visit the Doge's Palace in Venice
In the heart of Venice, on St Mark's Square, stands Ducal Palace, one of the most interesting buildings in Venice and one of the most admired and visited historical and artistic attractions in the city. The building was the seat of the government of the Venetian Republic and also the official residence of the governor: this should be enough to let you imagine what architectural and artistic riches it can house. Visit the Doge's Palace in Venice, one of the most iconic sites in the city!
The palace, in Venetian Gothic style, is a true masterpiece of art and architecture, and features a stratification of architectural and ornamental elements from different eras. The interior of the palace is divided into a series of rooms, all richly decorated and luxuriously furnished, and houses works by artists of great importance in the history of Italian art, such as Titian, Veronese and Tintoretto. The building, in its architecture and rooms, tells the story of the Serenissima, and is a symbol of Venice's glorious past, and its function as a bridge between East and West.Â
 The most important thing to know if you are planning to visit the Doge's Palace in Venice is that you must online booking your entrance, to avoid the long queues that often form to visit it at all times of the year: suffice it to say that the palace was visited by 1.24 million visitors in 2023.Â
The magnificent building, an icon of the city of Venice, also houses the Opera Museumwhich is part of the Venice City Museums. Inside you can follow different itineraries, through the splendid Courtyard, the Loggias, the Doge's Apartment, the Institutional Chambers, the Picture Gallery, the Prisons, the Armoury. Also available are the Secret itineraries of the Doge's Palace, 'Secret Itineraries of the Doge's Palace' and 'The Doge's Hidden Treasures', which provide special itineraries to discover the riches of the palace, and which take place by appointment only.
Some of the most important works housed in the palace are the "Tintoretto's 'ParadisePaolo Veronese's 'Triumph of Venice', Vittore Carpaccio's 'Lion andante', Vicentino's 'Battle of Lepanto', Palma Il Giovane's 'Last Judgement' and Titian's 'Madonna and Child'.
The palace has a troubled history: in the past, it was hit by no less than three fires, which also seriously damaged it: the first in 1483, the second in 1574 and the third in 1577. It is said that during the 1577 fire, the flames lasted for more than twenty hours and that the Doge in office at the time, Sebastiano Venier, who had been the triumphant leader of the Battle of Lepanto, did not leave the palace for even a moment.Â
Visit the Doge's Palace by purchasing your entrance tickets: you will have the opportunity to visit one of Venice's main attractions with skip-the-line entry! You can also book to have special accesses and participate in guided tours Doge's Palace Venicemade with experienced local guides.
With your Doge's Palace Venice entrance ticket you will have access to several attractions in Venice! In fact, admission to the palace also includes access to the famous Bridge of Sighs, another must-see attraction on your trip to Venice, on the first floor of the Correr Museumone of the most important museums in Venice, at the Venice Archaeological Museum, and to the Marciana National Library.
Want to buy tickets for the city's main attraction?
If you are planning your visit to Veniceall you have to do is book your entrance ticket for the Doge's Palace. You will be enraptured by the beauty of the palace, the magnificence of its architecture and the richness of the rooms and works it contains. Thanks to your ticket, you will be able to take a full immersion in the history of the famous Serenissima Republic. We also highly recommend you take part in an interesting guided tourmade by expert local guides who know the city and its history. By purchasing your ticket for the Doge's Palace, you will also have access to the premises of theArmoury, at Bridge of Sighs, the Prisons, the Opera Museum, at National Archaeological Museumon the first floor of the Correr Museum, to the Marciana National Library.
What is included in our ticket to the Doge's Palace:
- skip-the-line entry ticketnecessary if you want to visit the palace without wasting precious time (which in Venice is always too little!);
- access to the Bridge of Sighselegant Baroque forms, which can only be visited with the entrance to the Doge's Palace. The bridge was built in the 17th century in Istrian stone, at the same time as the renovation of the 'Prigioni nuove' (New Prisons), damaged by the fire that hit the Doge's Palace in 1577; Ponte dei Sospiri (Bridge of Sighs) is the bridge mentioned by Lord Byron in his poem 'The Pilgrimage of Childe Harold'.
- entrance on the first floor of the Correr Museumone of the most important museums in Venice, born from the rich legacy of the Venetian nobleman Teodoro Correr;
- entrance to the Venice Archaeological Museumwhich exhibits an impressive collection of Greek and Roman sculptures, ceramics, bronzes, coins, inscriptions, and Egyptian and Assyrian-Babylonian antiquities;
- entrance to the Marciana National Library, one of the largest libraries in Italy. The building was initiated by Jacopo Sansovino and was the cornerstone of the Florentine architect's urban renovation work in Venice. He was commissioned to construct a building worthy of housing Cardinal Bessarione's precious library collection and becoming the public library of the Venetian state. The library's holdings are extraordinary to say the least, including ancient Greek manuscripts, many documents from the Orient, ancient maps, incunabula, and 16th century books.Â
VENICE CITY PASS
By purchasing our Venice City Pass you get all the best the city of Venice has to offer in a single ticket. In addition to getting the unmissable skip-the-line tickets and reservationsnecessary to visit some of Venice's main attractions such as the Doge's Palace or St Mark's Church, you will have a choice between privileged access to special attractions. Among the options, you can choose to have access to the beautiful panoramic terrace of St Mark's basilica, which offers an exciting view of the square and Venice, and the much-acclaimed Golden Shovelone of the highest pieces of Byzantine art that have survived intact to the present day. The Pala d'Oro is an altar frontal made of gold, silver, enamels and precious stones jealously guarded in the presbytery of St Mark's Basilica; its enamels are so old and precious that they date back to the mid 12th century. In addition to this, you can optionally include in your ticket the much-loved romantic gondola ride through the canals of Venice, or a tour of the islands of Murano, Burano and Torcello.Â
This is what our Venice City Pass: entrance to the St. Mark's Basilica with a choice ofSkip The Line entrance with access to the viewing terrace or access to the viewing terrace + access to the Pala D'Oro, entrance ticket with quick access for the Ducal Palace with access to the Bridge of Sighs, access to the first floor of the Correr Museum, access to Archaeological Museum, access to the Marciana National Librarydigital guide to St. Mark's Square, tours among the islands of Venicewith boat excursion from St. Mark's Squarewith an option between islands of Murano and Burano and islands of Murano, Burano and Torcello; gondola ride (one of the most popular activities to do in Venice!) with commentary in English; audio guide digital Venice with many points of interest, multilingual descriptions, images and maps
Online shopping your Venice City Pass allows you to visit the best of Venice and experience the atmosphere of the lagoon in complete safety and relaxation.
ALL TICKETS FOR THE DUCAL PALACE
Ducal Palace is open daily, from 1 November to 31 March from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., with last entry at 5 p.m., and from 1 April to 31 October from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., with last entry at 6 p.m.Â
The Ducal Palace stands on St. Mark's Squarein the heart of Venice; in fact, it is here that the city's major historical and cultural attractions are located.Â
On foot, Reaching the Doge's Palace is very easy: the palace stands on St Mark's Square in the heart of Venice.
With the steamerthese are the main links:
From Piazzale Roma: Line 1, stop Vallaresso or San Zaccaria; Line 2, stop Giardinetti; Line 5.1 or Line 4.1, stop San Zaccaria
From Venice Santa Lucia railway station: Line 1, stop Vallaresso or San Zaccaria; Line 2, stop Giardinetti; Line 5.1 or Line 4.1, stop San Zaccaria
 From Lido di Venezia: Line 1, stop Vallaresso or San Zaccaria; Line 5.2, stop San Zaccaria
We advise you to avoid rush hours (those in the middle of the day) to look for a time when the palace is less crowded, such as the early hours of the morning, and have a quieter visit.
In the Ducal Palace there is a lift and toilets on the ground floor completely accessible. For architectural reasons, the Secret Itineraries, the Prisons and the Armoury are not accessible.
Among the services present are cloakroom, bookshop, baby pit-stop with breastfeeding, changing and relaxation area, dog-sitting service bookable via the www.bauadvisor.it portal and the Bauadvisor app). It is not permitted to enter the museum area with suitcases, trolleys and bulky luggage.
La visit to the Ducal Palace may vary depending on your interests and the depth of your visit. We think you need at least an hour and a half to get a general overview of the building and its major works, including the museum. But if you are a lover of art and beauty, then you will just have to relax and take more time to fully enjoy the beauty of the palace.Â
USEFUL INFORMATION FOR YOUR VISIT
FAQ
The Duke's Palace was founded after 812 as the seat of government and residence of the governor. The building suffered numerous damages and fires and was rebuilt and remodelled several times.
Today, the flat of the governor of Venice can be visited and is divided between the Institutional Chambers and the rooms of the private residence.Â
Today, the palace is open to the public and can be visited. It is divided into several rooms and areas in which one can distinguish the Courtyard, the monumental staircase, the Institutional Chambers, such as the Great Council Chamber, the Scrutiny Room, the Doge's Apartment, the Armoury, the Prisons, and the numerous priceless works of art by important artists of the Italian Renaissance.
Today, the Doge's Palace is a museum open to the public and can be visited, with collections of great historical interest. The palace offers several itineraries, including the 'Secret Itineraries of the Doge's Palace' and 'The Hidden Treasures of the Doge'.
During your visit you can admire works by the most renowned Italian Renaissance artists: Jacopo and Domenico Tintoretto, Tiziano Vecellio, Francesco Bassano, Paolo Veronese, Giambattista Zelotti, Jacopo Palma il Giovane, Andrea Vicentino and Antonio Vassilacchi.
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The palace we see today is the result of several reconstructions and alterations that have taken place since the first building. The very first ducal palace, of which there are no remains, was built in the 18th century in Heraklia, and then rebuilt in Malamocco, on the southern part of the island of Lido di Venezia. Later the seat was moved to Rialto, considered the safest place.
The Doge's Palace is taken by storm every day by tourists from all over the world. For this reason you should buy your skip-the-line ticket in advance.Â
You can buy your ticket on site, at the ticket office, or book it online, thus avoiding long queues at the entrance.
You can book your entrance to the Doge's Palace on this page. Buying your ticket online will guarantee you fast track entry, without queuing, and access to many rooms that are part of the Doge's Palace experience.Â
Inside the Doge's Palace you will be able to access the numerous interior and exterior rooms of the building, the Courtyard, the monumental staircases, the Institutional Chambers, the Doge's private residence, as well as the Ponte degli Innamorati, the Prigioni, the Museo dell'Opera, the Museo Archeologico, the Museo Correr, and the Biblioteca Marciana.
At the entrance to the palace is the ticket office for buy your ticket. To avoid the long queues at the ticket office, you can buy your ticket in advance online.
You can purchase the Venice Museum Passwhich offers admission, within six months of activation, to the Doge's Palace and 10 other museums in Venice, including the St. Mark's Square Museums (Doge's Palace, Corre Museum, National Archaeological Museum, Monumental Rooms of the Marciana National Library), and the other Venice City Museums such as Ca' Rezzonico, Museo del Settecento Veneziano, Casa di Carlo Goldoni, Museo di Palazzo Mocenigo and Centro Studi di Storia del Tessuto e del Costume, Ca' Pesaro, Galleria Internazionale d'Arte Moderna + Museo d'Arte Orientale, Museo Fortuny, Museo del Vetro di Murano, Museo del Merletto di Burano, Museo di Storia Naturale.Â
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You can purchase the Venice Museum Passwhich offers admission, within six months of activation, to the Doge's Palace and 10 other museums in Venice, including the St. Mark's Square Museums (Doge's Palace, Corre Museum, National Archaeological Museum, Monumental Rooms of the Marciana National Library), and the other Venice City Museums such as Ca' Rezzonico, Museo del Settecento Veneziano, Casa di Carlo Goldoni, Museo di Palazzo Mocenigo and Centro Studi di Storia del Tessuto e del Costume, Ca' Pesaro, Galleria Internazionale d'Arte Moderna + Museo d'Arte Orientale, Museo Fortuny, Museo del Vetro di Murano, Museo del Merletto di Burano, Museo di Storia Naturale.Â
The palace has been rebuilt several times because it suffered numerous damages. The first structure on St. Mark's Square dates back to the year 812.
We recommend devoting at least an hour and a half to a visit to the Doge's Palace, although with our ticket you will have access to many rooms, so the more time you have, the more you can enjoy the experience.Â
Yes, the ticket to the Doge's Palace is the only way you can cross the inner passage of the pnte and visit the Prisons.
By purchasing Venice City Pass, our city card, you can have combined access to Venice's main attractions: St Mark's Basilica, the Doge's Palace, a gondola ride through the canals of Venice or a tour of the islands of Burano, Murano and Torcello, with a visit to a local glassworks.
You can show your ticket directly from your smartphone, without having to print it out
Tickets are often the subject of promotions. Check the tickets and cards pages, and you can take advantage of the promotions that are offered from time to time. Discounts can apply to individual tickets, or to city passes that contain several options.Â
We advise you to always read the available information and faqs of your ticket purchased on tiqets.com. The withdrawal policy will be specified for each ticket.Â
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what to see IN THE DUCAL PALACE OF VENICE
Visiting the Doge's Palace is not just seeing a building, but a real experience that contains many things within it. The palace itself contains many different rooms, important works and collections. What's more, with your ticket you can access further interesting attractions, such as the first floor of the Correr Museum and the Archaeological Museum, and the Biblioteca Nazionale Marciana.
Some of the most important artistic works housed in the palace are the "Tintoretto's 'Paradise, Paolo Veronese's 'Triumph of Venice', Vittore Carpaccio's 'Lion andante', Vicentino's 'Battle of Lepanto', Palma Il Giovane's 'Last Judgement', and Titian's 'Madonna and Child'. The best thing to do in order to visit the Doge's Palace is to book a guided tour, allowing you to explore the building's countless works and attractions.
The courtyard and loggias
The main entrance to the Doge's Palace is the Wheat GateThis leads to the splendid inner courtyard, where you can admire the monumental Stairway of the Giantsand the two statues of Mars and Neptunea symbol of Venice's strength at sea and on land;
The Opera Museum
The Opera was in the Ducal Palace the office that took care of palace maintenance and renovations; today the Opera Museum is spread over six rooms and offers an itinerary through the masterfully sculpted capitals that speak of different topics, romanticised in the sculptures: races, planets, political, religious and historical allegories.Â
Great Council HallÂ
One of the most spectacular things to see inside the Doge's Palace is "Paradise' by Jacopo Tintoretto. The work, which is of considerable size (it is considered one of the largest of the Renaissance) is located in the Great Council Hallright behind the tribune where the Signoria sat during the councils of the Republic;Â Â
Polling Hall
What we know today asPolling Hall"was once the Library Room, where the precious manuscripts left by Petrarch and Bessarion to the Venetian Republic were kept. The room was thus the place reserved for culture within the palace. Later, with the construction of the Libreria sansoviniana, the room became the venue for the Republic's political elections, where the election of the Doge also took place.Â
Doge's Apartment
The visit to theDoge's flat includes both the rooms of the Doge's private residence and the institutional and representation rooms, which today house decorations, paintings, sculptures, and countless works of great historical and artistic value
The Armoury
L'armoury of the Ducal Palace is a collection of weapons, ammunition and armour from different eras and origins, which is displayed in four rooms of the palace.
The Prisons and Casanova's Cell
 The descent to the dungeons of the Doge's Palace starts from the Magistrate's Hall and crosses a narrow passage through the Bridge of Sighs. Le ducal palace prisons are home to stories and legends; one of the best known is the one about the daring escape of Giacomo Casanova, locked in the 'Piombi' cell in 1755 for his libertine lifestyle that threatened social stability. Together with another inmate, Giacomo Casanova managed to escape by cutting a hole in the roof of his cell and lowering himself into the courtyard, managing to escape unnoticed...Â
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