Venice Grand Canal by Gondola Tour

4.4
(1775 Reviews)

About this activity

Smartphone tickets accepted
Duration: from 30 to 50 minutes
English
This activity has EXCELLENT reviews
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£41 £38
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Experience Highlights

Experience the Magic of Venice with a Gondola Ride Glide through the enchanting canals of Venice on a gondola ride with a knowledgeable guide who shares the captivating stories of the magnificent palaces surrounding you. Skilled gondoliers will navigate Venice's hidden passages, revealing breathtaking views of the city’s unique landscape. Pass beneath centuries-old bridges and marvel at the famous Grand Canal, lined with stunning palaces. Your guide will narrate the rich history of gondolas and gondoliers, providing insights about the nearby attractions as you float along. Experience the Gondola Gallery — discover the secrets of Venice’s iconic boat & the craftsmanship that has shaped gondolas for centuries. Then, embark on a timeless virtual experience aboard a gondola, gliding through Venice’s iconic canals as history. For an exclusive adventure, book a private gondola ride for you and your partner or friends, creating unforgettable memories in the heart of this magical city.

What’s included

  • PRIVATE GONDOLA RIDE OPTION: 30 minutes gondola ride WITHOUT commentary
  • Journey in the past by gondola Virtual Reality Experience (not included in the private option)
  • SHARED GONDOLA RIDE OPTION: Live commentary in English, French and Spanish
  • SHARED GONDOLA RIDE OPTION: 30 minutes gondola ride with commentary

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Step by Step

We will pass trough the Gran Canal terrace of Ca Giustinian, one of the oldest Palace overlooking the Canal Grande.
Close to San Marco Square, in front of St Moise (Moses) Church and the Gondola station, the guide will introduce you in the elegant and romantic world of the Gondolas.
Once one of 7 major theatres in the city, today the Fenice is Venice’s one and only opera house. It is surely a jewel among European theatres, and began to shine from the beginning, as the best composers of the age wrote and performed their operas here, among which Bellini, Donizetti and Rossini. But it was Giuseppe Verdi who is most attached to the Fenice and to Venetian memory.
The most beautiful road in the world”, this is how the Grand Canal is known as. If you look around, what you will see is almost exactly what a nobleman in the 18th century might have looked upon, and before him a Renaissance courtesan and before him a merchant in the Middle Ages.

Here, as you come into the Grand Canal you admire the church of the Madonna della Salute.

The first thing that strikes a viewer is how imposing the church is, strategically placed at the entrance of the Grand Canal looking out onto the rest of the city in every direction, thanks to its circular shape.

Today, ever 21 November the city celebrates the Madonna della Salute in memory of the end of the plague

Punta della Dogana separates the Grand Canal from the Giudecca Canal. For its strategic location it was the house of the Custom and of the Salt Warehouses. During the fifteenth century, the Sea Customs House, which had previously been near the Arsenale, was transferred to the western point of Dorsoduro borough.
You will have a view of the Island of san Giorgio Maggiore, with its beautiful Renaissance Church built by Palladio in the Renaissance and the belltower resembling the bigger one in St Mark’s Square. The island was once known as the Island of Cypress Trees before it became an important Benedectine monastery.
At the end you will enjoy a wonderful overview of Saint Mark’s Square. This is a spot which painters from all over the world have tried to capture in its uniqueness, but we can only recommend that you sit back and take it all in.

Reviews

4.4
· 1775 Reviews
  • H
    H.
    4
    (0 Reviews)
    Expected it to be cold.......how wrong we were ! Lovely weather , people, food - thoroughly enjoyed our visit. Stayed at Delfino hotel & caught the bus that stopped outside the hotel to the .island. Worth purchasing a 24 hr ticket for the water bus ( also covers bus service). November was a great time to visit , no crowds or heat.
  • J
    J. B.
    5
    (0 Reviews)
    Cool tour where we got some knowledge on Venice and the history of gondolas. The gondola ride was a great length. We enjoyed!
  • A
    A. C.
    4
    (0 Reviews)
    The preboarding briefing about the history of Venice and the Gondola route was nice to get the group familiar with the city and the gondola ride. Fun to go through the narrow waterways and the Grand Canal to have a glimpse of the other parts of Venice. With the clock change, I enjoyed a sunset view of Venice on the gondola. Will be nice if there were some conversation with the rower about the scenery and landmarks along the way. Next time, I will do a longer route and book a private tour instead of sharing - better position for taking pictures and video.
  • E
    E. T.
    4
    (0 Reviews)
    Started with a 10 min walking tour and could have done without that. Gondola ride was very fun. We had another couple with us in the boat. Everything was very smooth. Gondola ride was about 30 min.
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