Likely to sell out

50 Minutes: Traditional Shared Gondola Ride + Venice Guided Tour

Embark on a gondola ride through the Grand Canal and bask in the romantic atmosphere. Listen to the guide's descriptions of local attractions, enjoy the views of the La Fenice Theatre, "De le Ostreghe" Canal, the Desdemona’s House and Mozart’s House. The centerpiece of this journey will be the Grand Canal, Venice's iconic waterway. Along its banks, you'll find one of a kind Venetian palaces such as Ca' Dolfin, Ca' Loredan, and Grimani Palace as well as the renowned Peggy Guggenheim Collection.
Mini group
50 min
Group size up to 5 persons
Mobile ticket
English

What is included in activity

Introductory Gondola history tour
30-minute gondola ride
Professional local guide on board of the gondola
Live commentary about the itinerary & the history of gondolas and gondoliers. In English, French, Spanish and Italian
Audio guide by mobile app in German, Japanese, Chinese, Hindi and Russian
Access to mobile app to see Venice in the past.

What is not included

Food and drinks
Tips and personal expenses
Hotel pickup and drop-off
Mobile-compatible earphones

Details

Embark on a fascinating journey through the heart of Venice with a short introductory walk where your knowledgeable local guide will tell you about the fascinating history of the gondola and its skilled gondoliers. Later, as you board an authentic gondola, you'll learn more about the majestic palaces, historic churches and enchanting attractions that line the waterways.
As you glide along the Grand Canal, the vibrant energy of Venice's main thoroughfare gives way to the serene tranquillity of its most hidden and picturesque canals. This unforgettable experience will enchant you with romantic vistas and an atmosphere that only Venice can offer. Along the way you'll pass the Venetian residence of the famous composer W.A. Mozart, the elegant water entrance to the La Fenice Theatre and the enchanting Rio de le Ostreghe. The Grand Canal itself is a marvel, with stunning palaces including the building that houses the Peggy Guggenheim Collection, the Punta della Dogana and the majestic Basilica of Santa Maria della Salute. In the distance rises the imposing Doge's Palace, while the panoramic view of St Mark's Basin unfolds before your eyes.
At the end of your tour, you'll be given a QR code to download a digital map with 2D images of Venice from the Middle Ages to the 18th century. This unique opportunity allows you to compare some of the city's most fascinating landmarks over time and imagine what they were like. Imagine the Rialto Bridge as a drawbridge and the Doge's Palace as a medieval castle! Finally, immerse yourself in a unique virtual reality experience at the Gondola Gallery. Here you'll glide over the tranquil waters of the Grand Canal at sunset, witnessing the beauty of the city as it has evolved over the centuries. You'll also delve into the craftsmanship and secrets behind Venice's iconic gondolas with an up-close look at a sectioned model, revealing the intricate details that make these boats so legendary.

Important to know

  • The guide will be on only one gondola. The participants on the other gondolas will listen to them with the audio device
  • The live commentary will be only in English and Italian. The commentary in German, French, Spanish, Japanese, Chinese, Hindi, and Russian will be provided by mobile app downloaded to your own device
  • Each gondola can hold a maximum of 5 people
  • The gondolier will determine your seat according to your weight
  • The tour will only be cancelled in cases of extreme weather conditions
  • The itinerary may change in cases of wind or bad weather
  • Please note that this is a shared tour, it is not a private gondola ride
  • Please arrive at the meeting point 15 minutes before the activity starts
Staff are very friendly and the meeting location was easy to find. A nice overview is given before the gondola ride and while on the Grand Canal. The ride itself was lovely and relaxing and our gondalier even sang a little song and pointed out a few places of interest :) Head to Emilio Ceccato beside the Rialto bridge afterwards to pick up the shirt all the gondaliers wear from the nicest lady who works there.
Bice C.
This
excursion
in a mini-group
Small group
There will be a maximum of 10 members in the group with you
More benefit
It will cost less than an individual one, but will pass in the same comfort
Guide near
In a small group, you will get more attention from the guide
Likely to sell out. Book in advance!
Similar offers for today
Return to the excursion

Online Booking

Price
Adult (Age 3-99)
€39.50
per person
Infant (0 - 2)
€0
per person
For any payment method you must book a ticket through the booking form below and receive confirmation by e-mail and (or) SMS.

What places you will see

• Grand Canal

• Venetian residence of W. A. Mozart

• Water entrance of La Fenice Theatre

• Rio de le Ostreghe

• Grand Canal, including:

Pisani-Moretta Palace
Peggy Guggenheim Collection building
Punta della Dogana
Basilica of Santa Maria della Salute
• Saint Mark’s basin

Activity book period

You can book tour up to 1 hour in advance.

Languages in what activity is performed

English

Directions to meet your guide

Venice Tours Assistance Point St. Mark's Square

How long your tour will be

50 min

Photos

Still have a question? Contact guide
Ask a question

Reviews by travellers

4.8 out of 5
3473 reviews
2861
548
0
0
0
Ippocrate S.
Loved going down the canal in Venice. The history lesson was nice while you could here it! More so enjoyed the moment being in a Gondola.
4 days ago
Diamante B.
Wife and I had a great time. Had a nice group and had a very knowledge tour guide, Ricardo I believe. Spoke multiple languages, was very personal, and a true Vanetian! The gondolier was funny and had a smooth ride. Would recommend!
6 days ago
Zachariah H.
Friendly, informative guides who give brief history of how Venice was built. You’ll learn how the Gondolas remain in the family and how the Gondoliers respect one another and work together to keep your ride safe and enjoyable. Highly recommend this Tour. Ezra, our Guide, was GREAT. Many thanks mille grazzi
7 days ago
Idea D.
Great atmosphere, Riccardo was a great guide which explained us the history of Venice und some fun facts.
8 days ago
Dennis S.
It was a very nice experience. A must do in Venice. For private gondola rides you'll pay more than double the price for the same duration of time. (30mins). Instead you can share a gondola with max 5 people. You only get a guided audio video, no tour guide (we were told it was because of the weather, it was a rainy day). Which was a bit of a setback cause it is written in the description that you'll get a tour guide explaining some things to you for 20 min before the ride starts. Which did not happen. Although we were fortunate to get a very nice and friendly gondolier, who explained some things to us. Yet it is a bit hard though to keep up with the audio + the gondolier explaining things (not always coinciding with the audio) + trying to enjoy the view and taking pictures/videos). So in the end I think it would have been easier to have gotten a guide, it would have been more organised and I think we could've enjoyed it more.
8 days ago
Amelia-Rose H.
I would have liked there to be 2 groups, French, then English. Too bad not to have received more info during the gondola ride. Our group's headphones weren't picking up the news towards the end on the Grand Canal.
8 days ago
Erminio S.
Great to walk & hear about the city’s history. Windy conditions limit the gondola in the grand canal, which is a bummer. Great experience, worth it!
9 days ago
Arturo C.
Very interesting tour. The explanation of the Grand canal due to problems with the radios is not clear, however resolved with the kindness of Claudia who made herself available to repeat it. Advised
9 days ago
Brian
Very nice gondola ride, appreciated commentary on board with our mobile.
9 days ago
Uranio T.
The guided tour is a bit short, but it's not bad for the price combined with the gondola ride
12 days ago
Likely to sell out. Book in advance!
Sign up and get a 5% discount on any activity
By sending this form, i accept Terms of service and agree to the processing of my personal data in accordance with the Personal data processing policy.
Program details changed.
More info
Starting point of the tour
Venice Tours Assistance Point is in St. Mark's Square, Calle Larga Ascensione #1257.The Assistance Point is the big grey newsstand between Fendi boutique and Poste Italiane (Post Office) with a sign "VENICE TOURS – ASSISTANCE POINT". The staff will wait for you right there with the signboard “Gondola Tour”. Please be at the meeting point 10 minutes before the departure time. With Piazza San Marco and the arches of Museo Correr at your back and the Poste Italiane (Post Office) in front of you, find on your left Venice Tours Assistance Point, the big grey newsstand (with many souvenir and newspapers). The newsstand is located between Fendi Boutique and Poste Italiane (Post Office) and has the sign "VENICE TOURS – ASSISTANCE POINT".