Doge's Palace and St Mark's Basilica

St Mark's Basilica and the Doge's Palace stand side by side, but they are run by different bodies and their official tickets are sold separately. The Basilica costs €10 from the Procuratoria di San Marco's shop. The Doge's Palace costs €35, or €30 online if you buy more than 30 days before your visit. If you want both in one booking, the combined tickets and guided tours on Tiqets put them together, with a service added by a tour operator.

Official tickets: what each sight costs

The Basilica's reduced price applies to ages 11 to 18, students up to 26 and over-65s, and children under 11 go free. The Doge's Palace sets its own reductions; check its site.

Bought separately, the two plain tickets come to €45 for an adult, or €40 with the Doge's Palace online price. Adding the Basilica's Museum and terrace brings the Basilica part to €20.

What do the combined options add?

• Combo ticket: entry to both sights in one booking, without a guide. The simplest way to hold both.
• Guided tour of both: a live guide through the Basilica and the Doge's Palace, about three hours, in English, French, German, Italian or Spanish.
• Guided tour with the terrace: adds the Museum and the Horses' Loggia of the Basilica, about two and a half hours.
• Guided tour with early entry: includes early entry along with the terrace, about three hours. It can be cancelled free up to 24 hours before the slot.
• With a gondola ride: guided visits of both followed by a gondola on the Grand Canal, about five hours. It can be cancelled free up to 24 hours before the day.
• Doge's Palace only: a fast-track ticket for the palace, if you've already booked the Basilica.

Partner options are entries combined with a service and run by a tour operator. Check who runs yours and exactly what it includes on the partner page.

How to plan a day with both

Weekdays: start at the Doge's Palace when it opens at 9am, then go across to the Basilica for a slot later in the morning. The Basilica's 10–10.30am slot isn't sold, so pick 10.30am or later if you need the time. Last entry to the Basilica is 4.45pm.

Sundays and holy days: the Basilica opens to visitors only at 2pm, because Mass is celebrated in the morning. Spend the morning at the Doge's Palace and book the Basilica for the afternoon.

Doge's Palace hours by season:

• 1 November to 31 March: 9am to 6pm, last entry 5pm.
• 1 April to 31 October: 9am to 7pm, last entry 6pm.

Bags and dress: the Basilica refuses rucksacks larger than 40 × 30 × 20 cm and wheeled cases, and asks for shoulders and knees to be covered. Plan the day's bag around the stricter rule. See dress code and rules.

Which option suits you?

• Lowest cost, own pace: buy both official tickets separately and plan the times yourself.
• One booking, no guide: the combo ticket.
• First visit to Venice, want context: a guided tour of both; the Basilica's route is short, and a guide makes the most of it.
• The whole square: a guided tour covering the Basilica, the Campanile and the Doge's Palace. See the Campanile.
• Several museums: a pass may work out better. See Venice passes.

What's the link between the two?

For about a thousand years the Basilica was the Doge's chapel, the state church of the Republic, directly dependent on the Doge, rather than the city's cathedral. It became the cathedral of Venice only in 1807. The history page tells the story.