Visiting Doge's Palace

About Doge's Palace

The Gothic palace of the doges was the seat of the Venetian Republic for centuries. The route climbs the Golden Staircase to council chambers painted by Tintoretto and Veronese, including the vast Hall of the Great Council with Tintoretto's Paradise, then crosses the Bridge of Sighs to the old prisons.

Tip: The Secret Itineraries guided tour shows hidden offices, the torture chamber and Casanova's cell in the roof; book it in advance.

Plan your visit

• Time needed: 2–3 hours.
• Cost: Mid-priced.
• Book ahead: Buy timed tickets online to avoid ticket queues, especially from spring to autumn.
• Where: San Marco, st Mark's Square, grand hotels, La Fenice and luxury shopping streets.

Best time to visit Doge's Palace

Doge's Palace is indoors, which makes it a good plan for the wettest months:

• April: 17°C (63°F) highs, about 9 rainy days, busy crowds.
• May: 22°C (72°F) highs, about 9 rainy days, very busy crowds.
• November: 12°C (54°F) highs, about 8 rainy days, quiet crowds.

When to visit Venice has the full month-by-month picture.

Fit it into your trip

Our 3-day Venice itinerary visits Doge's Palace on day 1, together with St Mark's Basilica, St Mark's Square and La Fenice opera house.

• No. 2 of the 20 sights in our Venice things-to-do list.
• Day 1 of the 1-day plan.
• Day 1 of the 2-day plan.
• Day 1 of the 4-day plan.
• Day 1 of the 5-day plan.
• One of the picks in venice on a rainy day.
• One of the picks in historic sites in Venice.

Near Doge's Palace

Also in San Marco, so you can walk between them:

• St Mark's Basilica — 1–1.5 hours, low cost
• St Mark's Square — 30 minutes–1 hour, free
• St Mark's Campanile — 45 minutes, low cost

If you like Doge's Palace

• Gallerie dell'Accademia — Dorsoduro, 2 hours
• Peggy Guggenheim Collection — Dorsoduro, 1.5–2 hours
• Basilica dei Frari — San Polo, 45 minutes–1 hour
• Scuola Grande di San Rocco — San Polo, 1 hour

Staying near Doge's Palace

Stay in San Marco ($$$$) to walk here: st Mark's Square, grand hotels, La Fenice and luxury shopping streets. All areas to stay in Venice.

Questions travellers ask