3 Ways to Skip the Line at St. Mark's Basilica in Venice

Buy tickets in advance online

Reserving your access to St. Mark’s Basilica can help you avoid the ever-present queue.

The skip-the-line service is available 7 months a year (from April 1 to November 2) and the online reservation can be made up to 10 minutes before the chosen visiting time.

You can also make a similar reservation for St. Mark’s Bell Tower. The cost of the skip-the-line service is €3.00 per person (VAT exempt). Entry is free for children up to 5 years. Concessions are reserved for only school and religious groups. Tickets to St. Mark’s Museum, the Golden Pall, and the Treasury can be purchased only on the spot.

Go for guided tours

For a better understanding of the biblical-theological messages on the interior of the basilica, opt for a guided tour. The Tourism and Pilgrimages Pastoral Office of the Diocese of Venice, in collaboration with the Prouratoria of St. Mark makes this possible.

The tours can be taken every day, excluding Sundays and holidays, from April to October at 11:00 a.m. Meet your guide in the basilica’s atrium next to the central doorway.

You can be a part of guided tours only if your reserve in advance. Visit the Office for Tourism Pastoral Promotion website further information.

Choose the right time to visit

St. Mark’s Basilica remains open Mondays through Saturdays from 9:30am until 5:00pm. We suggest you visit either in the early hours/lunch or just before closing time. Winter is the best time to beat the crowds.

There are two sets of time for visiting the basilica. From April 16 to October 28, St. Mark’s Museum is open from 9:35am until 5:00pm. For the Golden Pall and Treasury, it’s 9:35am – 5:00pm. On Sundays and public holidays, it’s 2:00pm – 5:00pm.

From October 29 to April 15, it’s 9:45am – 4:45pm for St. Mark’s Museum and the Golden Pall. For the Treasury of St. Mark’s Basilica, it’s 9:35am – 5:00pm; Sundays and public holidays: 2:00pm – 4:30pm.