Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 3,734 reviews · from $108

See Venice’s two essential sights in 2.5 to 3 hours with a live guide and separate-entry tickets. Explore the Doge’s Palace, cross the Bridge of Sighs, then admire St. Mark’s golden mosaics. Some options add the basilica terrace, museum, and Pala d’Oro.

“A little rushed but our guide Mirko was excellent. Kept everyone engaged and interested. definitely recommend him and the tour.”

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Venice In a Day: St Mark's, Doges Palace Gondola Ride & City Tour - The 35-minute gondola ride
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Venice In a Day: St Mark’s, Doges Palace Gondola Ride & City Tour

8.Venice In a Day: St Mark’s, Doges Palace Gondola Ride & City Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 3,588 reviews · 6 hours (approx.) · from $124Top rated

Walk from Rialto Bridge through the fish market, ride a shared gondola through the Grand Canal and back canals, then tour St. Mark’s Basilica and Doge’s Palace. Early departures include basilica entry. Guides such as Roberta, Filippo, Mateo, and Chiara are known for clear history and humor.

“The tour is a bit early but that is how you get to walk in the quiet and beautiful Venice. We came back to a few spots later that day and they all became very crowded”

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Venice: St. Mark's Basilica & Doge's Palace Tour with Ticket - Meeting beneath the winged lion
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Venice: St. Mark’s Basilica & Doge’s Palace Tour with Ticket

9.St. Mark’s Basilica & Doge’s Palace Tour with Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 3,375 reviews · from $94

Meet your English or German-speaking guide beneath the winged lion in St. Mark’s Square. In three hours, visit St. Mark’s Basilica, Doge’s Palace, the Bridge of Sighs, and nearby museums with reserved entry. Guides such as Claire, Cristina, and Alessandro are praised for lively storytelling.

“Our guide Christina was a wealth of knowledge! She made the tour more fun than I thought it could be. My wife and I were already very excited for the tour but had no idea just how fulfilled we would feel at the end. Christina is the reason we had such a remarkable time. She took the time to answer any questions, had some fun pop quizzes along the way, and gave us time to look at and marvel at the beauty of both of these structures. I wish I could have her as my guide for all my future tours in my life. Thanks again Christina!”

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Venice: St Mark's Basilica, Doge Palace, & Bell Tower Option - Entering St. Mark’s Basilica
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Venice: St Mark’s Basilica, Doge Palace, & Bell Tower Option

10.St Mark’s Basilica, Doge Palace, & Bell Tower Option

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 2,633 reviews · 2 - 4 hours · from $100

Explore St. Mark’s Basilica and Doge’s Palace with a local guide, then cross the Bridge of Sighs into Venice’s old prisons. Choose options with the Campanile, VR history gallery, gondola ride, or lunch. Guides speak English, Spanish, French, and German.

“Tour was very well organized, very informative and if this is your first time exploring these places, I would highly recommend the guided tour because there are things you will not know you’re looking at or miss knowing. We enjoyed it. Guide was great too!”

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Venice: Doge's Palace, Bridge of Sighs & Prisons Guided Tour - Meeting in St. Mark’s Square and getting inside
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Venice: Doge’s Palace, Bridge of Sighs & Prisons Guided Tour

11.Doge’s Palace, Bridge of Sighs & Prisons Guided Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 2,549 reviews · 69 minutes - 1.5 hours · from $68

Enter Doge’s Palace with a live guide in English, Spanish, French, or German. See the grand halls, Tintoretto’s Last Judgment, the prisons, and Bridge of Sighs. Some options add a 3D history gallery, Royal Palace rooms, lunch, or a gondola ride.

“Tour guide Lucia was fabulous; very knowledgeable; The virtual introduction was fantastic!”

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Venice's Best: Basilica, Doge's Palace, Gondola & History Gallery - Doge’s Palace, the Bridge of Sighs, and the prison route
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Venice’s Best: Basilica, Doge’s Palace, Gondola & History Gallery

12.Venice’s Best: Basilica, Doge’s Palace, Gondola & History Gallery

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 2,478 reviews · 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $129

Begin near St. Mark’s Square with guided visits to the Basilica and Doge’s Palace, then take a shared gondola through Venice’s canals. Guides such as Lucia, Valentina, Giada, and Alexander have earned praise for clear, lively storytelling. A Venice history VR experience and museum access are included.

“We were looking forward to seeing St Mark’s, the Doge’s Palace and the optional gondola ride. The tour time was listed as 3.5 hrs. Therefore we booked our train from Venice back to Florence after the tour an hour after it was finished to give some extra time in case the tour went long. Come to find out, the gondola was AFTER the 3.5 hrs tour so we wouldn’t have made our train back to Florence. That was not explicitly spelled out in the reservation I made. So, we had to chose between the Doge palace and the gondola. We chose the Gondola of course and were very glad we…”

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Venice: Doge's Palace & St Mark's Tour with Upgrade Option - Crossing the Bridge of Sighs into the New Prisons
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Venice: Doge’s Palace & St Mark’s Tour with Upgrade Option

13.Doge’s Palace & St Mark’s Tour with Upgrade Option

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 2,387 reviews · 2 - 3 hours · from $79

Spend two to three hours with an English or Spanish-speaking guide at Doge’s Palace and St. Mark’s Basilica. Choose the 8 AM entry for quieter palace rooms, or add terrace access for views over St. Mark’s Square. Expect art, politics, prisons, mosaics, and plenty of stairs.

“Maddalena was an excellent tour guide - she was very friendly and explained everything very well and at a good pace. It was such an interesting tour with many beautiful sights. I would thoroughly recommend it.”

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From Rome: Villa D'Este and Hadrian's Villa Tivoli Day Tour - Hadrian’s Villa: an emperor’s country retreat
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From Rome: Villa D’Este and Hadrian’s Villa Tivoli Day Tour

14.Villa D’Este and Hadrian’s Villa Tivoli Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 2,060 reviews · 1.5 - 7 hours · from $77

Travel from Rome to Tivoli by coach with a guide such as Marcia, then explore Hadrian’s Villa and Villa d’Este. See Roman baths, pools, the Canopus, frescoes, fountains, and Renaissance gardens. Transport and admission are included, while lunch is optional.

“I was a little nervous since I didn't quite like the colosseum tour from the same company. not at the fault of the guide though. he unfortunately had to accommodate physically incapable tourists which inhibited the time of others. however I was blessed with a spry group and good weather for this tour! I am a little know it all and read everything prior to this trip. the guide however is very VERY good. I saw all the highlights that was on my list. I especially liked the free time that the guide allowed for each location. Marzia is the best!”

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Venice: Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo Entrance Ticket - Reaching the upper arcade and the Venice view
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Venice: Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo Entrance Ticket

15.Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo Entrance Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 1,991 reviews · from $10Best value

Visit Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo at your own pace with an entrance ticket valid during opening hours. Admire the Gothic, Renaissance, and Byzantine staircase, climb to its upper arcade, and look across Venice toward St. Mark’s Campanile. No guide is included.

“It seems a little bit too expensive, but overall its a must! Such a beautiful building, and the view was amazing, the church bells was ringing when we were at the top!”

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New in Italy Palace Tours

★ 3.6Doge’s Palace with Optional St.Mark’s Basilica EntryFrom $42110 reviews
★ 5.0From Parma: Parmigiano Reggiano Farm Tour & Tasting with TransferFrom $89113 reviews
★ 4.5Guided Tour to the Royal Palace of Caserta: discover the Royal Palace and gardensFrom $51113 reviews
★ 3.7Castel Gandolfo: Papal Palace Entry Ticket and Audio GuideFrom $23112 reviews
★ 3.5Timed Entry Ticket to Pitti Palace and Boboli Gardens in FlorenceFrom $50118 reviews
★ 4.5Caserta Royal Palace TourFrom $66124 reviews
★ 4.2Doge’s Palace Skip-the-Line Guided TourFrom $79133 reviews
★ 5.0Small-group Royal Palace Skip-the-line TourFrom $59131 reviews
★ 4.5Venice Walking Tour plus Skip the Lines Doge’s Palace and St Mark’s Basilica ToursFrom $186138 reviews
★ 4.2Museum Pass–David, Uffizi, Pitti Palace & GardensFrom $117134 reviews
★ 4.0Skip the Line: Doge’s Palace Guided Tour in VeniceFrom $71142 reviews
★ 5.0Concert at Palazzo Pisani Revedin in VeniceFrom $104148 reviews
★ 4.5St. Mark’s Basilica & Doge Palace + Murano, Burano Guided TourFrom $164148 reviews
★ 4.6Palazzo Madama Museum of Ancient Art Entrance TicketFrom $11149 reviews
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Pick a gate

A named palace, a kind of ticket, or a whole country of them.

The famous ones

AlhambraVersaillesPena PalaceForbidden CityDoge’s Palace

Also worth the fare

TopkapıGrand PalaceSchönbrunnSummer PalaceAlcázar of Seville

Royal residences

BuckinghamWindsorRoyal Palace, MadridSeoul palacesRoyal castles

How you get in

Palace ticketsSkip the lineGuided toursGardens and groundsPalace museums