I am booking skip-the-line tickets to St Mark's Basillica. Do you really only get to stay inside for 10 minutes? Also, In Rick's book it mentions that free hour-long English tours are available many days at 11:30. How does that work? Is it separate from the skip-the-line ticket? I'm a bit confused...
Posted by
Seattle, WA, US
232 posts
The free hour long tours are definitely worth doing! They were seperate from the skip the line tickets. We were there in 2014. We skipped the line then stood in the designated area for the English tour. They turn the lights on the mosaics during the tour so it’s the best time to be in the Basillica anyway.
If you have time while you’re in Venice I HIGHLY recommend doing the RS Audio tour of the Grand Canal. It starts at the train station and goes to St Marks. If you get in the vaperetto at the bus station (the stop before the train station and the start of the vaperetto’s) you can get a front seat. Much less busy than the train station.
Posted by
OP
2 posts
Do you have to time your skip-the-line entry so that you'll be inside the Basillica at 11:30 for the start of the tour? The book says that the tour starts at the atrium, which looks like it is inside the church.
Is there really a 10 minute time limit inside the Basillica? Do they kick you out after 10 minutes?
Posted by
Rick Steves' Europe
16895 posts
The reservation gives you a 10-minute window for entering the basilica. Once, inside, nobody is timing you, but they do tend to keep the crowd moving along the route prescribed by ropes. You cannot sit in wonder, nor stand in one spot for very long. You can extend your visit by paying the small fees for the treasury and museum (which is upstairs with a view of the nave).
The Atrium is right inside the entrance. Follow any sign/line for reservations as well as any instructions provided when you do reserve.