Basilica San Marco website issues?

Can anyone figure out what is going on here?

Nothing particular: there is a lift to get on top of the bell tower, you can get tickets online on the same site of the Museums and the Faq page has been Google Translated.

Lift = elevator

No, not an elevator at the bell tower. if you read through they are clearly talking about ski lifts. You need a “key card/chip card” that you put in your left pocket to get through the “gates at the resort” where you board the chair. That is exactly how it works where we ski (Whistler resort).

Read the part about kids:

“We have free lift pass for children 0-6 years, where children with helmet and accompanied by parents are free!“

I don’t think you need a helmet to ride up the bell tower elevator!

They don’t have the FAQ’s in the Italian version to see what it really says.

https://basilicasanmarco.skiperformance.com/it/negozio#/it/support/faq

That is exactly how it works where we ski (Whistler resort).

Good for you, but why should it matter in Venice?

As I have already explained above, that page has been poorly Google translated. And I do not find an helmet for kids that strange these days. Who knows what they meant in Italian, maybe an hard hat to make the Insurance company happy.

Sorry, but what are you afraid of? That's the official site, nobody is forcing you to buy a ticket for the bell tower if you are not interested in. You want to visit the Basilica and the Museum? Buy a ticket for the Basilica and the Museum. Amen.

But why does the URL change from basilicasanmarco.it to basilicasanmarco.skiperformance.com when one goes to purchase tix?

And how do kids’ ski helmets come in as a translation error? They don’t even have the FAQ’s in Italian so we can see what it really says—-what could have been said in Italian regarding kids’ tickets to the basilica that could possibly be translated as a requirement to wear helmets? Of course it is reasonable to require them for skiing—-but not for entry into the basilica (or the bell tower).

I have a slight concern that the website has been hijacked somehow, and I am questioning whether I should proceed with a ticket purchase.

the website has been hijacked somehow

By a Norwegian company that sells ski passes and online tickets all over the world?

Odds are that they won a bid to manage the Basilica's ecommerce page and that they use the same template for all their customers to save time and money.

Or that there are construction works ongoing and an hard hat mandatory for kids became an helmet.

Or maybe you are 100% right and the site has been hijacked, but I'd just write to [email protected] to check.

It seems odd that they would choose a company whose platform is dedicated to ski resorts. Especially one that cannot even put up the appropriate and relevant FAQ’s. The fact that they appear in English only suggests to me that this is designed to fool non-Italian speakers. maybe the legitimate skiperformance website has been spoofed? This is apparently the one:

https://www.skiperformance.com/

The switch to skiperformance.com appears after one goes from this original website to purchase reservations.

http://www.basilicasanmarco.it/prenotazioni/?lang=en

It says there that the reservations area is only available in Italian—-but then I can easily switch the whole thing to English. Maybe it only gets switched to this skiperformance platform because I am in the US. It occurs regardless whether I am using the Italian or the English version.

I will give it a try using my husband’s computer and the VPN he uses to access Italian content (he reads the news and watches movies that are on RAI).

OK, so they have the Firenze Duomo ticket sales too. But for this one they included the correct FAQ’s, in Italian:

https://operaduomofirenze.skiperformance.com/it/negozio#/it/support/faq

Nothing about a ski pass, a resort, or children wearing ski helmets.

Whose on third?

I dunno.

Appologies Lola, just could not resist.

Hope you find the correct answer.

Regards Ron

Editing my former post.
DOH!!! NOW I see what you're talking about! It's the FAQ page under "Information" on the S.M. basilica English page? You're right, it's talking about ski lift tickets/keycards! How weird is that! If you contact them, let us know what they tell you?

This is too bizarre.

FYI Lola, I see the same thing when looking at the English page from here in France

I wonder what the heck is going on

Try this site, it does say skip the line entry starts in April.

https://www.venetoinside.com/attraction-tickets-in-veneto/

Halfway down the page.

Gerri, I saw that third-party webpage too, but I believe it is outdated. The website I am talking about is selling timed-entry reservations for every day in February and March.

I started this post because the English FAQ’s and their answers made me question the legitimacy of the website. I know that Dario is unconvinced, but it is crystal-clear to me (and now to others) that they are indeed referring to a ski resort, not the Basilica. They were obviously cut and pasted from the webpage of a ski resort that the skiperformance.com company serves.

Now that I see that they are a Norwegian company whose business is to act as a platform for ski resort ticket sales and promotions, I no longer suspect hacking or a scam, but I still question their competence and professionalism. Not sure I can expect them to handle my ticket purchase safely.

I wrote to the Procuratoria di San Marco about this and received a response this morning, apologizing for the error in the FAQ page, and thanking me for bringing it to their attention. They said the back office had mad a mistake. So maybe it will be corrected soon.

I think they owe you free tickets!