doge palace secret itineraries tour review

5 reasons to do the Secret Itineraries tour of the Doges Palace in Venice

If you’re looking to buy a normal ticket to the Doge’s Palace, I would recommend that you go on the secret itineraries tour of the Doges Palace instead. It cost €28 for an adult ticket , which is much higher compared to the entrance fee for other attractions in Italy, like the Milan Cathedral . But through the tour, you can learn about the workings of the Doge’s Palace, and see places which are not opened to those who purchase the normal ticket at €25. As compared to the Secret Itineraries tour, the normal ticket gives you access to the St Mark’s Museum, which according to Google, looked quite ornate. But we preferred to have a guide and it was worth it. Here’s why you should do the Secret Itineraries tour of the Doges Palace in Venice. It will take about 1hr 30 mins.

5 reasons to take the Secret Itineraries tour of the Doges Palace in Venice

1. our guide was knowledgeable and fun.

Our guide was a Venetian lady who told us interesting facts and peppered the tour with jokes along the way. She started off at the square telling us about the big rooms in the palace, which are designated for voting and for political meetings of Venetian noblemen. At one point, one of the meeting rooms was the biggest in the whole of Europe.

Our guide also mentioned that it was difficult for local Venetians to continue staying in Venice due to the high cost of living. In addition, there is also a high cost involved to do restoration and repair works as workers will have to take a boat over. This explains why we saw plenty of empty homes when we ventured to a more local part of the island in the south-east. It was much more enjoyable listening to our guide as opposed to simply reading the short English descriptions of the paintings.

We learnt that the fall of Venice could be attributed to Napoleon , hence he is a figure not well-liked among Venetians.

2. We got to see Casanova’s cell and learn how he escaped

Giacomo Casanova is one of Venice’s most famous residents. He was known for his romantic liaisons with women from all walks of life, including nuns. Our guide explained that women were sent to be nuns back then out of poverty. For some, it was not of their choice. In the midst of saving them, Casanova had several affairs and was imprisoned for an affront to religion.

The subject of Casanova’s escape was a controversial one. It was said that during one of his walks, he found a metal spike which he brought with him back to his cell. He started digging a hole in the wall as a means of escape. But on the night before he planned his escape, he was moved to another holding cell, and had to bribe the warden of that time to cover up (the hole) literally. He was placed in another holding cell where he enlisted the help of his cellmate, Father Balbi, a renegade priest, to dig a hole for their escape.

While Casanova’s account is suspenseful, the guide said that it was to be taken with a pinch of salt, as there was no hole to be found when the cells were checked after his escape.

3. Political prisoners were left in the basement, which could flood during heavy rains

It is most unfortunate if you were convicted of treason back in those days. We were told that political prisoners, especially those who were about to be executed we placed in cells at the basement of the palace. As it rains frequently in Venice and floods often, the cells would be flooded and water levels could rise to one’s chest level. It was a dire situation especially if the cells were flooded and the prisoners had to share it with rats. According to our guide, rats outnumber the number of humans in Venice currently.

4. It is better to be a Chancellor than a Doge

We visited the Office of the Great Chancellor, who is said to be in charge of all the archival records in Venice. The Chancellors had a nice office with wooden beams supporting it. Apparently, it could get quite hot during the summer. That said, it was still much more spacious that the prison cells below. Our guide said that it was much better to be a Chancellor as compared to being a Doge, as the Doge was expected to furnish the palace with his own wealth. In comparison, the Chancellor knew all the secrets of the city, and as a result, was paid well. His appointment was for life and his office was also quite big, by standards in the past.

5. We learnt that a bridge built 500 years ago can be sturdier than one built 10 years ago

The Secret Itineraries tour led us to the attic where we could see the foundations of the palace, held steady by blocks of wood. It was then where our guide remarked that it was quite steady, as compared bridges which were built 10 years ago to serve incoming tourist traffic.

After the tour, we took a walk around the palace. The paintings and rooms in the Dodge’s Palace were impressive, decked in gold and paintings of epic battles. If the Cathedrals that we visited in Italy were meant to make people feel awe in a divine presence, the paintings and gold furnishings were meant to make guests feel impressed – it was almost intimidating. We particularly like the frescos on the floor, which were in the form of 3D shapes.

The Travelling Squid’s Take

For new visitors who are not familiar with Venice’s history, the Secret Itineraries tour will give you a glimpse into what was life in the past, away from the grandeur of the ceremonial halls. It was interesting to learn about how public servants were involved in the administration of Venetian governance, as well as experience the prison cells which used to hold people convicted of political crimes and Casanova.

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Doge's Palace Secret Itineraries Tour in Venice

Visiting the Secret Rooms of the Doge's Palace

TripSavvy / Christopher Larson

Visitors to the Doge's Palace , one of Venice's top attractions, can also book a tour of the Itinerari Segreti . The Secret Itineraries Tour takes you to parts of the palace that are off limits during the regular visit, including secret passageways, prisons, the torture chamber, an interrogation room, and the infamous Bridge of Sighs.

Note that the Secret Itineraries tour is available only by reservation (see below) and is not part of the general admission ticket. If it's something you don't want to miss on your trip to Venice—and we do highly recommend it—be sure to book your tour well in advance of your visit.

How to Book the Doge's Palace Secret Itineraries Tour

The Secret Itineraries Tour is a guided tour and is available only with a reservation. English language guided tours are currently available several times daily. Book the Secret Itineraries English language guided tour through the Doge's Palace website. The guided tour ticket also includes general admission to the Doge's Palace so you can visit at your leisure after the tour.

Highlights of the Secret Itineraries Tour:

• The Ducal Notary, the Deputato allo Segreta, the Office of the Great Chancellor, and the Chamber of the Secret Chancellery - All of these administrative rooms held the most important documents of the Venetian Republic. The first two offices, which were interconnected, were occupied by the Doge's notary and an archive for the Council of Ten, the Secret Service of the Republic of Venice. The Great Chancellor was the only figurehead to be elected by the Maggior Consiglio and his job was to oversee the State Archives. Other important and secretive documents were held in the cabinets that lined the walls of the Secret Chancellery.
• The Torture Chamber and the Piombi - The haunting Torture Chamber is set up with some of the devices used on Venetian prisoners. The Piombi are the lead-lined prison cells where prisoners who had been caught by the Council of Ten were held. These included mostly political prisoners and also Giacomo Casanova, who famously escaped the Piombi in 1756 and wrote about it in his memoirs.
• The Attic - The attic is one of the older parts of the Doge's Palace and is where a tower once stood. The room contains a Doge's coat of arms and a cache of 16th-century weapons.
• The Inquisitors' Chamber - A flight of stairs leads from the Attic to the Sala dei Inquisitori alla Propagazione dei Segreti dello Stato, where three magistrates from the highest ranks of Venetian government met to discuss and protect state secrets. The ceiling in this shady room contains beautiful paintings by Tintoretto.
• The Bridge of Sighs - The Secret Itineraries Tour typically ends at the Bridge of Sighs . Visitors can walk through the narrow, cramped corridors of the footbridge and see Venice as prisoners of yore once saw it: through narrow grills on the windows.

For more tips on how to see the best of Venice and get the most from your stay there, see our guide: Visiting Venice: Italy's Most Romantic City . 

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VIP Doge's Palace Secret Passages Tour

690 reviews

Why take this tour?

• Explore the more impenetrable parts of the Doge's Palace, including torture chambers and interrogation rooms
• Learn more about the people who passed through this building
• Acquaint yourself with the long and fascinating history of Venice through stories told by your expert guide
• Sites Visited
• Casanova’s prison cell
• Torture chamber
• Secret archives
• Hall of the Great Council
• Sala della Scrutinio
• New Prisons
• Bridge of Sighs
• Tour Includes
• VIP Doge’s Palace Secret Itineraries tickets
• Skip-the-line Doge's Palace tickets
• Expert local guide

Take a walk through hidden torture rooms, cells and council rooms

Total customer reviews: 691, latest reviews.

Meeting Point

Meeting Point   

This tour meets underneath the Portico, just outside the entrance of the Correr Museum in Piazza San Marco, 30124. The Correr Museum is directly opposite the entrance of St. Mark's Basilica. Your guide will be holding a green Walks sign. 

Please meet 15 minutes prior to the tour start time.   

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Highly recommend the secret itineraries... - Doge's Palace

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Highly recommend the secret itineraries tour

This tour of the doge's palace is great. It is very detailed and you get to see all the locked and hidden parts of the palace that noone else gets to see. You must book this tour in advance. This was where I had some problems. I phoned the palace reservations office 4 days before the tour and reserved our places. We arrived at the information desk at the palace about 40 minutes before the tour, armed with our reservation number. The rude girl behind the desk did not have our reservation number and told us that it was not her resposibility. She handed us the reservation number back and said that we could not go on the tour. I was furious that she was so rude so kicked up a fuss about it, eventually after a bit of an argument with them and after speaking to a manager they let us go on the tour even though it was sold out. As the tour started the guide showed us a reference number and asked if it was ours, which it was. They had found it in the office, but did not bother to apologise. Anyway, the tour was fantastic in the end, we loved it. So 5/5 for the tour and 1/5 for the palace administration and service/staff. You can book this tour on the internet in advance but beware that you may be overcharged for it. The palace price is 15 euros for adults and 9.50 for students. Selectitaly (website) are reliable but over priced, however Weekend a firenze (another website) seem reliable and properly priced. I know that another person has had problems with reservations in the past. Do not let the palace turn you away because it is probably their fault!

Palazzo Ducale was a wonderful experience and absolutely worth a visit. Our kids, aged 7 and 11 each enjoyed it immensely, too. But be forewarned! We pre-purchased tickets from home (Canada) from Tickitaly and were told to print and present their Voucher to obtain entrance. We were also told not to worry about the Voucher not having a confirmation code since it wouldn't be required. Well, it WAS required and our Voucher was considered useless. To make matters worse, the Voucher didn't have the Tickitaly's phone number on it to clear things up, only an address, so we were stuck and had to pay again in order to see the Palazzo Ducale. Since our return home we have e-mailed Tickitaly for a refund but are being told that it is all our fault, that we didn't present their Voucher (like they would know) and they still insist that no confirmation code was/is required. Until they and Palazzo Ducale staff get in sync with what's going on with Tickitaly "Voucher's", stay away! Buy from somewhere else if you want to avoid the long lines and not lose your money.

We booked the Secret Itinerary tour through our hotel for July 7th. It was very easy. We arrived at 9:30 for our 9:55 tour; it was confusing to figure out which line we were supposed to be in for pre-paid tickets, but we eventually found the right place. The tour was excellent. We had a very friendly guide with passable English—we could understand her pretty well. The tour is definitely worth doing, and afterwards we stayed around to look at the other rooms not on the tour. The kids loved hearing all the stories about Casanova and seeing Titian’s oil painting, the largest in the world. Learning about Venice’s 1000-year republic with democratic principles of government was fascinating.

We went to Doge's Palace and the Secret Itinerary June 12, 2005. Doge's Palace is definitely worth seeing. I had read previous reviews on the Secret Itinerary and we decided to see it. We booked it through Select Italy's website prior to leaving for Italy. They emailed us a voucher and we presented it at the ticket office. There wasn't a problem at all. We would use Select Italy again. We enjoyed the Secret Itinerary, especially our 13 yr. old daughter. She said it was one the highlights of the trip. A few people that was touring the palace thought they would join our group and go unnoticed as we entered the locked area to the passageways. Our tour guide did notice and informed them they would have to purchase a ticket. She locked the door behind us as we entered the secret passageways. However, I would say if you can't tolerate the heat or some small, enclosed spaces this tour isn't for you. There isn't much ventilation in the areas. The only ventilation is from a few open windows. A teenage girl in our tour group became sick and had to be escorted out because it was really hot. The tour was extremely interesting. It is a must in my opinion.

We booked the secret itinery by telephone from England. It was a really good trip. The guide was very interesting and we saw a different aspect of the palace which we toured afterwards on our own. Recommended.

Venice is a very busy place. Some places you can take pictures and some places you cannot. I was so upset about one of the young women security people that it ruined our trip here. She was furious with my for taking a picture. I immediately apologised and was agast that I had done so when I was not allowed to do it. I told her that. She had a combative attitude and told me that there were signs. Where? When we came in. Oh yeah with the other 1,000 people entering at the same time. We saw no signs. She then marched to the next room and told the guard there. I was embarrased and told him that she was out of line and that I would have loved to have complied out of respect for their art and country had I known the rules. His response was they worked 10 hours a day. It upset me enough to go to the front and report it to management. Guess they just don't care about the feelings or interests of their guests. I am sure they do have people who break the rules intentionally.....but it sure was upsetting to be treated like a criminal when you had the best of intentions!

Thank you for taking your time to send us some feedback. We deeply apologize for the rude behavior of the staff towards visitors. We strongly believe this attitude is unacceptable and we will make an extra effort so that this does not happen to any of our future visitors. Indeed, photographs are not allowed in the rooms of the Doge's Palace. However, we do care about the feelings of our visitors and for that reason, from that date to today, we undertook vast communication and signalling projects so as to improve our services. We sincerely hope that nowadays visitors find information more accessible. Neverthless, please know that your thoughts are greatly appreciated. Finally, we hope you will give us another chance and we will see you again soon. Kind regards, Fondazione Musei Civici di Venezia.

VIP Doge's Palace Secret Passages Tour

• Gain special access to areas of the Doge's Palace not usually open to the public—including torture chambers and Casanova’s prison cell!
• After your secret passages tour, you'll skip notoriously long general access lines to get inside the Doge's Palace for a special tour by our local guide.
• With a small group of just 20 guests, your journey will be intimate, while privileged access means you won’t waste any time waiting in line.

Preview the experience

Tour description, with special access, you'll see more of the doge's palace than most other visitors..

Away from the grandiose halls and lavish apartments of the Doge's Palace lies a darker side to the space. On this Doge's Palace secret passages tour, you'll step off the beaten path and into the shadows, discovering the secrets and spaces that the Venetian doges themselves tried to keep hidden.

You’ll meet your guide near the Doge’s Palace and head straight inside (no waiting in line for you) where a palace guard will unlock a secret door, allowing you to step into the hidden world of political Venice. Navigate the hidden prison cells reserved for VIP prisoners, torture chambers, secret government archives and top echelon offices. Even back in the day, most Venetians didn’t know this space existed, so it’s hard to overstate just how privileged our secret passages tour is. With their antique cabinets and creaky floors these rooms will truly make you feel as if you’ve stepped back in time.

By exploring the secret passages, you get away from the crowds elsewhere in the Doge’s Palace and walk in the footsteps of Venice’s most colorful characters. Our favorite? Casanova, that legendary romantic—yes, he did exist! And, as you’ll learn, he deserves all of the lore. Against all odds, he was able to escape his cell here in the palace—a cell you’ll get to see exclusively in the secret passages tour.

See secret passages and stunning ballrooms at the Palazzo Ducale.

Few visitors ever have the opportunity to walk the passages you’ve just walked, yet the Doge’s Palace is still one of the top sights of Venice. See what all the fuss is about when you step back into general access areas of the palace to explore the waiting rooms, council halls and ballrooms of the palace. While our secret passages tour is full of dark secrets and hidden rooms, the general access part of this tour is all pomp and grandeur, offering glimpses of Venice’s finest works of art.

You’ll discover the public face of the Republic of Venice with your expert guide, from the Doge’s own lavish apartments to the Hall of the Great Council. Admire beautiful and dramatic paintings by Veronese and Tintoretto, and explore the magnificent halls that demonstrate the prestige of the Venetian Republic.

Small groups, special access, and local guides make for an unforgettable tour.

Throughout your tour, you’ll travel in small groups of only 20 people or less, so you’ll find that your guide is always easy to hear and engage with. Ask all the questions you want—our guides are locals who spend a lot of time in the Doge’s Palace, so you’ll find it hard to catch them out. They’re passionate about the history and art of Venice, and about sharing that passion with you, so they’d love to hear your queries.

With privileged entrance, you'll save time that would have otherwise been spent waiting in line, while special access allows you to go far beyond the usual visitor experience for an adventure into the Doge’s Palace secret passages. Leave no stone unturned or door unopened on this complete, comprehensive, and thoroughly VIP exploration of the history and art of Venice!

Please note that due to Doge's Palace rules, we cannot accommodate children under six years old in the Secret Passages.

Sites visited

Verified guest reviews, may 02, 2024.

Francesca was absolutely the best tour guide we’ve ever had, she was very knowledgeable and funny at the same time. After the Doges Palace tour she went above and beyond to help us get skip the line tickets for Saint Marks Basilica after our tour that we booked thru Walks got canceled and it was too late to book another tour.

Fascinating to walk the secret tunnels and view what other people would normally not see, for example Casanova’s cell’s and the stories behind his imprisonment, are they true or is he just a great story teller?

Apr 28, 2024

The Secret Passages of the Doges Palace in Venice was a great tour and our tour guide, Mat, was very good. A couple of things to note: there are a lot of stairs and narrow staircases and the audio equipment does not work well in the dungeon portion of the tour due to the winding passages and thick walls. If you are not at the front of the group near the guide, you miss a portion of the commentary. Still enjoyed the tour very much.

Oct 15, 2023

Our tour was outstanding. Our guide, Maria Terese was so knowledgeable and funny. Highly recommend.

Tour guid walked too fast and did not keep group together very well

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Make it a perfect day.

Spend a perfect day in Venice exploring iconic local attractions and tasting the best cicchetti in the city on an evening food tour.

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What Is the Doge’s Palace “Prisons and Tyranny” Tour in Venice?

Sean Finelli Last Updated: November 14, 2022

Heading to Venice and have your eye on the Doge’s Palace “Prisons and Tyranny” tour, but not exactly sure what it is? This article explains what it is and how it’s different from our other tours of Doge’s Palace.

Pro Tip: Planning what to do on your trip to Venice? Bookmark this post in your browser so you can easily find it when you’re in the city. See our  guide to Venice  for more planning resources, our  top Doge’s Palace tours  for a memorable trip, and how to visit the Doge’s Palace.

Doge’s Palace “Prisons and Tyranny” Tour

On our Doge’s Palace “Prisons and Tyranny” tour, you’ll discover a darker side of Venice. You’ll see the Doge’s Palace’s hidden torture chambers and even Casanova’s jail cell. See all of the areas of the palace that are not open to the public and even cross the infamous Bridge of Sighs .

If you’re looking for a unique Venice experience, the “Prisons and Tyranny” tour is your best option. You’ll see Venice’s dark side, learn about the city’s brutal legal system, and visit sections of the palace that are restricted to the general public.

Not ready to book a tour? Check out our  Doge’s Palace Guide for more resources.

The Doge’s Palace

Your tour begins outside of the Doge’s Palace, where you’ll meet your guide. You’ll learn about the history of the palace, St. Mark’s Square and the city of Venice. Admire the Venetian Gothic façade of The Doge’s Palace before skipping the line to enter. Located next to St. Mark’s Basilica, the Doge’s Palace was once home to the Doge during Venice’s period as a republic.  

Doge’s Palace “Prisons and Tyranny” Tour Itinerary

The inside of the Doge’s Palace features meticulously-designed marble floors, fireplaces, and friezes. You’ll see the beautiful courtyard occupying the space between the palace and St. Mark’s Basilica.

After experiencing the courtyard’s splendor, you’ll enter through a secret door to access restricted areas and begin your Doge’s Palace “Prisons and Tyranny” tour .

Doge’s Palace Prison Cells and Offices

Inside the restricted areas of the Doge’s Palace, you’ll visit the small damp detention cells called pozzi . Your guide will show you the many drawings and writing on the wall that tells the story of those held there.

You’ll then take a small stairway to visit two nearby rooms that housed members of Venice’s Council of Ten, the city’s governing body from 1310-1797. Afterward, your tour guide will take you to see the Office of the Great Chancellor, the keeper of Venice’s General Archives.

Palace Torture Chambers and Casanova’s Cell

Your Doge’s Palace “Prisons and Tyranny” tour will continue to the torture chamber. Nicknamed the Chamber of Torment, this room is directly connected to the palace prisons.

Your guide will tell you about the methods of torture implemented during the interrogation process. Following the visit to the torture chamber, you’ll walk next door and see the prison cells called piombi .

The piombi were meant for political prisoners and those with shorter sentences. You’ll learn about the only prisoner to escape from the Doge’s Palace, Giacomo Casanova. Your guide will take you to visit his cell and tell you the story of his daring escape.

The Infamous Bridge of Sighs

The Doge’s Palace Bridge of Sighs, also known as Ponte dei Sospiri, towers over the Rio di Palazzo and links the palace interrogation chamber to its prison cells. Prisoners were led across the bridge’s covered interior to what were sometimes lifelong sentences. The bridge’s small windows with stone bars gave prisoners their last glimpse of the city of Venice.

Conclude in St. Mark’s Square

Your tour concludes with the option to remain inside the palace and explore on your own or return to St. Mark’s Square with the group. Before departing from the group, be sure to ask your guide where the best places to eat in Venice are. Our Venice guides know the ins and outs of the Floating City.

For an unforgettable Venice experience, be sure to check out our other Venice tours . We offer a hidden Venice food tour and a Venice highlights tour with a gondola ride.

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About Sean Finelli

Sean is a co-founder and owner of The Tour Guy and its subsidiary The Roman Guy. He studied finance and statistics, but that is his "Dr. Jekyll" side! His "Mr. Hyde" is in love with travel, art, history, and culture. Sean has read libraries of historical text and believes that all internet content should come from books. A practice he follows!

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Palazzo Ducale

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The  Secret Itinerary through the Doge’s Palace covers the rooms and chambers where the delicate work of some of the most important bodies in the Venetian administration was carried out. These spaces offer an interesting insight into and acknowledgement of the civil and political history of the Venice Republic, its public organisations, and its institutional bodies deputed to government and justice.

The visit must be booked in advance , and can only take place accompanied by an accredited guide.

THE ITINERARY

From the large and bright courtyard of Palazzo Ducale, rich in precious marble decorations, going through a narrow door on the ground floor, you’ll find yourself in the Pozzi (wells). They were terrible places of detention, consisting of small wet cells, barely lit by oil lamps, ventilated only through round holes in thick stone walls and closed in by locked doors with solid bolts. In each cell there was a wood litter, a shelf for the few things the detainee could keep and a wooden bucket with a lid to contain human excrement. From some writings and some drawings on the walls we can imagine the feelings of despair and the desire for freedom of the prisoners. A narrow staircase takes you up to the two small rooms that housed important officers of the institutional machinery: the Ducal Notary and the Deputato alla Segreta of the Council of Ten. The Notary functioned as a sort of secretary to the various magistrature within the Republic, whilst the Deputato alla Segreta kept a special and secret archive for the Council of Ten. From here one passes up to the Office of the Great Chancellor , head of what today would be known as the General Archives. Due to the delicate nature of his work, this was the only public figure to be elected directly by the Great Council. This staircase leads to the large and beautiful Chamber of the Secret Chancellery , whose walls are lined with cabinets containing public and secret documents relating to the work of most of the Venetian magistrature. The mirrored upper doors are decorated with the coats-of-arms and names of the various chancellors appointed from 1268 onwards. Passing through the small room of the Regent to the Cancelleria one comes to the Torture Chamber , also known as the Chamber of Torment; this disturbing place is linked directly with the Prisons. The interrogations were held here in the presence of the judges, and the most commonly used instrument of torture was the rope, from which the person being interrogated was hung and pulled by his arms tied behind his back. Though torture was practised in Venice, it was not particularly savage or gruesome, and from the 17th century onwards it was gradually abandoned; by the 18th century it had practically been abolished altogether. From the Torture Chamber you pass to the so-called Piombi . The name comes from the lead [piombo] covering on the roof. These cells were used exclusively for the prisoners of the Council of Ten – either those accused of political crimes, those awaiting sentence or those serving short prison terms. Located directly under the roof, the 6 or 7 cells were formed of wooden partitions to which were nailed sheets of iron. Though so vividly described by Giacomo Casanova , the Piombi did in fact offer prisoners much better conditions than those in the pozzi (the wells), the terrible cells on the ground floor of the Doge’s Palace. Both cells that were occupied by Casanova, now reconstructed, are part of the tour. From the Piombi you pass directly under the roof to the attic , with its attractive wooden trusses, located at the corner of the building between the waterfront and canal-side facades. This was the site of one of the corner towers of the much earlier castle occupied by the Doge. Exhibited here are numerous weapons “da botta” (blow” and “da taglio” (cut), crossbows, lances, Venetian and Ottoman, mostly of the 16 th century as well as precious metal armatures, shields and gauntlets. From this attic, two long flights of stairs take you to the  Chamber of the Inquisitors , a much-feared magistratura that was set up in 1539 to protect state secrets (its full title was “Inquisitors of the propagation of the secrets of the State”). Two of the three inquisitors were chosen from the Council of Ten, the third from among the district councillors who attended upon the Doge. Required to be objective, efficient and competent in the performance of their duties, the Inquisitors had to maintain total secrecy with regard to any information they might discover during the course of their work – information they could obtain using all the means at their disposal, including resort to informers and torture. The ceiling is decorated with works by Tintoretto, painted in 1566-1567. From here one passes through to the Chamber of the Three Head Magistrates , chosen every month from amongst the members of the Council of Ten. They were responsible for preparing court cases and seeing that the Council rulings were carried out as quickly as possible (they themselves were responsible for assessing which should be given priority). The decoration of the ceiling dates from 1553-54. The octagonal central panel with The Victory of Virtue over Vice is the work of Giambattista Zelotti, whilst the side compartments are by Giambattista Ponchino and Paolo Veronese. In the Chamber of the Three Head Magistrates you may notice a secret passageway in a wooden cabinet, linked directly to the Chamber of the Council of Ten .

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VIP Secret Itineraries Doges Palace Tour

• Special access to the Doge’s Palace Secret itineraries
• Tickets & reservation fees
• Expert tour guide
• Small groups of 20 or fewer
• Entry/Admission - Doge's Palace
• Guaranteed to skip the lines
• Hotel Pick-Up/Drop-Off
• Museo Correr, P.za San Marco, 52, 30124 Venezia VE, Italy Please note we meet in front of the entrance of Museo Correr, which is at the opposite side of the St. Mark's Basilica in St. Mark's square. The group will meet just outside the entrance of the Correr Museum in Piazza San Marco. Your guide will be holding a Walks sign.
• Piazza San Marco, P.za San Marco, 30124 Venezia VE, Italy
• Not wheelchair accessible
• Near public transportation
• Confirmation will be received at time of booking
• Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
• Due to Doge's Palace regulations, children under the age of 6 are not permitted inside the secret itineraries and therefore cannot take this tour.
• The prisons and secret itineraries are not wheelchair-accessible, nor is the route suitable for those with walking disabilities or for pregnant women.
• Tour not suitable for people that are claustrophobic
• This tour/activity will have a maximum of 20 travelers
• For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.

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• You'll start at Museo Correr P.za San Marco, 52, 30124 Venezia VE, Italy Please note we meet in front of the entrance of Museo Correr, which is at the opposite side of the St. Mark's Basilica in St. Mark's square. The group will meet just outside the entrance of the Correr Museum in Piazza San Marco. Your guide will be holding a Walks sign. See address & details
• 1 Doge's Palace Stop: 3 hours - Admission included With your guide, a Venetian art expert and historian, enjoy skip-the-line access to the Doge's Palace and make a beeline for backstage. After a guard opens a special door, enter the hidden side of the palace to see the prison cell where Casanova was held, hear the unlikely tale of his escape, and visit the archives to learn how secrets were kept. See hidden council rooms to learn of the system of checks and balances that made Venice the world's oldest republic and enter the best general access areas such as huge audience rooms, ballrooms with incredible paintings by Veronese and Tintoretto, and the private apartments of the Duke of Venice. You even cross the famed Bridge of Sighs to see the New Prisons on this small-group tour. Read more
• You'll end at Piazza San Marco P.za San Marco, 30124 Venezia VE, Italy See address & details

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• Salamander111 0 contributions 4.0 of 5 bubbles Excellent tour structure even with a large group! The design and structure of this tour was nice, even with a large group. Since both venues were closed after hours, it was just our large tour group and one other large group. This allowed us to explore the rooms without really having trouble bumping elbows or having random tourists appear in your photos. This tour had a lot of content to take in and so many details in all of the murals, mosaics, monuments, etc.. quite overwhelming in a good way. The Basilica has a rich history and stunning iconography. Our tour guide was very thorough. Read more Written May 7, 2024
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• Kate B 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles An extremely interesting and informative tour, very well organised with a fantastic guide Our tour guide, Roberta, was so knowledgable and enthusiastic about the local history of the Doge’s Palace, St Mark’s Basilica and general Venetian history, making this a very informative and enjoyable tour. She readily answered any questions and provided even more information. I visited the Palace a few years ago but found this visit far more enjoyable - Roberta’s enthusiasm was captivating! Thank you. Read more Written May 6, 2024
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VIP Secret Itineraries Doges Palace Tour provided by Walks of Italy

Doge’s Palace Secret Itineraries Tour: Useful Info, Review, Tickets

Are you planning to explore the Doge’s Palace in Venice and would like to get more details about the guided tours available ? Today we will explore together one of the routes of the special tours organized by the Fondazione Musei di Venezia for the most adventurous visitors: the Secret Itineraries Tour of the Doge’s Palace in Venice .

In this article, you will find technical details on the guided tour, and we will delve into the various stages of the itinerary, exploring all the rooms and works present inside .

Secret Itineraries Tour Venice: guided tour tickets

Buy online. Choose the time you prefer. Join the Doge’s Palace Secret Itineraries guided tour and gain access to the Doge’s Palace by skipping the ticket line.

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Table of content

• 1 Secret Itineraries of the Doge’s Palace: useful info
• 2 What is Secret Itineraries Doge’s Palace in Venice?
• 3.2 The cells on the second floor
• 3.3 The Parlatorium
• 3.4 The connecting staircase between the Bridge of Sighs and the Piombi
• 3.5 The ducal notary’s office
• 3.6 The office of the Grand Chancellor
• 3.7 Office of the Voices Secretary
• 3.8 The secret archive
• 3.9 The Torture Room
• 3.10 The Piombi and Giacomo Casanova’s cell
• 3.11 The attic
• 3.12 Casanova’s second cell
• 3.13 Hall of the Three Chiefs of the Council of Ten
• 3.14 The Office of the Three State Inquisitors
• 4 Conclusion of the visit
• 5 Venice Secret Itineraries: things to know before your visit
• 6 Secret Itineraries Tour: tickets and reservations
• 7 Secret Itineraries Tour reviews
• 8 Visiting the Secret Itineraries of the Doge’s Palace: frequently asked questions
• 9 Secret Tour Doge’s Palace: conclusions

Secret Itineraries of the Doge’s Palace: useful info

• Duration of the visit : 3 h
• Full price ticket: 95€ (the ticket includes the visit to the Doge’s Palace in addition to the guided tour)
• Reduced price ticket *: 85€ (the ticket includes, in addition to the guided tour, also the visit to the Doge’s Palace)
• Timetable : 09.15 a.m. (Italian)
• Language : Italian, English, French.
• Number of participants : from a minimum of 2 to a maximum of 15 people.
• Accessibility : The visit involves the use of several stairs, so unfortunately it is not accessible to people in wheelchairs or with mobility difficulties.
• Starting point of the visit : The visit begins near the baths, on the right-hand side of the Ducal Palace courtyard. From here the guide will lead you along the route of the secret itineraries.

*Residents and those born in the Municipality of Venice; children from 6 to 14 years old; students from 15 to 25 years old with student card; citizens over 65 years old; RollingVenice Card holders; VeneziaUnica Pack holders; MuveFriend Card holders, St Mark’s Square Museums ticket purchasers, Museum Pass holders; Clock Tower ticket holders; I.C.O.M. members, staff of the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities, ISIC – International Student Identity Card holders.

What is Secret Itineraries Doge’s Palace in Venice?

On the Secret Itineraries Tour you will enter the part of the Doge’s Palace used for the administration of justice in criminal cases . The name ‘secret’ alludes to the fact that these rooms are hidden in the palace , behind closed doors.

Starting from the dungeons on the ground floor, you will pass through the ‘secret’ rooms of the Doge’s Palace where officials of the bureaucracy had their offices and where the supreme judicial body of the Council of Ten , which had to work in secrecy, and the secret archive , where the most important state documents were kept.

Going up to the attic you will reach the upper cells, called Piombi , where political prisoners, sometimes foreigners, were locked up, including the famous Giacomo Casanova , who also managed to escape in 1757.

The tour ends in the square atrium hall , from where you can continue your tour of the palace on your own.

Doge’s Palace: visit Secret Itineraries with professional tour guide

Secret Itineraries Doge’s Palace Venice tour in detail

Your tour starts “behind the scenes”, from the cells on the ground floor, the terrifying “Pozzi” ( Wells ).

As you will notice, you are right next to the water and the cells were once cisterns , therefore very wet and without windows: real tombs , which were subject to flooding in exceptionally high-water conditions.

The cells are arranged on both sides of the corridor, and part of them is currently closed to the public .

The first room on the right, the only one with a window, was the guards’ post .

Upstairs there are other slightly larger cells, some with windows.

The living conditions here were borderline, but this should not come as a surprise, as in those days imprisonment was intended to physically punish the condemned .

The cells date back to the mid-sixteenth century, but we know of the existence of prison rooms as early as 1300 , named in the same way.

Prisoners could be nobles, non-nobles, or commoners , depending on the crime.

Crimes against the state , especially against the nobility, were punished here, but nobles guilty of murder, conspiracy or violence could also be imprisoned here.

We also know of a prisoner, Alvise Bon , locked up in cell number five , for murdering two wives, but spies were also locked up here, guilty of failing to serve the state properly.

The cells were initially not overcrowded because the prisoners were judged by the high court of the Council of X, which wanted to keep the prisoners as separate as possible. In fact, these were always alone in their cells, with a few exceptions of groups of two or three prisoners.

On the wall of the guards’ room you can see a copy of an ancient map with the section of the prisons, and where you can carefully see the route of your visit, which will take you walking behind the courts:

• on the first floor were the avogadors, who had the function of prosecutors, held preliminary investigations and rendered the first degree of judgment;
•  on the second floor was located the quarantia, the forty appellate judges;
• on the top floor was the supreme court of the Council of X;
• under the roof were the cells known as Piombi.

As you go forward down the corridor you will notice that the cells are marked with Roman numerals, but the number five was represented upside down as if to say “abandon all hope or you who enter.”

The cells on the second floor

We continue our tour of the Secret Itineraries of the Doge’s Palace by climbing the stairs; you will find yourself in a corridor with other cells, one of which is entirely lined with wood. This was the cell, called the infirmary , where sick prisoners were transferred. When sick people increased, a doctor was called in to try to prevent epidemics.

The state passed bread, water and sometimes wine, blankets, and oil for lamps , if someone gave bequests.

In Venice, when wealthy Venetian people made wills, the notary always asked them to leave a bequest for the condemned.

The Parlatorium

When prisoners were allowed to see their families , in these cases the wood-paneled room to the right of the staircase was used. The location of this room was due to its proximity to the door leading to the Foscara loggia, where family members waited to visit.

When this room below the staircase was not used as a parlor , it was used as a prison cell .

The connecting staircase between the Bridge of Sighs and the Piombi

Continue up the stairs, at a certain point you will see two steps descending to your left , this is the way to the Bridge of Sighs from the prisons of the Doge’s Palace Venice , which you will not visit during this guided tour.

Casanova himself, when he was arrested, was first taken to the New Prisons of Venice , made the bridge and climbed the same steps that you will now take to get to the Piombi .

The mezzanine floor houses the offices of the most important officials of the bureaucracy .

The ducal notary’s office

You will see the little office of the ducal notary , who retired from the senate or the doge’s council with letters, treaties, and papers that were then stored in the archive.

This chancery or bureaucratic staff was all made up of non-noble citizens , that is, the bourgeois class.

These people were also intellectuals , who could make a great career, but as non-nobles they did not have the right to vote and could not participate in the great council .

The office of the Grand Chancellor

To keep the middle class satisfied, however, the figure of the so-called Grand Chancellor was established as early as 1268. This figure was at the head of this bureaucracy and was the one who was kept abreast of all political, diplomatic matters, could enter all councils and was very close to the doge.

You can see the office of the Grand Chancellor during the visit as soon as you go up the stairs.

The room is very simple, clad in varnished larch wood paneling . The use of wood is due to the need to heat the rooms. In fact, the use of candles was not permitted , given the large quantity of documents that could easily catch fire. The only exception was the magistrates , who had a fireplace in their office.

Like the doge, the Grand Chancellor was elected by the parliament for life , and before the doge he was not obliged to pay homage, because the latter treated him as an equal.

All magistracies were elected by the parliament, these held the three powers: judicial, legislative, and executive . The offices were always collegial and very short (a few months and a maximum of two years).

Office of the Voices Secretary

This was the office of the secretary of elections , who kept track of the entire rotation of offices.

This secretary also kept a sort of blacklist , where he marked those officials who had not performed well in the council or were not suited for administrative life, and for whom no more votes were to be cast.

The secret archive

In the center of the room there were rows of desks on which the scribes copied the papers, put the folders in order, trying to keep separate the papers that concerned Venice’s relations with

• the State from Sea (Croatia, Dalmatia, the Balkans and the Greek islands);
• the State from Land (i.e. the mainland dominions such as Venetia, Friuli, Lombardy);
• the other states (Egypt, Persia, Turkey, North Africa);
• the empire;
• the Italian states;
• the papacy.

All these writings, which were also translated into different languages , and of which it was important not to lose track were under the responsibility of the Grand Chancellor and were kept in this archive .

The coats of arms that you see on the cabinets represent the Grand Chancellors : the first coat of arms, near the window, dates from 1268 and goes on chronologically chancellor after chancellor, making a total of forty-four coats of arms out of forty-five chancellors.

The office was held by bourgeoisie, which is why the coat of arms was decided on the spot, often taking cues from surnames : for example, you will see the coat of arms of Chancellor Zuccato , which bears gourds ; there are also those who imitate the nobility, those who use more abstract images or reveal the humble origins of the family, such as Chancellor Fornasa whose coat of arms bears a furnace .

The documents that were once kept in this archive are now kept in the Venice State Archives, inside the Franciscan Frari church .

The Torture Room

This room is halfway between offices and prisons, it is a room with a desk, but if you raise your head you will see cells: this is where the interrogations of the three chief magistrates of the Council of X (who only intervened in matters of state) took place.

When a person was arrested, the arrest time was a maximum of three days , so the interrogations had to be very quick; if there was not enough evidence of the crime to prepare the investigation in this time, the suspects had to be released.

Those waiting in the upper cells are already prepared by the sight of the rope you see in the center of the room, the torture instrument that was used during interrogations. 

The prisoner is led to the floor below. The lights are switched off and the suspect can only hear the voice of the judges as they interrogate him, concealed by the darkness.

If the prisoner did not satisfy their questions, did not answer or denied, he was tied to one of two ropes with his elbows and wrists behind his back , while the other rope was pulled up.

The actual torture consisted of ‘giving the stretch’ : the rope was pulled slightly upwards with a pulley and then suddenly torn off.

If one went too far with this method, the unfortunate victim risked having his rib cage crushed .

To ‘try’ to avoid this, a doctor was always present during the sessions and people who were too old, too young or frail were not tortured.

This method was abandoned at the end of the 17th century (because of numerous miscarriages of justice), as was the death penalty, which was gradually abandoned, partly because of the many tourists from the European elite who visited St. Mark’s Square in the 18th century (this was where the executions took place).

The Piombi and Giacomo Casanova’s cell

Illustrious people were also imprisoned in Venice’s prisons, including the famous Giacomo Casanova .

Born in 1725 , at the age of nine he was sent to Padua following the death of his father, so that he could study with the priests and later enroll at university.

A great adventurer and scholar, he tried his hand at chemistry , medicine and was also attracted to ‘secret’ disciplines such as alchemy .

During one of his stays in France, he joined Freemasonry , and on his return to Venice, he established relations with the nobility who attended the sessions of the parliament, trying to convince them to join the association.

When the magistrates learned that Casanova had had relations with the French ambassador at night, they accused him of espionage and had him arrested, along with the charge of immorality for his secret relations with girls in a convent.

During the itinerary of the dungeons of the Doge’s Palace , you will reach the attic to the cells known as Piombi , and enter the very cell where Casanova was initially imprisoned one hot July, at the age of thirty.

In the accounts in his book ‘My Escape from the Piombi’ , the writer recounts that, once inside, he got a real shock from the excessive heat emanating from the lead-lined cell roof.

After some time, he was given the freedom to move around in the attic .

It was here that he found a piece of iron and a scrap of floor, which he used to devise his first escape attempt .

With the spike, sharpened by the tile, he began to break the floorboards. After a year, the hole was big enough to attempt an escape.

Unfortunately, that was the room above the hall where the magistrates gathered late at night. They heard the noises and gave the order to transfer Casanova to a new cell .

The guide will show you the second cell with a window to which, from the stories, he is supposed to have been transferred, but before continuing with the story of Casanova’s escape you will first go up to the attic of the Doges’ Palace .

You are above the Hall of the great Council , in the gothic wing of the building, and from here you can admire the stunning wooden structure that supports the ceiling of the hall without the aid of columns.

The structure consists of beams, posts and twenty composite trusses on which the roof rests, all held together by hooks and chains, to which the paintings you will see once in the hall are also anchored. Through this system, the weight is discharged onto the perimeter walls of the hall.

You will notice the resemblance to the keel of an overturned ship , which was actually built by shipbuilders, the so-called ‘arsenalotti’ , who worked in the Venetian arsenal but were also responsible for putting out fires.

This wing of the palace was rebuilt within two years after the fire that devastated the palace in 1577.

The attic also houses part of the Doge’s Palace armory collection , which, however, was not housed here but on the floor below, which you will visit later.

Casanova’s second cell

Let us move back to the attic cells and continue Casanova’s tale.

During the ‘move’ from one cell to another, Casanova takes with him the armchair in which he had hidden the piece of iron . This is the room from which he manages to escape with the help of another prisoner, held in the cell next door.

Casanova was a great writer , and he tells the story of his escape in great detail.

One day, the guard in his cell informed him that there was a prisoner called Father Balbi , a monk and nobleman, who kept books. Casanova and Balbi started exchanging volumes and began writing messages to each other, planning their escape, unbeknownst to the guards who could neither read nor write .

During the feast of St Michael the Archangel , Casanova will pass iron inside a large volume of the Bible covered by a pasta dish, given to Father Balbi, who will then be able to start digging a hole in the ceiling of his cell, which he shares with Casanova’s.

Having also dug the hole in the ceiling of the second cell, the two manage to climb to the roof .

Entering through a skylight, they will enter the archive room , break through the door and descend the Golden Staircase , which they will find closed by a gate.

Luckily, however, that is the night of All Saints’ Day , and there are many visitors in Venice.

Casanova changes into the gentleman’s clothes he was wearing at the time of his arrest, while Balbi remains dressed as a monk.

In the morning, the Palazzo’s caretaker reaches the gate to re-open the lock and sees the two men dressed normally. The two pretend to be lost and walk out of the Palace to a gondola.

The two separate and Casanova flees to Germany , then to France, while Father Baldi goes to Switzerland.

The guardian, named Lorenzo (from the documents that prove it), will instead be punished, ending up in the “Pozzi”.

The guide will now take you down to a secret passageway that will lead you out of a fake wardrobe into the hall from which the magistrates reached the prisons.

Hall of the Three Chiefs of the Council of Ten

You are in the Hall of the Three Chiefs of the Council of Ten .

The three magistrates had to prepare the trials , and here they received visits from prisoners and witnesses who entered through the second door you will see in front of you.

There was also a waiting room where they waited before testifying, called The Compass (after the name given to the door).

Having prepared the papers for the prosecution and those for the defence, the magistrates would appear before the doge and his six councillors in court, together with the entire Council of Ten.

The inquisitorial proceedings took place in the absence of the accused, but there was one form of defence: the penalty lawyer .

The room has been preserved as it was in the 16th century . The 1555 ceiling features oil paintings, two of which are by Paolo Veronese : Victory over the Sinner and Justice Punishing Counterfeiters .

In the centre is Zelotti’s canvas, Virtue Defeats Vice .

The Office of the Three State Inquisitors

The room is connected to another smaller room , which you cannot enter, is another office for magistrates, that of the Three State Inquisitors , a secret service that supervised the Ten.

Inside the room is a painting by Jacopo Tintoretto, The Return of the Prodigal Son .

Conclusion of the visit

The visit ends here and your guide will take you to the Golden Staircase , in the Square Atrium, from where you can continue your tour of the Palace.

Secret Itineraries tour tickets: book your guided tour now

Venice Secret Itineraries: things to know before your visit

Before starting the tour, an introduction on the administration of the Venetian state will be useful. Obviously, the history of Venice is very long, because we are talking about almost eleven centuries of history.

Tradition counts 120 doges , the first being elected in 697 A.D. while the last, Lodovico Manin , abdicated before Napoleon.

Under the tenth doge, in the 9th century, a first building called the castellum was built, a kind of fortress with corner and watch towers. The medieval building was later replaced by a first real palace in Byzantine style , Venice was in fact very close to Constantinople, which is why many buildings in the city, including St Mark’s Basilica , follow the dictates of this architectural style.

The chronicles tell of a beautiful palace with arches and loggias , but little remains of it following the numerous alterations that affected the palace.

The palace changed to the Gothic style in the mid-14th century; the Gothic façade is the one you entered through. The reason for this major renovation was the need for a large assembly hall; in fact, the structure of the Venetian parliament was revised in the same years. The parliament is not to be understood as today’s, with parties confronting each other, but as a general congress of nobles , in fact an oligarchy. 

At the beginning, these noble families were descendants of the founding families , new families were later born, while others were even excluded from the council. At the end of 1200 one of the most painful reforms was implemented, the Serrata del Maggior Consiglio . The purpose of this reform was to review which families should be entitled to be part of this elite. In the end it was decided to guarantee a kind of heredity of office, keeping those who had been members of the council up to then and had already reached the age of 25, which meant that those who had reached the age of majority could enter the council, which was to become an enormous assembly, about a thousand people.

Thus the need arose to enlarge the palace and it was at this stage that the famous Hall of the Great Council was built, with its spectacular ceiling that is not supported by columns, but hung by chains anchored to the roof structure, which you will see on this visit.

The wing of the palace to the left of the entrance is built in the same style but dates from almost a century later . It once housed the palace library, which was later moved to the Marciana library to make room for a large hall, the scrutiny room.

In the 15th century a devastating fire made new renovations necessary, the Renaissance wing of the Palace was built and among these interventions the Giants’ Staircase , one of the earliest examples in Venice of Renaissance-style architecture, by architect-sculptor Antonio Rizzo, is very interesting.

Secret Itineraries of the Ducal Palace: guided tour tickets

Secret Itineraries Tour: tickets and reservations

If you are interested in participating in the special itinerary of the Secret Itineraries of the Doge’s Palace in Venice , online booking is recommended. By purchasing tickets in advance, you have the opportunity to enter the Doge’s Palace skipping the queue at the ticket office and easily take part in the guided tour.

Ticket reservation prices are as follows:

• Full price ticket : €95 (the ticket includes the guided tour and a visit to the Doge’s Palace).
• Reduced ticket price *: €85 (the ticket includes, in addition to the guided tour, a visit to the Doge’s Palace).

* Residents and those born in the Municipality of Venice; children from 6 to 14 years old; students from 15 to 25 years old with student card; citizens over 65 years old; RollingVenice Card holders; VeneziaUnica Pack holders; MuveFriend Card holders, purchasers of tickets for St Mark’s Square Museums, Museum Pass; Clock Tower ticket holders; I.C.O.M. members, staff of the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities, ISIC – International Student Identity Card holders.

Secret Itineraries Tour reviews

Is the Secret Itineraries Tour worth it? What is the opinion of the participants ?

This article was written by a member of our team , a participant of the guided tour. Like many visitors, he noted the high competence of the tour guide , ready to answer every question.

The most appreciated peculiarity lies in the possibility of exploring otherwise inaccessible parts of the palace , making the tour extremely interesting.

Although the cost is not low, the experience proves to be a worthwhile investment for every euro spent.

Visiting the Secret Itineraries of the Doge’s Palace: frequently asked questions

The Secret Itineraries of the Doge’s Palace are only accessible with a guide. You can book a group tour ticket or opt for a private guide.

No, the Secret Itineraries can only be accessed with a guide. It is not possible to access them independently.

The Secret Itineraries of the Doge’s Palace offer a journey through the centuries of the Serenissima, showing the crucial activities related to state administration and the exercise of power. Through various rooms, this tour captivatingly presents the civil and political history of Venice, exploring its organizational structure and judicial systems.

The internal structures have small spaces, and some passages extend over several floors, connected by narrow and steep staircases. These rooms are not suitable for people with disabilities, difficulties of movement, claustrophobia, vertigo, or cardio-respiratory problems. Furthermore, they are not recommended for pregnant women.

Admission is only permitted from the age of 6.

Yes, included in the ticket price is also the entrance for the ordinary visit to the Doge’s Palace in Venice.

Yes, just go to the meeting point for the Secret Itineraries at the beginning of the guided tour.

Secret Tour Doge’s Palace: conclusions

Great, we have completed the visit of the Secret Itineraries of the Doge’s Palace in Venice . You can now continue exploring the rest of the museum. I recommend you return to the square atrium at the entrance of the tour to make sure you don’t miss a single room .

If you would like more details, I invite you to read the in-depth look at the other guided tour: the Doge’s Palace Hidden Treasure Tour .

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Doge’s Palace Hidden Treasures Tour: Useful Info, Review, Tickets

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Doge's Palace Secret Itineraries - Venice Guided tour

Discover secret areas of the Doge's Palace with an expert guide!

• Reserved entrance
• Confirmation by email
• E-voucher accepted
• Duration: about 1h30
• Discover the Doge's Palace secret path.
• Take advantage of your reservation to avoid the queue at the entrance.
• Visit the cell where Giacomo Casanova was imprisoned.

Narrow passages, steep stairs, small cells and torture chambers, an exciting tour that will reveal you all the secrets of the Doge's Palace hidden areas. At the end of the tour you can stay in the museum for as long as you wish!

PLEASE NOTE:  the tour is not allowed to children under 6 years of age.