On this special night tour of Saint Mark’s Basilica, we’ll have the rare chance to visit Venice’s extraordinary cathedral after dark, getting up close and personal with the church's spectacular artworks without the crowds. In the company of an expert guide you’ll learn all about the story of Saint Mark and the history of Venice, as well as how the basilica rose to become the city’s most iconic landmark. Come face-to-face with the precious Pala d’Oro, and gaze up at the basilica’s world-famous mosaics, beautifully illuminated by state-of-the-art lighting. On our exclusive tour we’ll also get to visit the crypt, final resting place of the patriarchs of Venice.
No visit to Venice is complete without exploring the city’s magnificent basilica, which has stood at the centre of Venetian life for over a thousand years. Inevitably, St. Mark’s can get crowded, and queues to enter the basilica often snake around the square outside. That’s why we think our exclusive night tour of St. Mark’s Basilica is the best way to see the cathedral - we’ll be entering the church after normal opening hours have ended, meaning we won’t have to queue to enter and jostle with other visitors for space.
On our night tour of St. Mark’s, you’ll meet your guide in beautiful St. Mark’s Square, for centuries the spiritual and political centre of Venice - the Doge’s palace also stands silent watch over the piazza. To start our tour, your guide will explain the significance of the square to the history and geography of the city - for good reason Napoleon described the Piazza as the ‘drawing room of Europe,’ and the elegant cafes that line the square, including Caffe Quadri and famous Caffe Florian, have lost none of their old-world charm.
During our time in the piazza we’ll learn about some of the other highlights on show here, including the stunning Torre dell’Orologio - a Renaissance clock tower decorated with fabulous sculptures, as well as St. Mark’s Campanile, the soaring 12th-century brick bell tower that is still the tallest building in Venice.
From the piazza we’ll head into a special entrance of the basilica accessible only to visitors joining a special night tour of St. Mark’s. As it is after hours, the church will be dark when we enter. But then as the lights are turned on one by one, the full majesty of St. Mark’s basilica will be revealed in all its glory. The basilica’s glittering mosaics extend over more than 4,000 square metres, and this jaw-dropping expanse of gold has for good reason given St. Mark’s the nickname of the Church of Gold.
You’ll also be descending into the eerie crypt of St. Mark’s, usually closed to visitors and accessible only on a special night tour of the basilica like this, as you make your way through this atmospheric subterranean space you’ll feel like you’ve been transported back in time to the distant world of medieval Venice.