Not so long ago you got into St Mark’s Basilica by queuing in the square. Today every visit is booked, timed and in the visitor’s name, and the only official seller for individuals is the Procuratoria di San Marco, the body that looks after the Basilica and the Campanile. This review explains how its website works, what it costs, and why its sales rules also explain the higher prices charged by resellers.
Disclosure. We have no commercial relationship with the Procuratoria di San Marco. We earn a commission only on bookings made through our links to Tiqets and GetYourGuide, at no extra cost to you. Prices were read on the official tariff in September and can change.
Who the Procuratoria di San Marco is
The Procuratoria di San Marco is based at San Marco 328 and manages the Basilica, the Treasury with the Pala d’Oro, the St Mark’s Museum with the Loggia dei Cavalli, and the Campanile. Its main site is basilicasanmarco.it; the ticket office is tickets.basilicasanmarco.it, built on the Skiperformance platform. The site publishes the tariff, the general terms of sale and the access regulations as PDFs: these are the documents to read before paying, because they contain rules no reseller can get around.
What it sells and at what price
| Ticket | Official price (individuals) | On Tiqets |
|---|---|---|
| Basilica | €10 | Hosted entry €19 |
| Basilica + Pala d’Oro | €20 | — |
| Basilica + Museum (Loggia dei Cavalli and terrace) | €20 | Hosted, with terrace and audio guide €50 |
| Full Basilica ticket (Basilica, Pala d’Oro, Museum) | €30 | — |
| Museum only (Sunday mornings, while the Basilica is closed for services) | €14 | — |
| Campanile | €15 | With a city audio guide €25 |
| Basilica + Baptistery | Guided visit only | — |
The Pala d’Oro and the Museum can also be added on site to a Basilica-only ticket. Ages 10 to 18, students up to 26 and over-65s get a further 50% off; there are group rates for 4 and 5 adults. Entry is free for children under 10 according to the tariff (the site’s prices page says under 11), disabled visitors with a companion, accredited guides and residents of the Diocese municipalities who show ID. No free entry applies to the Campanile. Evening visits of the lit Basilica are for private groups with a guide only.
Then there is a benefit almost nobody knows about: within 6 months of purchase, any ticket that includes the Basilica gives free entry to Santa Maria Assunta on Torcello, the Salute sacristy, the Pinacoteca Manfrediniana and dozens of Venetian churches, plus the Casa di The Human Safety Net in the Procuratie Vecchie. For church lovers, €10 buys far more than the Basilica alone; the details are on our churches of Venice page.
How booking works
Tickets are sold online only, up to 90 days ahead, after you create an account; you must be 18 or over. Every ticket is named: at the door you show photo ID and may also be asked for the card you paid with. The strictest limit is this: a maximum of 5 tickets per account per year. A family of two adults with more than three children under 18 can buy 5 and turn up with everyone.
Entry is allowed only in the booked slot. The terms give 15 minutes’ leeway either side, the FAQ about 5: be on time. Inside, the route is roped off and the visit lasts at most 20 minutes, plus 10 at the Pala d’Oro. Shoulders and knees must be covered; backpacks and luggage over 40 × 30 × 20 cm are not admitted, trolleys never, and there is a metal detector. For hours, dress code and the route inside, see our St Mark’s Basilica page.
The Basilica is open Monday to Saturday 9:30–17:15 (last entry 16:45), and on Sundays and holy days of obligation from 14:00. The Museum is open daily 9:30–17:15; on Sunday mornings only the Museum is open. Hours change for the Patriarch’s celebrations, and paying visitors are not admitted during services. The Campanile, with a lift up to the bell chamber, is open from 9:30 until 21:15 in summer and 19:15 in winter, but can close in bad weather.
Cancellations and changes
Tickets cannot be transferred, changed or refunded. The terms allow two exceptions: a cancellation by the Procuratoria, and a documented, objective impossibility notified at least 48 hours ahead. We found no mention of a booking fee.
Unauthorised sellers
The most important sentence in the terms is written in capitals: tickets bought in breach of the terms or from unauthorised sellers are not valid for entry, and are cancelled without refund. The terms also forbid reselling “the bare ticket” to individuals without added services. That is why Tiqets and the other platforms sell “hosted entry” and guided tours: you pay for an operator’s service that takes you in, not for a resold official ticket.
Languages and support
The ticket site is in Italian and English. For help, the Procuratoria gives 041 2708311 and info@procuratoriasanmarco.it. Disabled visitors enter free with a companion by showing documentation; staff direct you to the most suitable entrance, and the Museum has a lift and a stairlift.
What we like
- Low, clear prices: €10 for the Basilica, €30 for the full ticket.
- The 6-month church bonus, which turns one ticket into a small pass.
- No long queues in the square: with a booked time you go in during your slot.
- Written, public rules, as PDFs, with no last-minute surprises.
What to watch out for
- The cap of 5 tickets a year per account: groups of friends need to split their purchases.
- No date changes, not even for a fee.
- Time leeway is stated differently across the official pages.
- The Campanile is free for nobody, not even those entitled to free entry to the Basilica.
Official or reseller?
-
from €19 per person
Book on Tiqets -
from €50 per person
Book on Tiqets -
from €25 per person
Book on Tiqets
The official channel is always cheaper. Hosted entry on Tiqets costs €19 against €10, hosted entry with the terrace and audio guide €50 against €20 (or €30 with the Pala d’Oro), and the Campanile €25 against €15. On Tiqets these products are also non-refundable, and customer ratings for the Basilica are among the lowest in the Venice catalogue (3.6 out of 5 for hosted entry). A reseller makes sense in two cases: if you have already used your 5 tickets for the year or are in a large group, and if you want a proper guided tour (€29 on Tiqets), which the Procuratoria doesn’t sell to individuals. If you are also visiting the Doge’s Palace, read our MUVE review to combine the two tickets; for the setting, see our page on St Mark’s Square.
Who it’s for
The official site is the right choice if you are travelling alone, as a couple or as a family, know your dates and want to spend little. If you want explanations, are travelling in a group or would rather not create an account, a guided visit will suit you better.
Verdict
The Procuratoria sells the Basilica at the lowest possible price and adds a church bonus no reseller can offer. In return it asks for discipline: your name on the ticket, ID, a precise time, 5 tickets a year and no changes. For most travellers it is the channel to use; the platforms are useful only for guided visits and groups.
Frequently asked questions
Where do you buy official St Mark's Basilica tickets?
Only online at tickets.basilicasanmarco.it, the Procuratoria di San Marco's site, up to 90 days ahead. You need an account and must be 18 or over; the ticket is in the visitor's name and must be shown with ID.
How much does it cost to enter St Mark's Basilica?
On the official site the Basilica alone costs €10, Basilica plus Pala d'Oro or plus Museum €20, and the full ticket €30. The Campanile is a separate €15 ticket. Ages 10 to 18, students up to 26 and over-65s pay half.
Can I buy a Basilica ticket from another website?
The Procuratoria's terms say tickets bought from unauthorised sellers are not valid for entry. Platforms such as Tiqets therefore sell hosted entry or guided tours, at a higher price.
How many tickets can I book on the Basilica website?
At most 5 tickets per account per year. A family of two adults with more than three children under 18 can buy 5 and bring the rest of the family to the door.
Can a Basilica ticket be refunded?
As a rule, no: tickets cannot be changed or refunded. The exceptions are a cancellation by the Procuratoria and a documented, objective impossibility notified at least 48 hours ahead.
How much leeway do I have on my booked time?
The terms allow 15 minutes before or after the booked time, for both the Basilica and the Campanile. The site's FAQ mentions about 5 minutes, so it is best to arrive on time.
Does a Basilica ticket give access to other churches?
Yes. Within 6 months of purchase, any ticket that includes the Basilica gives free entry to dozens of Venetian churches and sites, including Santa Maria Assunta on Torcello and the Salute sacristy, and to the Casa di The Human Safety Net on St Mark's Square.