Doge's Palace secret guided tour routes

Tour Highlights

• View of secret prison chambers & archives of Doge's Palace
• Skip-the-line access and exclusive tour limited to 20 people
• Special visit to Casanova's prison cell & torture chamber
• Route including the best general access areas and apartments
• Hear fascinating stories of Venice's history from your guide

Tour Details

See parts of the Doge's Palace that most visitors and many Venetians don't even know exist on this special access tour. Open to just 20 people at a time, this exclusive tour explores secret prisons, archives, offices, and even a torture chamber in Palazzo Ducale to reveal a darker side of history..

For those with an interest in art, history, literature, or scandal, the Doge's Palace is by far the most interesting building in Venice. Home to the world's oldest republic, it's quite literally a repository for its greatest secret and artworks all laid bare on this in-depth tour, offering a much more detailed picture of life in the Republic of Venice.

With your guide, a Venetian art expert and historian, enjoy skip-the-line access to the Doge's Palace and make a beeline for backstage. After a guard opens a special door, enter the hidden side of the palace to see the prison cell where Casanova was held, hear the unlikely tale of his escape, and visit the archives to learn how secrets were kept.

See hidden council rooms to learn of the system of checks and balances that made Venice the world's oldest republic and enter the best general access areas such as huge audience rooms, ballrooms with incredible paintings by Veronese and Tintoretto, and the private apartments of the Duke of Venice. Your VIP experiences ends with crossing the famed Bridge of Sighs to see the New Prisons on this small-group tour.

Tour Include

• Skip-the-line Doge's Palace entry
• Special access to the Doge’s Palace Secret Itineraries
• Guide

Tour Exclude

• Gratuities
• Hotel pick-up and drop off

Important Notes

Not suitable for

• Children under 6 years
• Pregnant women
• People with mobility impairments
• Wheelchair users

Meeting point

• Make sure to check your email for instructions and credentials to access the tour

The tour is not suitable for

• Elderly and pregnant women.