Lords of the Night Prison Palace: tour to the cells and torture tools
Attractions & guided tours

Lords of the Night Prison Palace: tour to the cells and torture tools

4.4/5
Excellent
Based on 54 reviews
from
£9.00
Free cancellation
Language: English, Italian, French, Spanish
Mobile voucher accepted
Duration: 45 minutes
Why you’ll love this…
  • Explore the old prisons of the Venetian Republic
  • Listen to myths, legends and stories about the prisoners
  • Discover legends and secrets of Casanova and its jailbreak
What to expect

Discover the secret itinerary in the mysterious Prisons of Piazza San Marco, connected to the Doge’s Palace by the Bridge of Sighs.

The Palace is "populated" by life-size figures of the Lords of the Night, prisoners, Judges, Lawyers and all the characters who worked in the Prisons, painstakingly drawn from ancient manuscripts.

The guide will bring you through exclusive places: you will have the opportunity to enter the torture room and see authentic torment items used by the torturers in the past to make the criminals confess. There, you will discover the stories about the Lords of the Nights: the terrible Venetian police who oversaw the crimes and brought criminals and betrayers in front of the courtroom.

You will go down to the cold cells to see the lifestyle of the prisoners: what they ate, drank and where they slept. Here you can also admire the original graffiti left by the prisoners and listen about the thrilling Casanova’s escape: he managed to evade from the maximum-security jail known as “Piombi”!

You will discover the alternative that prisoners had between staying in a cell or serving their sentence on board a Venetian galley. Each year of boarding as a Galeotti was worth the same as spending 2 years in a cell.

Listen to the histories and legends that still reside inside these cells and halls. Along the itinerary, you’ll enjoy the explanation of the powerful “Council of The Ten”, composed by the highest Venice Politicians that ran the justice in all Venetian domains.

Read more
What's included
  • check Skip-the-line entrance
  • check Guided tour of the Prison's Palace
What's not included
  • x_not_included Doge's Palace
Where

Circolo Artistico - Palazzo Delle Prigioni, Riva degli Schiavoni, Venice, Metropolitan City of Venice, Italy

Meeting point:
Prison Palace is close to San Marco Square, beside Doge's Palace. Please note, do not go to the entrance of Doge's Palace. To reach the Prisons Palace, cross the bridge on the right side of the entrance of the Doge's Palace. Please enter Prison's Place and head upstairs to the first floor.
What to remember

Know in advance:

  • The tour can be canceled in case of exceptional high tide. In this case, the tour can be rescheduled for the day after, otherwise the client will be refunded
  • The tour could be multilingual. The live commentary is provided in English and Italian
  • The audio commentary is provided in French and Spanish
  • Temporary Update (Valid from 18/04/2025 to 01/07/2025): On selected dates, visitors to Venice are required to pay an access fee unless exempt. For details on applicable dates, payment methods, and exemption criteria, please visit the official Comune di Venezia website
Read more
Booking fee
Good news! No extra fees are applied to this booking.
Cancellation policy
Receive a 100% refund if you cancel up to 24 hours before the experience begins.

What people say about this experience

Excellent

4.4/5

Based on 54 reviews from verified customers

52%
37%
11%
0%
0%

Review categories

Value for money

3.8/5

Staff

3.6/5

Safety

3.6/5

Service

3.6/5

  • Meike

    From United States of America - July 2025

    Travelled with family

     

    25 - 34 years old

    Excellent

    Overall rated

    4/5

    Ein interessanter und auch gruseliger Besuch in den alten Zellen. Haben die deutsche Erklärung via Handy separat gekauft (5€ vor Ort) und konnten so o ...

  • Anonymous

    From Italy - July 2025

    Excellent

    Overall rated

    5/5

    La guida veramente brava

  • Anonymous

    From United States of America - August 2024

    Excellent

    Overall rated

    5/5

    We cannot recommend this tour enough! Our tour guide was amazing & gave so much history in a short amount of time. We were immersed in the history and ...

  • Anonymous

    From United States of America - July 2024

    Average

    Overall rated

    3/5

    Biglietto acquistato come visita guidata,ma all'arrivo abbiamo scoperto che era un ingresso libero. Abbiamo deciso di pagare la differenza ( 5 euro i ...

  • Anonymous

    From United States of America - February 2024

    Excellent

    Overall rated

    5/5

    Visite atypique mais très intéressante et captivante. Le guide, un étudiant en criminologie nous a ramené dans lvie des prisonniers vénitiens.

  • Anonymous

    From United States of America - January 2024

    Excellent

    Overall rated

    5/5

    Ottima esperienza che ti fa entrare nella Venezia di altri tempi: più misteriosa e, forse più, autentica

You might also like

Grand Canal by gondola with commentary
Activities

Grand Canal by gondola with commentary

Join this romantic gondola ride along Grand Canal and get the best views of the city including La Fenice Theatre, Peggy Guggenheim Collection and Doge's Palace!

free cancellation
Available in:

en, it, fr, es, de, +3  ru, ja, zh

Shared gondola ride underneath the Bridge of Sighs
Activities

Shared gondola ride underneath the Bridge of Sighs

Pass underneath the famous Bridge of Sighs aboard of a traditional gondola, enjoy a peaceful ride through the canals and discover Venice from the water.

free cancellation
Instant Confirmation
Venice audio guide with TravelMate app
Attractions & guided tours

Venice audio guide with TravelMate app

Make the most of your time in Venice with this TravelMate app on your mobile device. Discover the city's highlights and curiosities that will surprise you.

Flexible
Available in:

en, it, fr, es, de, +2  ru, zh

Instant Confirmation
Museum of Natural History of Venice entrance tickets
Attractions & guided tours

Museum of Natural History of Venice entrance tickets

Get your ticket for the Natural History Museum in Venice and explore various and unique collections, such as zoological, entomological and botanical collections, fossils and anatomic preparations.

Flexible
Instant Confirmation
Skip The Line
Venice from Punta Sabbioni boat roundtrip
Excursions & day trips

Venice from Punta Sabbioni boat roundtrip

Take advantage of your stay in Punta Sabbioni to discover Venice in a comfortable way. Enjoy a 35-minute boat trip from Punta Sabbioni and back.

free cancellation
Available in:

en, it 

Glass Museum entrance ticket
Attraction passes

Glass Museum entrance ticket

Visit the Glass Museum on Murano Island, discover the art and tradition of glassmaking and admire beautiful works from the past.

Flexible
Instant Confirmation
E-voucher
Maleficia Museum: Inquisition, Torture and Witchcraft
Attractions & guided tours

Maleficia Museum: Inquisition, Torture and Witchcraft

Explore Maleficia Museum, a unique exhibition and discover mysteries, secrets and historical facts of the Serenissima Republic between the 15th and 17th centuries.

free cancellation
Available in:

en, it, fr 

"A Story of Lust and Love", exploration game in Venice
Activities

"A Story of Lust and Love", exploration game in Venice

Discover the life and society of 18th-century Venice with an exploration game. Visit Ponte dei Sospiri, Palazzo Ducale, Piazza San Marco and some hidden places

free cancellation
Available in:

en 

Ca' Rezzonico 18th century Venice Museum entrance tickets
Attractions & guided tours

Ca' Rezzonico 18th century Venice Museum entrance tickets

Visit one of the most fascinating museums in Venice and admire 18th-century Venetian furniture, paintings, and sculptures.

Flexible
Instant Confirmation
Skip The Line
Self-guided Discovery Walk in Venice's Cannaregio
Activities

Self-guided Discovery Walk in Venice's Cannaregio

Explore Venice's Cannaregio during this Discovery Game. Solve riddles that lead you through the city while learning about its history.

free cancellation
Available in:

en, it