Plan your visit

Plan your Doge's Palace visit

The entrance, the arrival, the timing and the practical caveats, in the order you will meet them.

Entry tickets on Tiqets

Route and entrance

Five steps from the piazzetta to the first room

Address: Piazza San Marco 1, 30124 Venezia. Public entrance: Porta del Frumento, Piazzetta San Marco.

Head for Piazzetta San Marco

This is the open space between the palace and the library, facing the lagoon. It is the waterfront side of the palace.

Find the Porta del Frumento

The public entrance. It is not the ornate Porta della Carta beside the basilica, which is a ceremonial gateway.

Security and ticket check

Expect a bag check. Carry less, and avoid large backpacks if you can.

Courtyard and Golden Staircase

Inside the courtyard you climb toward the state rooms by way of the Golden Staircase.

Great Council Chamber and beyond

Then the chamber, armoury, prisons and the Bridge of Sighs crossing.

Arrival

On foot or by vaporetto

Walking

From Piazza San Marco, walk toward the lagoon along the side of the basilica; the palace is on your left. Venice is compact, but crowded lanes add time, so leave a buffer.

Vaporetto

Water buses stop at San Marco Vallaresso and at San Zaccaria, both a short walk from the Piazzetta. Check current lines and timetables with the city transport operator, as routes change.

Visitors walking beneath the palace arcades

How long to allow

Most first-time visitors enjoy about two hours. Rushing is possible in 75 to 90 minutes; art lovers and tour groups can stay longer. Add time if you also want the Secret Itineraries tour.

Accessibility caveats

This is a historic building with stairs and uneven floors. Some step-free routes and facilities exist, but they can change and may limit which rooms you reach. Ask the museum directly before you go, via official channels.

Visiting with children

The prisons, armoury and the Bridge of Sighs hold attention best. Give younger children a mission, such as finding the winged lion, and plan a gelato stop afterwards. Strollers may face restrictions, so check.

Practical