Exclusive Alone in St. Mark’s Basilica After Hours

Enter St. Mark's Basilica after closing time exclusively with Walks of Italy.

Your St. Mark's Basilica after hours tour starts at St. Mark’s Square, where your guide will set the scene for your adventure with thrilling anecdotes and swashbuckling stories. As a bit of background before you step inside, you'll learn about the history of Venice and St. Mark’s Basilica—like how it received its precious relics via a ninth-century kidnapping! Then comes the real treat.

All of the passersby will wonder where you’re going as a custodian unlocks the Basilica’s doors just for you and ushers you right in. Inside, take a deep breath. You’re experiencing St. Mark’s Basilica as almost nobody else has ever been able to (aside from the Doge himself)—empty!

No standing elbow-to-elbow with other tourists, no seeing the church as if through a strobe light from hundreds of popping flashbulbs, no noise from the crowds. Instead, you’re alone with your guide and small group so you can experience the Basilica as it should be seen: in tranquility and peace.

Enjoy a VIP St. Mark's Basilica tour after hours, visiting areas usually closed to the public.

Of course you won't have to queue outside the Basilica since entrance won't be granted to anyone but Walks of Italy groups. When you get inside, you'll feel the real benefit of this.

During the day, there are long lines to see the stunning Pala d’Oro, a Byzantine altarpiece that uses more than 1,900 gems. But on this St. Mark's Basilica after hours tour, you'll have it all to yourself so you can walk right up without the wait.

Since you’re alone in the Basilica, you'll also have the rare opportunity to go where other visitors can’t. The custodian will unlock areas such as the crypt, said to be the place where the bones of St. Mark are kept. Here you can also see the stained walls from the past floods that devastated Venice—the crypt used to be flooded every time the high tide hit the city.

But that's not all. There's another hidden advantage to visiting St. Mark's Basilica at night. This is when the gold mosaics are at their most beautiful, with all 43,000 square feet lit up, glimmering and sparkling in the dark.

Explore St. Mark's in the company of a small group and expert guide for a truly intimate experience.

If just seeing the Basilica this way wasn't enticing enough, there’s also your guide: an expert who’s passionate about Venetian art and history—and about sharing it with you in the most fun way possible. You’ll hear the tale of how St. Mark’s became St. Mark’s, a story that pivots on a prophecy, a kidnapping, and a dangerous sea voyage!

Throughout your St. Mark’s Basilica after hours tour, you’ll travel in small groups of only 25 people or less. As Walks of Italy is the only company with this access, we can also guarantee that there will be no more than four groups inside the Basilica when you visit.

Walk with us inside the heart of Venice, witnessing the Basilica as it was meant to be seen—imposing, impressive, and exquisite—for an evening that will give you memories to last a lifetime.

Please note that this description is an example and your experience may vary depending on the season, day of the week, and group size. Regardless of where your tour goes, you always have an excellent experience.