Tickets, tours and combos: prices compared at a glance
An up-to-date selection of the most popular tickets, from basic entry to complete bundles with a guided tour and the Doge's Palace. Prices shown in the widgets include pre-sale and service fees.
In short: the key 2026 prices
- Basic entry with timed slot
- β¬3 on the official site, from β¬6 with resellers.
- Entry + Pala d'Oro
- β β¬11, includes the high altar and the Byzantine back-altarpiece.
- Entry + Museum + Loggia
- β β¬14, includes the bronze horses.
- Skip-the-line guided tour
- β¬25β35 per person for about 60 minutes.
- St Mark's Campanile
- β¬12 standard ticket.
- Basilica + Doge's Palace combo
- β¬50β65 with priority access to both.
- Children under 6
- Always free, but must be registered on the ticket.
Fares verified on the official site basilicasanmarco.it and on the main authorised resellers.
Basic entry: really "free"?
Short answer: no, not any more. Since June 2024 the Procuratoria di San Marco has introduced a compulsory β¬3 access contribution for tourist visitors. It remains free only for the faithful entering to pray or to attend a service.
The ticket is technically called the "Conservation Contribution" and goes towards maintenance of the mosaics, floors and structures. You can buy it:
- Online on the official site: β¬3 flat, guaranteed time slot, named ticket.
- At the ticket office on the day: β¬3 if slots are still available (rare in high season).
- From authorised resellers: β¬6β8 total, but with free cancellation and multilingual support.
The extra β¬3 charged by resellers isn't a rip-off: it's the margin that allows free cancellation up to 24 hours before, foreign-language assistance and integration with other Venetian tickets.
Detailed prices for each interior section
The Basilica isn't a single space with a single ticket. It's a complex of areas with separate fares. Here's the full cost map.
| Section | Official price | Resellers | What it includes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic entry (Basilica) | β¬3 | β¬6β8 | Nave, narthex, domes, main mosaics |
| Pala d'Oro | β¬5 | β¬10β11 | High altar, Byzantine gold altarpiece, sanctuary |
| St Mark's Treasury | β¬5 | β¬9β10 | Reliquaries, chalices, sacred goldsmith work |
| Museum + Loggia dei Cavalli | β¬7 | β¬12β14 | Bronze horses, ancient mosaics, view over the square |
| St Mark's Campanile | β¬12 | β¬15 | Lift to the top, panorama of Venice |
| St Mark's Crypt | guided tour β¬10 | included in tours | Original tomb of St Mark |
| Baptistery | included when open | β | Baptismal font, 14th-century mosaics |
The Baptistery has been under restoration for years, with partial reopenings. Since January 2025 it can be visited in certain periods on a guided tour with reservation (β¬5 extra).
Is the "Full Experience" package really worth it?
Adding up the separate tickets for the Basilica, Pala d'Oro, Treasury, Museum and Loggia comes to β¬20 on the official site and β¬35β40 with resellers. The Full Experience pack offered by leading resellers costs around β¬22β25. Real saving: β¬10β15 per person.
It pays off when:
- It's your first visit to Venice.
- You want to see everything in a single entry (separate tickets involve internal waits).
- You're interested in Byzantine art (Pala d'Oro) or the horses of Lysippos (Museum).
Not worth it if you only have 30β40 minutes, you've already been inside or you're planning a "quick" visit before the Doge's Palace.
Guided tours: prices and what they include
Guided tours are the ticket category with the greatest range of quality and price. Three clear market tiers:
Standard tour (β¬25β35)
60β75 minutes, licensed guide in your chosen language, Whisper radio headsets, priority entry from the Porta dei Fiori. Groups of 15β25 people. The quality of the guide is the real differentiator β read recent reviews, not three-year-old ones.
Semi-private or small group (β¬45β65)
Up to 8β10 participants, 90-minute duration, often includes Pala d'Oro and Museum access. Slower pace, direct contact with the guide, excellent value for couples and small groups.
After hours or early access (β¬55β95)
Evening visit with the basilica lit just for your group, or entry 30β45 minutes before official opening. Premier experience, limited to 25 places, bookable weeks in advance. One of the most recommended Venetian experiences out there.
Reductions and concessions: which are real
Unlike state museums, St Mark's offers few explicit reductions. Here's the real 2026 picture:
- Children 0β5: free entry to Basilica, Pala d'Oro and Museum. Still need to be registered on the accompanying adult's ticket.
- Children 6β17: no official reduction at the Basilica, full ticket. Reduced rates exist on guided tours (typically β20%).
- Students and under-26s: no official Basilica reduction. The Campanile charges β¬7 for children 6β18.
- Disabled visitors and carer: free entry for both, on request at the ticket office or by flagging it with the reseller.
- Priests, religious and seminarians: free entry to the Basilica (not the Museum).
- Residents of Venice city: free entry with ID, with booking.
- Licensed Veneto tour guides: free with badge.
Reductions for European students or seniors, common in Italian state museums, are not provided for the Basilica because it's an ecclesiastical asset administered by the Procuratoria.
When you actually get in for free
There are still windows when access is completely free:
- To attend mass: always free, but with access through a dedicated door and no "tourist visiting".
- Sunday morning until 14:00: access for worship only, no tourism.
- Special diocesan days: Feast of St Mark (25 April), Patriarch, ordinations β free access for the faithful.
- European Heritage Days (September): in some years the Procuratoria opens with a symbolic ticket.
Caveat: entering for mass means staying seated, no photographs, no free movement. It's not a backdoor to visit for free β it's an act of worship.
Prices compared with other Venetian attractions
To put the Basilica's cost into context within a Venice budget:
| Attraction | Basic ticket | Visit length | β¬/hour |
|---|---|---|---|
| St Mark's Basilica | β¬3β8 | 45β60 min | β¬4β8/h |
| Basilica + Pala d'Oro + Museum | β¬14β18 | 90 min | β¬10β12/h |
| St Mark's Campanile | β¬12 | 20 min | β¬36/h |
| Doge's Palace | β¬30 | 2 hours | β¬15/h |
| Gallerie dell'Accademia | β¬15 | 90 min | β¬10/h |
| Peggy Guggenheim | β¬16 | 90 min | β¬11/h |
| Clock Tower (guided) | β¬14 | 1 hour | β¬14/h |
Read this way, the Basilica turns out to be one of the cheapest cultural experiences in Venice relative to what it offers. The Campanile, conversely, is the landmark with the highest price-to-time ratio: β¬12 for 15β20 actual minutes.
Hidden costs nobody tells you about
Here are the line items that pop up after booking and that many travellers discover on site:
- Bag and backpack deposit: mandatory for backpacks larger than 30x30 cm. The official deposit (Ateneo San Basso, Calle San Basso 315/A) costs β¬1 per item for the duration of the visit.
- Official audio guide: not always available, β¬5 when it is. The free apps (Rick Steves, Tiqets audio narrations) cover the visit well.
- Flash photos or video: forbidden. Editorial use requires a formal paid request to the Procuratoria.
- Official cancellation: not allowed. Through resellers, yes β generally free up to 24 hours before.
- Venice access contribution: β¬5β10 per day for day visitors (not those staying overnight) on selected 2026 dates. Separate from the Basilica ticket.
Combo with the Doge's Palace: how much you really save
The combined Basilica + Doge's Palace package is the most common purchase among Venice visitors. Typical prices:
- Bought separately: Basilica (Full Experience) β¬22 + Doge's Palace (skip the line) β¬35 = β¬57.
- Combo with priority access to both: β¬50β55. Real saving: β¬2β7.
- Combo with guided tour of both: β¬75β95, total duration 3 hours.
The combo's true advantage isn't economic but logistical: a single booking, a single email confirmation, one start time to keep in the square. For those visiting Venice for just a day, it's almost a must.
Official site vs resellers: where it really pays to buy
Fair question: why pay β¬6β8 on Tiqets when the Procuratoria site charges β¬3? Honest comparison:
| Aspect | Official site | Reseller (Tiqets/GetYourGuide) |
|---|---|---|
| Base price | β¬3 | β¬6β8 |
| Cancellation | Non-refundable | Free up to 24h before |
| Date change | No | Yes, on eligible products |
| Italian/English support | Email, slow | Chat 24/7 |
| Last-minute availability | Often sold out | Dedicated allocation |
| Combo bundles | Limited | Wide choice |
| Apple Pay / PayPal | Card only | Yes |
If your dates are set and your plans firm, the official site wins on price. If plans may change or you're booking remotely, the flexibility of resellers is worth the β¬3β5 difference.
FAQ on St Mark's Basilica prices
Is entry to the Basilica still free?
No. Since 2024 a β¬3 access contribution applies to tourist visitors. It remains free only for those entering to pray or attend mass.
How much does it cost to see the Pala d'Oro?
The dedicated Pala d'Oro ticket costs β¬5 on the official site, β¬10β11 with resellers. Bought separately or as part of a bundle.
Do children pay?
Under-6s enter free to the Basilica, Pala d'Oro and Museum. From 6 onwards they pay the full price, except for specific reductions on guided tours.
How much is the Campanile?
β¬12 for adults, β¬7 for children and young people 6β18. Paid separately: the Basilica ticket does not include the Campanile.
Can I use the Venezia Unica City Pass?
Venezia Unica covers some civic museums (Doge's Palace, Correr) but not the Basilica, which is run by the Procuratoria. Buy it separately.
Is the Doge's Palace combo worth it?
Yes, especially for skipping the queue at both and for organisational simplicity. The cash saving is modest (β¬2β7), but the logistical benefit is significant.
Do guided tours already include the entry ticket?
Almost always yes, but check the description. Some operators publish a "guide-only" price that excludes entry, added at checkout.
Compare live fares and book
All up-to-date St Mark's Basilica tickets, with final prices (no hidden costs at checkout) and free cancellation on eligible products.