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Private & personalized tours - just for you!

Uncover the best of St. Mark's Square the local Way

The best stories aren't found in guidebooks. Skip the crowds and unlock the hidden gems of St. Mark's Square with a private, personalized experience led by a local.

local Marzialocal Giacomolocal Emanuelelocal Riccardo
+14locals

Real People. Real Stories. Really Good Travel.

  • Feel like a local, not a tourist

    Always private. It's just you and your local host. No strangers, no groups.

  • More you, less checklist

    Let your local host tailor the experience completely to your wishes.

  • Travel that feels good

    Our tours are designed with people, places, and the planet in mind.



Top 3 things to do to explore St. Mark's Square

Make your stay in Venice complete with these things to do

  1. 1Experience image
    Portrait from local Emanuele - The Proud Venetian
    Portrait from local Valentina Battocchio - The Eclectic Foodie
    Choose your favorite local

    The Best of Venice: San Marco Highlights & Gondola Ride

    2,370 reviews
    3 hours | City highlight tours | Venice

    Discover Venice’s most iconic landmarks in San Marco — from the majestic basilica to the stunning Doge’s Palace. With a local by your side, this experience goes beyond the postcards, blending must-sees with hidden gems and a classic gondola ride to top it off! Please note that the gondola ride is not included in the tour price and must be paid on the day of the tour in cash

    €107 per person
    Explore
  2. 2Experience image
    Portrait from local Lucia B - The Passionate Art Historian
    With Lucia B

    Doge's Palace and St. Mark's square Family friendly tour, Fun and treasure hunt

    160 reviews
    2 hours | city highlight tours | Venice

    You and your family get to travel back through time and history, discovering symbols and secrets and solving many mysteries during an exciting treasure hunt in the majestic Doge's Palace! No need to wait in line as your host can pre-buy a skip the line ticket for you and your little ones!​

    €88.24 per person
    Explore
  3. 3Experience image
    Portrait from local Elisabetta - Crazy Venice Walker
    With Elisabetta

    Sunrise in Venice: A Magical Start to Your Day

    24 reviews
    2 hours | off the beaten track | Venice

    Experience Venice at its most magical: quiet, calm, and bathed in golden morning light. This peaceful sunrise walk takes you through the city’s most iconic spots—before the crowds arrive.

    €85 per person
    Explore
  • Feel confident in booking

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Travelers love our locals

Reviews from guests about our tours and locals

  • 5.0

    Knowledgeable and Fun

    "Federica gave us a lovely introduction to Venice. She has incredible knowledge of the city, its culture and its history. She is personable and took the time to answer our many questions. When our tour and gondola ride ended, she made us all feel as if we had made a wonderful new friend in Venice. "

    local Federica
    guest Susan
    SusanAbout local FedericaVenice, September 28, 2026
  • 5.0

    Federico was fantastic

    "Federico gave us a fantastic tour of St Marks Basilica and the Doge's Palace. He gave us plenty of interesting information and did not rush us. I would recommend Federico to anyone looking for a tour guide."

    local Federico
    guest Cathy
    CathyAbout local FedericoVenice, September 30, 2026
  • 5.0

    Knowledgeable and interested

    "An excellent tour of the basilica and palace by Roko. He was deeply knowledgeable about the subject matter, was thoughtful about the perspective he gave to the tour and was respectful of us and others around us. "

    local Roko
    guest Peter Waters
    Peter WatersAbout local RokoVenice, September 8, 2026
  • 5.0

    Great Tour with Marco!

    "Marco is incredibly knowledgeable, and a great storyteller! His tour talks about the human story of Venice, not just the history."

    local Marco
    guest Graham
    GrahamAbout local MarcoVenice, September 30, 2026
  • 5.0

    Fantastic Tour with Marco

    "We had a fantastic experience on this tour! There were 7 of us in our group, and our private guide, Marco, was absolutely wonderful. He was incredibly nice, welcoming, and exceptionally knowledgeable. Throughout the journey, he shared fascinating, in-depth details about the history of the buildings and perfectly tied everything back to the grand history of Venice. His storytelling brought the monuments to life and kept all of us fully engaged from start to finish. We truly could not have asked for a better guide. We would absolutely use Marco again and highly recommend him to anyone!"

    local Marco
    guest Greg
    GregAbout local MarcoVenice, July 17, 2026
  • 5.0

    Another Amazing Family Tour of Venice

    "We are a family of 4, including twin 10 year old girls, from Houston, TX USA. We only had 3 days in Venice, and we spent 2 of them on tours with Lucia, and she was amazing! My girls adored Lucia and could hardly wait for the second tour with her. She had a fun scavenger hunt ready to go as we first toured the Basilica and then the palace. We all learned so much about the history and culture of Venice, and the hunt kept my girls happy and engaged. In the square, Lucia had us do a fun prisoners challenge activity which we all enjoyed immensely. The palace was beautiful to see, and we learned so much more than we ever would have on our own. Once again, the kids beat the parents in the hunt and Lucia had prizes for them. My girls were thrilled! We ended by touring the political prison, and it was so very interesting to learn about. Lucia is an excellent guide who is very knowledgeable and great with kids and adults. I highly recommend her! If she is available, do not hesitate to book her. She handled all of the tickets and organizing and made everything so fun and stress free. Grazie for another amazing tour!"

    local Lucia Bondetti
    guest Caroline
    CarolineAbout local Lucia Bondetti Venezia, July 6, 2026
  • 5.0

    St Mark's and Doges Palace with Elisabetta

    "On our fourth visit to Venice,, we decided to take a private tour of St. Mark's and the Doges Palace. We were very fortunate to have Elisabetta as our tour guide. It was an extremely hot day and she was very considerate of our comfort. She procured the tickets for both attractions ahead of time and provided us with a wonderful history of St. Mark's and the palace as well as of Venice itself. Highly recommend Elisabetta!"

    local Elisabetta
    guest LOU
    LOUAbout local ElisabettaVenice, July 8, 2026
  • 5.0

    Romy went the extra mile.

    "Romy was a terrific guide and went above and beyond to make sure we had a great experience. She is well educated and knowledgeable with great information about all the history and culture of Venice. "

    local Romy
    guest Doug
    DougAbout local RomyVenice, July 14, 2026
  • 5.0

    Wonderful Walk!!!!

    "Elisabetta is a native of Venice and very knowledgeable. The walk with her was enjoyable and informative. Her English is very good and she answered each question completely. I would highly recommend the sunrise walk. You see all the beauty of Venice without the crowds."

    local Elisabetta
    guest Rupal
    RupalAbout local ElisabettaVenice, June 17, 2026
  • 5.0

    San Marco Highlights

    "Matteo was just what we hoped for. He is enthusiastic, very knowledgeable and considerate. He kept me and my two college age granddaughters engaged the entire time. We were full of questions. He answered them all with a smile and extended our time to do so. We highly recommend him. "

    local Matteo
    guest William
    WilliamAbout local MatteoVenice, June 5, 2026

Explore Venice with our incredible locals

Learn about their personal stories and find out how you can explore Venice with locals

  • Marzia

    The Merchant of Stories

    230 reviews
    English・Italiano
  • Giacomo

    Venetian Explorer & Storyteller

    18 reviews
    English・Italiano
  • Emanuele

    The Proud Venetian

    85 reviews
    English・Español・Italiano
  • Riccardo

    The Quiet Guy

    41 reviews
    English・Italiano
  • Giada Falchetto

    The Romantic Wanderer

    423 reviews
    English・Italiano
  • CLAUDIA

    The Enthusiastic Venetian

    167 reviews
    English・Italiano
  • Roko

    The Friendly Storyteller

    160 reviews
    English・Hrvatski・Italiano・Српски
  • Loris

    Sommelier&Musician

    315 reviews
    English・Italiano
  • Alessandro

    The historian with passion and love

    39 reviews
    English・Italiano
  • Denise

    Sharing Venice with a smile

    12 reviews
    English・Italiano
See all locals


Things to do in Venice

Our locals will give you the best experiences that Venice has to offer

  • The Best of Venice: San Marco Highlights & Gondola Ride
    Emanuele - The Proud Venetian
    Valentina Battocchio - The Eclectic Foodie
    Choose your local

    The Best of Venice: San Marco Highlights & Gondola Ride

    4.9
    2,370 reviews
    3 hours • City highlight tours
    from €107 per person
  • Doge's Palace and St. Mark's square  Family friendly tour, Fun and treasure hunt
    Lucia B - The Passionate Art Historian
    With Lucia B

    Doge's Palace and St. Mark's square Family friendly tour, Fun and treasure hunt

    5.0
    160 reviews
    2 hours • city highlight tours
    from €88.24 per person
  • Sunrise in Venice: A Magical Start to Your Day
    Elisabetta - Crazy Venice Walker
    With Elisabetta

    Sunrise in Venice: A Magical Start to Your Day

    5.0
    24 reviews
    2 hours • off the beaten track
    from €85 per person
  • Inside St. Mark’s Basilica: Mosaics, Gold, and Secrets
    Matteo - Hidden Venice and Local Stories
    Elisabetta - Crazy Venice Walker
    Choose your local

    Inside St. Mark’s Basilica: Mosaics, Gold, and Secrets

    5.0
    1,766 reviews
    1.5 hours • skip the line tours
    from €64.52 per person
  • Venetian Tales: A Family Adventure Through St. Mark’s & the Doge’s Palace
    Genny - The Language Lover
    Valerio - A venetian deTourist guide
    Choose your local

    Venetian Tales: A Family Adventure Through St. Mark’s & the Doge’s Palace

    5.0
    806 reviews
    2 hours • city highlight tours
    from €71.32 per person
  • Venetian Majesty: Private Tour of St. Mark’s Basilica including Terrace and Doge’s Palace
    Genny - The Language Lover
    Mina - Official tour guide
    Choose your local

    Venetian Majesty: Private Tour of St. Mark’s Basilica including Terrace and Doge’s Palace

    4.9
    1,903 reviews
    3 hours • skip the line tours
    from €113 per person
  • Highlights & Hidden Gems of Venice with Grand Canal Gondola Ride
    Adair - Cultured Island Hopper
    Valerio - A venetian deTourist guide
    Choose your local

    Highlights & Hidden Gems of Venice with Grand Canal Gondola Ride

    4.9
    1,966 reviews
    3 hours • city highlight tours
    from €114 per person
See all experiences


Find experiences by category

Discover experiences based on your interest

  • City highlights tours 5
  • Art & Culture tours 3
  • Off the beaten track tours 3
  • Skip the line tours 2
  • Day trips 1
  • Photo tours 1
  1. Slide 8
  2. Slide 9
  3. Slide 2
    image of undefined, undefined
    image of undefined, undefined
    & 25 other locals

    Highlights & Hidden Gems of Venice

    4.9
    405 reviews
    Book now
  4. Slide 3
    image of undefined, undefined
    image of undefined, undefined
    & 9 other locals

    The 10 Tastings of Venice

    5.0
    766 reviews
    Book now
  5. Slide 4
    image of undefined, undefined
    image of undefined, undefined
    & 17 other locals

    Off the Beaten Track in Venice: Dorsoduro Tour

    5.0
    436 reviews
    Book now
  6. Slide 5
    image of undefined, undefined
    image of undefined, undefined
    & 5 other locals

    Taste of Venice: Savor the Flavors of Local Pastries

    5.0
    642 reviews
    Book now
  7. Slide 6
    image of undefined, undefined
    image of undefined, undefined
    & 17 other locals

    Island Escape: Day Trip to Murano, Mazzorbo & Burano

    5.0
    162 reviews
    Book now
  8. Slide 7
    image of undefined, undefined
    image of undefined, undefined
    & 6 other locals

    Magical Venice by Night: Local Guide Onboard Your Gondola

    4.9
    833 reviews
    Book now
  9. Slide 8
    image of undefined, undefined
    image of undefined, undefined
    & 14 other locals

    The Ultimate Venice Day Trip: St. Mark’s, Doge’s Palace, Murano & Gondola Ride

    4.9
    1,590 reviews
    Book now
  10. Slide 9
    image of undefined, undefined
    image of undefined, undefined
    & 2 other locals

    Venetian Wines & Bites: Cannaregio Tour

    5.0
    133 reviews
    Book now
  11. Slide 10
    image of undefined, undefined
    image of undefined, undefined
    & 5 other locals

    Picture-Perfect Venice: The Ultimate Photo Shoot

    4.9
    571 reviews
    Book now
  12. Slide 11
    image of undefined, undefined
    image of undefined, undefined
    & 9 other locals

    Family Friendly Venice City Tour

    4.9
    186 reviews
    Book now
  13. Slide 0
  14. Slide 1


Unveiling the Wonders of St. Mark's Square

Welcome to the drawing room of Europe! St. Mark's Square is the beating heart of Venice, a place of immense beauty and history. Imagine the stories these stones could tell. Let a local guide share them with you.

  • A Brief History of St. Mark's Square

    Originally a small area in front of the first St. Mark's Basilica, the square was expanded in 1177. For centuries, St. Mark's Square was the center of Venetian civic, religious, and political life.

  • Culture and Grandeur at St. Mark's Square

    St. Mark's Square is a cultural jewel, dominated by St. Mark's Basilica and the Doge's Palace. Its architecture tells the story of Venice's power and wealth, a breathtaking open-air museum.

  • Venetian Coffee on St. Mark's Square

    The square hosts some of Italy's oldest cafes, like Caffè Florian. Indulge in the local habit of enjoying an espresso while listening to a live orchestra, a truly timeless experience on St. Mark's Square.

  • Casanova's Escape from St. Mark's Square

    The famous adventurer Giacomo Casanova was imprisoned in the Doge's Palace. He made a legendary escape in 1756, crossing the rooftops of St. Mark's Square to freedom, a tale forever tied to the piazza.

  • Secrets of St. Mark's Square Columns

    Did you know the two large columns at the entrance to St. Mark's Square from the water mark the official gateway to the city? Public executions were once held between them, a chilling historical fact.



Why is Withlocals the best place to book a tour?

  • Private & Personal

    Your tour is just for you. No strangers, no groups.

    You'll experience the city one-on-one (or with your own travel group) in a relaxed, personal way. No rushing, no scripted group tours.

  • Tailored to your wishes

    From highlights to hidden gems, your host adjusts everything to fit you.

    Want to skip a museum, add a food stop, or focus on street art? Just ask. Every experience is shaped around your pace, preferences and interests.

  • Chat before you book

    Message your host directly to customize your experience.

    Ask questions, get local tips, or make special requests. Our hosts are real people, ready to make your day unforgettable.

  • Travel that supports locals

    Every booking supports independent locals and their communities.

    We believe tourism should benefit the people who live there. Your host earns directly and often invests it right back into their neighborhood.

  • Feel good about where your money goes

    You're choosing meaningful travel, not mass tourism.

    Withlocals is built on fair pay, human connections and travel that leaves a positive mark for both you and the places you visit.

  • Trusted by millions

    Loved by over 1,000,000 travelers all around the world.

    Withlocals hosts consistently earn 5-star reviews for their kindness, knowledge and the personal stories they share.

  • Secure & flexible booking

    Book with peace of mind: safe payments and easy changes.

    Your plans can shift and that's okay. We offer flexible cancellation and real support when you need it.

  • Private & Personal

    Your tour is just for you. No strangers, no groups.

    You'll experience the city one-on-one (or with your own travel group) in a relaxed, personal way. No rushing, no scripted group tours.

  • Tailored to your wishes

    From highlights to hidden gems, your host adjusts everything to fit you.

    Want to skip a museum, add a food stop, or focus on street art? Just ask. Every experience is shaped around your pace, preferences and interests.

  • Chat before you book

    Message your host directly to customize your experience.

    Ask questions, get local tips, or make special requests. Our hosts are real people, ready to make your day unforgettable.

  • Travel that supports locals

    Every booking supports independent locals and their communities.

    We believe tourism should benefit the people who live there. Your host earns directly and often invests it right back into their neighborhood.

  • Feel good about where your money goes

    You're choosing meaningful travel, not mass tourism.

    Withlocals is built on fair pay, human connections and travel that leaves a positive mark for both you and the places you visit.

  • Trusted by millions

    Loved by over 1,000,000 travelers all around the world.

    Withlocals hosts consistently earn 5-star reviews for their kindness, knowledge and the personal stories they share.

  • Secure & flexible booking

    Book with peace of mind: safe payments and easy changes.

    Your plans can shift and that's okay. We offer flexible cancellation and real support when you need it.



Your Private St. Mark's Square Tour Awaits

Don't just see St. Mark's Square, truly experience it! With a private local guide, you'll skip the long lines, discover hidden gems, and hear stories you won't find in guidebooks. Your personalized adventure in Venice is just a click away. Book your tour now!

  1. Italy
  2. Venice
  3. St. Mark's Square in Venice

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