St Mark's Basilica tickets

Tickets for St Mark's Basilica are sold by the Procuratoria di San Marco, the body that runs the church, through its online shop at tickets.basilicasanmarco.it. A Basilica-only ticket costs €10 for an adult, and each one is issued to a named person for a set day and half-hour slot. The options sold on Tiqets cost more because they bundle a service with the entry, such as a host at the door, a live guide, the Museum and terrace, or a second sight. The sections below show what each one adds, so you can decide whether it's worth it to you.

How much are the official tickets?

* Reduced: ages 11–18, students up to 26, over-65s. Free under 11.

The reduced price is half the full one and applies to young people aged 11 to 18, students up to 26 and visitors over 65. Children under 11 go free but still need a ticket, which the shop issues at €0, up to two per order. People with disabilities and one companion enter free on showing documentation to the staff at the door. Residents of Venice and several neighbouring municipalities also go free, though not to the Campanile.

There is no further reduction for booking online. The tariff presents the €10 private-visitor price as already discounted, and tour operators and guides pay €12 per Basilica entry.

If you hold a Basilica-only ticket, you can extend it once you're there and buy access to the Pala d'Oro, the Museum and the Campanile on the spot. The Campanile is not part of the €30 full ticket.

How do you book the official ticket?

1. Go to the Procuratoria's shop and choose the ticket: Basilica, Basilica with the Pala d'Oro, Basilica with the Museum and Horses' Loggia, the full ticket, or the Campanile.
2. Pick a day and a half-hour slot. Sales open 90 days before the date. On weekdays the first slot starts at 9.30am and the last at 4pm; on Sundays slots run from 2pm.
3. Enter the name of each visitor. Tickets are personal, and you must show valid ID at the entrance.
4. Arrive at your slot time. The terms of sale allow 15 minutes either side, while the shop's FAQ speaks of about 5, so plan to be there at the start.

A private account can buy at most five tickets a year. Bought tickets cannot be changed or passed to someone else. You can get a refund only if the Procuratoria cancels or moves the visit, or if something objective and documented stops you from going and you email accrediti@procuratoriasanmarco.it at least 48 hours before.

A Basilica ticket also gets you into other sites for six months from purchase: Torcello cathedral, the sacristy of the Salute, the Pinacoteca Manfrediniana and around 40 Venetian churches. It also gives free entry to The Human Safety Net's home in the Procuratie on St Mark's Square.

Official ticket or a Tiqets option?