Stroll through the streets of Venice with an experienced guide, scoping out 15th-century basilicas, Renaissance-style architecture, and back alleys that offer windows into daily life for typical Venetians. Follow your walk by bypassing the ticket lines to visit the opulent interiors and museums of Doge's Palace.

Head to Piazza San Marco and meet up with your guide. Leave the busy square, passing by the seemingly countless arches of the Procuratrie and diving into Venice's web of tiny lanes and canal-crossing bridges. Weave by the brilliant white bell tower outside Santa Maria Formosa church and meander through the Castello area for peeks at the imposing edifice of Santi Giovanni e Paolo church.

Slowly work your way back towards Piazza San Marco, taking detours that offer glimpses at off-the-beaten path pockets of the city. Reach Doge's Palace and go past the long queues outside to get direct access to the palace's apartments, museums, gardens, and inner hallways. Spend the rest of your day listening as you guide shares stories about Venice's former doges, or rulers, who occupied this palatial residence.

Cross the Bridge of Sighs, named because it offered death row prisoners a final look at Venice before their execution, examine the old prison, and contrast its stark features with the marble-covered apartments that housed Venice's royalty. Before you head back outside, don't forget to swing through the immersive exhibits at the on-site museum for an in-depth look at palace's construction.