Doge’s Palace Tickets 2026: Official Prices, Time Slots, Secret Itineraries and Museum Pass

Doge’s Palace tickets are simpler than the dozens of reseller sites suggest: there is one main official ticket, and it also covers three other museums on St. Mark’s Square. However, two details catch many visitors out, namely an online discount that needs 30 days’ notice and a rule that pushes tickets without a time slot to the afternoon. As a result, this guide sets out every official option, what it costs and which one fits your trip.

Last updated: September 26, 2026

Doge’s Palace tickets at a glance

These are the official rates listed by the Fondazione Musei Civici di Venezia, the foundation that runs the palace, on its ticket page and its Doge’s Palace visitor page (checked September 2026). In addition, school groups have their own rate, which does not apply to individual travelers.

The St. Mark’s Square Museums ticket, explained

In practice, there is no ticket for the Doge’s Palace alone. Instead, the standard ticket bundles four venues around the square:

• The Doge’s Palace, seat of the doges and of the government of the Venetian Republic, including the Bridge of Sighs and the prisons.
• The Museo Correr, the city museum along the far side of St. Mark’s Square.
• The National Archaeological Museum of Venice, reached through the Correr.
• The monumental rooms of the Biblioteca Nazionale Marciana, the historic library facing the palace.

The ticket page lists one admission to each venue. For example, you can do the palace in the morning and the Correr after lunch, which spreads the walking and avoids museum fatigue. Above all, the online rate of about €30 applies only if you buy at least 30 days before your visit date, according to the official ticket page (checked September 2026). Otherwise, the standard price of about €35 applies, both online and at the door.

Timed entry: why the noon rule matters

This is the detail most guides skip. According to the official visitor page, tickets without a specific entry time slot are admitted to the Doge’s Palace only from 12:00 pm onwards (checked September 2026). In other words, a walk-up ticket or an open ticket cannot get you in during the quieter morning hours.

So, if you want to start early, buy online and pick a time slot for your date. Then arrive a little before your slot, since security checks and the cloakroom take time. Meanwhile, if your plans are loose, an afternoon visit on an open ticket works fine, especially in winter, when the palace closes earlier.

Reduced and free Doge’s Palace tickets

The official reduced rate of about €15 covers these groups, according to the ticket page (checked September 2026):

• Children aged 6 to 14.
• Students aged 15 to 25.
• Visitors aged 65 and over.
• Rolling Venice Card and ISIC card holders.
• Families: all paying members of a group of two adults and at least one young person up to 16 years old.

That family rule is easy to miss, yet it can cut the cost of a family visit considerably, since both parents also pay the reduced rate. Free entry, meanwhile, applies to children aged 0 to 5, residents of the Municipality of Venice, disabled visitors with a companion and ICOM members, among others. In each case, carry a valid ID, because the page states that one is required for reduced tickets.

Note also that the Doge’s Palace is a civic museum, not a state one. As a result, it does not follow Italy’s free first Sunday of the month scheme. Our guide to free museum days in Italy explains which sites do.

The Secret Itineraries tour

The Secret Itineraries tour takes small groups into rooms and passages that are not on the standard route. According to the official Secret Itineraries page, it costs about €40, or about €20 reduced, and lasts about 1 hour and 15 minutes (checked September 2026). In addition, the price includes unguided entry to the Doge’s Palace, the Museo Correr, the Archaeological Museum and the Marciana rooms, so you do not need a separate museum ticket.

• Languages: tours run in Italian, English and French at set morning times. English departures run several times each morning.
• Group size: a minimum of 2 and a maximum of 25 people, with a specialist guide.
• Late arrivals: arriving more than 15 minutes after the departure time means exclusion from the tour.
• Restrictions: children under 6 are not allowed. The page also advises against the tour for people with mobility issues, claustrophobia, vertigo or heart and breathing conditions, and during pregnancy.
• Booking: through the official call center or by email, as listed on the same page.

Because places are limited, book this one well ahead, particularly in spring and fall.

The Museum Pass: when it pays off

The Museum Pass covers the Doge’s Palace and the other civic museums of Venice, including Ca’ Rezzonico, Ca’ Pesaro, the Glass Museum on Murano and the Lace Museum on Burano. According to the official visitor page, it costs about €50, or about €25 reduced, and it is valid for six months with one entry per museum (checked September 2026).

For example, if you plan the palace plus Ca’ Rezzonico and the island museums, the pass beats buying separate tickets. By contrast, for a short stay built around St. Mark’s Square, the square museums ticket is enough. The ticket page says the pass needs no reservation. However, the noon rule for tickets without a slot still suggests an afternoon visit to the palace itself.

Opening hours, closures and bag rules

The palace opens every day, according to the official visitor page (checked September 2026). Holiday hours can differ, so confirm your date before you go.

• Closing procedures start 30 minutes before closing time, so do not plan the final rooms for the last half hour.
• No suitcases or bulky bags. Suitcases, trolleys and bags larger than one linear meter in total dimensions are not allowed.
• Free cloakroom. Medium-size bags, backpacks and umbrellas must be left at the cloakroom, which is free of charge.
• Restoration work. The official homepage notes that the Sala delle Quattro Porte is undergoing restoration, so some artworks may be off view.

Not the same as St. Mark’s Basilica or the access fee

Two common mix-ups deserve a clear answer. First, St. Mark’s Basilica is next door, but it is run separately and needs its own ticket. None of the Doge’s Palace tickets above include it, so see our guide to St. Mark’s Basilica tickets to plan both on the same day.

Second, the Venice access fee is a city charge for day-trippers on set dates, not a museum ticket. According to the official access fee site, the 2026 trial period has ended and the fee no longer applies from July 27, 2026 (checked September 2026). Our guide to the Venice access fee covers how the system works if it returns.

Which Doge’s Palace ticket for which traveler

Guided tours and more Venice planning

For a guided day, see our page on a St. Mark’s, Doge’s Palace, Murano and Burano tour, which pairs the square with the lagoon islands. Alternatively, a hidden Venice walking tour suits travelers who prefer back streets to museums. A separate Murano and Burano tour fills a second day.

Finally, compare the best tours in Venice for a first visit, check the cost of a gondola ride and plan an evening of cicchetti in Venice, the small bar snacks served with a glass of wine. Our Venice travel guide ties it all together.

Planning more than one visit? Our guide to tickets in Italy groups every ticket guide by city, from Rome and Florence to Venice, Milan and Pompeii.

Doge’s Palace tickets: frequently asked questions

Can you buy a ticket for the Doge’s Palace only?

No. The official ticket is the St. Mark’s Square Museums ticket, which also covers the Museo Correr, the National Archaeological Museum and the monumental rooms of the Marciana Library.

How much are Doge’s Palace tickets in 2026?

The official ticket costs about €35, or about €30 if bought online at least 30 days ahead, with a reduced rate of about €15 (checked September 2026).

Do I need to book a time slot for the Doge’s Palace?

It is strongly advisable. The official visitor page says tickets without a specific entry time slot are admitted only from 12:00 pm onwards.

Does the Doge’s Palace ticket include St. Mark’s Basilica?

No. The basilica is run separately and needs its own ticket, even though it stands next to the palace.

Is the Secret Itineraries tour worth it?

It suits travelers who want to see rooms off the standard route. It lasts about 1 hour and 15 minutes and also includes unguided entry to the four square museums.