A visit to Venice wouldn't be the same without delving into its long and fascinating history as the world's oldest republic.

Accompanied by your guide, a Venetian art expert and historian, you'll enjoy skip-the-line access to the Doge's Palace and make a beeline for backstage on this small-group tour. After a guard opens a special door, you'll 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. You'll also see hidden council rooms and learn of the system of checks and balances that made Venice the world's oldest republic!

Next you'll 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'll even cross the famed Bridge of Sighs to see the New Prisons.