Alexandre

12 days ago

Great tour with a great group leader Georgia. She had great command over four language and was very clear in her English. The way they showed us the various important landmarks of Venice along the route made it as a city tour as well which we really liked. The time given at Murano Burano was also sufficient as we felt. ( if you want to spend more, one can come separately but with a tour I think time given was very sufficient). Transported in a big enough boat with good views . 10/10 from my side.

Half Day Boat Trip to Murano and Burano Lagoon Islands

Skylar G.

13 days ago

This was fantastic and totally worth the money! My husband and I traveled to Rome, Florence and Venice in July 2018. We were on a budget and didn't want to bust the budget, so went with the "shared" gondola option and then splurged to have the serenade option. The experience was unforgettable and easily the best part of our whole trip! The singer and the man with the accordion had great chemistry and were constantly interacting w/ my husband and I. I thought the 20 mins sounded kinda short, but it ended up being the perfect amount of time. Do it at sunset around 7:30 if possible. Highly recommend this to all my family members and friends, it was simply enchanting and something my husband and I will never forget!

30-minute Shared Gondola Cruise with Live Music and a Serenade

Christina U.

13 days ago

My family and I had the great pleasure of being guided by Tomosa on his classic Venetian styled boat. Honestly, it wasn’t the boat, the possible sunset, or anything else that made the trip it was Tomosa. Hands down an exceptionally smart, humorous, and well spoken skipper. My husband and I enjoyed his stories and wit so much that we almost had to be reminded to take pictures. He was organized by explaining to us what we were doing, where we were going and when we would do certain things. I found him to be considerate of our elderly group member to ensure she made it into the boat safely. We just had such a great time with him and learning some of Venice’s history. My husband and I love naval history and seeing Venice from this perspective was so much fun. We drank Prosecco, the whole bottle. I would highly recommend take a cruise with him, sunset, no sunset… it’s still an absolute blast to talk to him and hear all the wonderful historical stories.

2-hour Private Romantic Sunset Venetian Boat Tour

Ella B.

13 days ago

All of the gondoliers are fun and amazing to take the trip with. I’ve heard of some people saying trey were rude or inattentive or not very helpful and it couldn’t be further from the truth. Had a great time and learned a lot.

Venice: Private Gondola Ride

Andrew L.

about 16 hours ago

According to the ad we booked with this company as they offered 6 passengers. Fine only 5 but questioned.They were extremely rude and argued with us re our booking, paper vouchers and electronic proof of purchase. After an hour they realized we were not Leaving so put us in boats. 3 of us were with the musicians and had fun but the others couldn’t hear the music well as the gondolier was on his cell the whole time. Our gondolier was yelling at us when we were getting out. Take your chances

30-minute Shared Gondola Cruise with Live Music and a Serenade

Daria B.

1 day ago

Just nice, and we wanted to take an individual picture on the gondola but was told many others are waiting as we are still in the gondola before we leave. I was disappointed with it and the only picture we took for ourselves, like in a group or selfie, not an individual.

Half Day Boat Trip to Murano and Burano Lagoon Islands

Penelope T.

3 days ago

Not to miss! We recommend it at the beginning of the stay. Very interesting with lots of little anecdotes depending on the place. There is a nice balance between historical and anecdotal aspect. Our older teenagers were receptive to the explanations and loved this visit. Our guide who has lived all his life in Venice gave us the good sides of Venice, the good tips. She gave us advice for certain purchases (and it was not easy to find the place afterwards without having taken notes). And she also had a critical mind about the mass tourism that Venice represents and all the inconveniences that this engenders.

1-3 hours Walking Tour with an Optional Gondola Ride

Roland

3 days ago

The canal tour was great and was a quick way to see the city by boat. Overall, I enjoyed the tour for the views that it provided. However, the logistics of the tour were a nightmare. After purchasing tickets, I was informed that I should go to a meeting spot and that I would be picked up there. The site also stated that a mobile voucher would be okay to use. That was not the case at all. You actually have to go to the ticketing office and show your mobile voucher there. The person working there will then give you a physical voucher and will tell you which boat to board. That was 100% not clear, but the company and workers remained adamant that it was. Because of the confusion, my family and I missed our tour, but luckily we were able to join the next one thanks to a helpful member of the company. So as long as you follow my instructions (and not the instructions on the website / confirmation e-mail) you'll be fine.

1-hour Shared Boat Cruise: Discovering the Palazzos and Bridges of Venice

Timothyyyy

4 days ago

This is a very easy, no stress trip. The price is very reasonable for the boat ride and the guided history tour in between the islands. We started from the S. L. train station, which allowed us to see quite a bit of the southern side of Venice as we looped around to the St Mark's pick up. We saw a quick glass-blowing demonstration in Murano and purchased several pieces of beautiful jewelry. After a light lunch in Torcello, we made our way to my most favorite island - Burano! Burano was so very charming, with the bright houses, the shops lining the waterways, and the shaded park near the vaparetto stop. Burano offers more than your usual kitschy tourist shops - local artisans there sell beautiful clothing and art that you won't find in Venice. Knowing what I know now, I'd probably skip Murano and Torcello, pack a lunch, and take a vaparetto to Burano and spend several hours there. The 50 minutes given to us was simply not enough time for what this village has to offer.

Shared Boat Trip: Glimpse of Murano, Torcello and Burano Islands

Rhoda

4 days ago

Our guide and the boat driver were very nice and knowledgeable. These 2 small and very charming cities, you should visit, a nice way to get away a little from the big crowd of Venice. Unfortunately 2 costumers from our tour found a way to get lost and made the whole group wait for 25’ inside the boat and reduced the time we could have had for a nicer lunch in Burano.

Murano and Burano Excursion

Irene

8 days ago

We had booked a gondola ride at 7.30pm only for the two of us. Since we had read in the reviews that the office is not so easy to find, we left earlier. With Googel Maps that was no problem at all. Since it was our turn earlier, the employee asked us if we wanted to drive earlier and where we were we said yes. She wrote a new time on the slip of paper we went to the stop at the Hard Rock Cafe where there was a long line but we were led straight to the next arriving gondola and off we went. It was a special experience from time to time we saw or heard the gondola with musicians. So I enjoyed it very much, I enjoyed it and it would not have occurred to me to look at the watch for how long we were on the road.

Hidden Venice: Private 30-Minute Gondola Ride

Dean

9 days ago

It was interesting to visit the islands surrounding Venice. Each island was different in terms of beauty and were all aesthetically pleasing. In murano the main attraction was the glass factory other than that there wasn’t much there. Torcello was more historical but smaller. Burano was the busiest of the three with many restaurants and beautiful scenery. You were allocated about 60 minutes to see each island before your boat left to get to the next island.

Shared Boat Trip: Glimpse of Murano, Torcello and Burano Islands

Michela C.

10 days ago

The walking tour was really nice, allowing you to see unusual spots in Venice you wouldn't normally stumble upon. The gondola ride was amazing, the ride was so peaceful, and the views were incredible. The only slight downside was the guide would begin to walk to the next stop with no warning, which wasn't a massive problem but would have been nice to know we were moving on. Overall an amazing experience.

1-3 hours Walking Tour with an Optional Gondola Ride

Ting

10 days ago

The tickets are easy to redeem. You will get a redemption code after order confirmation. Just head to the yellow ticket machine at every ferry station and insert the redemption code and you will get the ticket right away

Waterbus and Mainland Bus Pass (Non-refundable)

Tracy

11 days ago

I loved the 15min commentary prior to the ride and wish that was longer. The boats seated 4 so we were with another couple. The Gondolier smiled when he saw us taking selfies that he was in the background on, so cute! Great value for the money

Grand Canal Shared Gondola Ride with Venice stories

Tracy

10 days ago

I highly recommend this perfect trip to Murano and Burano. It was beautiful, informative, and a shopping extravaganza! I wish I had done the full day tour to spend more time! One negative was the meeting place!!! Give yourself extra time. 8 of us waited with no guide meeting us!

Half Day Boat Trip to Murano and Burano Lagoon Islands

LauraQW

12 days ago

It was a highly concentrated tour on the three (probably) most important islands of the Venetian Lagoon. Our guide Francesco went into many important details for all three islands in three different languages. I only wish we stayed more on Burano which was very picturesque!

Shared Boat Trip: Glimpse of Murano, Torcello and Burano Islands

Tobias

12 days ago

Although it was a bit difficult for us to get to the meeting point, there was a guide who later took us to the starting point. The gondolier was very friendly and entertained us with anecdotes and comments about Venice since the gondola was exclusively for the four of us.

Hidden Venice: Private 30-Minute Gondola Ride

Adi

12 days ago

The walking tour was excellent. We learned a lot about the city. The gondola ride was good but not very long and there was no live guide during the ride. It's something to check off the list at a very reasonable price.

50-minute Shared Gondola Ride with Live Guide

Vanna P.

13 days ago

Our Guide Nicoletta, explained to us the little hidden mysteries of Venice by taking us through narrow streets, each prettier than the next. The people who took part in the excursion allowed us to share a good time with very interesting questions and the 2 hours spent were a special moment that we did not imagine at the start.

1-3 hours Walking Tour with an Optional Gondola Ride

Alexandre

12 days ago

Great tour with a great group leader Georgia. She had great command over four language and was very clear in her English. The way they showed us the various important landmarks of Venice along the route made it as a city tour as well which we really liked. The time given at Murano Burano was also sufficient as we felt. ( if you want to spend more, one can come separately but with a tour I think time given was very sufficient). Transported in a big enough boat with good views . 10/10 from my side.

Half Day Boat Trip to Murano and Burano Lagoon Islands

Skylar G.

13 days ago

This was fantastic and totally worth the money! My husband and I traveled to Rome, Florence and Venice in July 2018. We were on a budget and didn't want to bust the budget, so went with the "shared" gondola option and then splurged to have the serenade option. The experience was unforgettable and easily the best part of our whole trip! The singer and the man with the accordion had great chemistry and were constantly interacting w/ my husband and I. I thought the 20 mins sounded kinda short, but it ended up being the perfect amount of time. Do it at sunset around 7:30 if possible. Highly recommend this to all my family members and friends, it was simply enchanting and something my husband and I will never forget!

30-minute Shared Gondola Cruise with Live Music and a Serenade

Christina U.

13 days ago

My family and I had the great pleasure of being guided by Tomosa on his classic Venetian styled boat. Honestly, it wasn’t the boat, the possible sunset, or anything else that made the trip it was Tomosa. Hands down an exceptionally smart, humorous, and well spoken skipper. My husband and I enjoyed his stories and wit so much that we almost had to be reminded to take pictures. He was organized by explaining to us what we were doing, where we were going and when we would do certain things. I found him to be considerate of our elderly group member to ensure she made it into the boat safely. We just had such a great time with him and learning some of Venice’s history. My husband and I love naval history and seeing Venice from this perspective was so much fun. We drank Prosecco, the whole bottle. I would highly recommend take a cruise with him, sunset, no sunset… it’s still an absolute blast to talk to him and hear all the wonderful historical stories.

2-hour Private Romantic Sunset Venetian Boat Tour

Ella B.

13 days ago

All of the gondoliers are fun and amazing to take the trip with. I’ve heard of some people saying trey were rude or inattentive or not very helpful and it couldn’t be further from the truth. Had a great time and learned a lot.

Venice: Private Gondola Ride

Andrew L.

about 16 hours ago

According to the ad we booked with this company as they offered 6 passengers. Fine only 5 but questioned.They were extremely rude and argued with us re our booking, paper vouchers and electronic proof of purchase. After an hour they realized we were not Leaving so put us in boats. 3 of us were with the musicians and had fun but the others couldn’t hear the music well as the gondolier was on his cell the whole time. Our gondolier was yelling at us when we were getting out. Take your chances

30-minute Shared Gondola Cruise with Live Music and a Serenade

Daria B.

1 day ago

Just nice, and we wanted to take an individual picture on the gondola but was told many others are waiting as we are still in the gondola before we leave. I was disappointed with it and the only picture we took for ourselves, like in a group or selfie, not an individual.

Half Day Boat Trip to Murano and Burano Lagoon Islands

Penelope T.

3 days ago

Not to miss! We recommend it at the beginning of the stay. Very interesting with lots of little anecdotes depending on the place. There is a nice balance between historical and anecdotal aspect. Our older teenagers were receptive to the explanations and loved this visit. Our guide who has lived all his life in Venice gave us the good sides of Venice, the good tips. She gave us advice for certain purchases (and it was not easy to find the place afterwards without having taken notes). And she also had a critical mind about the mass tourism that Venice represents and all the inconveniences that this engenders.

1-3 hours Walking Tour with an Optional Gondola Ride

Roland

3 days ago

The canal tour was great and was a quick way to see the city by boat. Overall, I enjoyed the tour for the views that it provided. However, the logistics of the tour were a nightmare. After purchasing tickets, I was informed that I should go to a meeting spot and that I would be picked up there. The site also stated that a mobile voucher would be okay to use. That was not the case at all. You actually have to go to the ticketing office and show your mobile voucher there. The person working there will then give you a physical voucher and will tell you which boat to board. That was 100% not clear, but the company and workers remained adamant that it was. Because of the confusion, my family and I missed our tour, but luckily we were able to join the next one thanks to a helpful member of the company. So as long as you follow my instructions (and not the instructions on the website / confirmation e-mail) you'll be fine.

1-hour Shared Boat Cruise: Discovering the Palazzos and Bridges of Venice

Timothyyyy

4 days ago

This is a very easy, no stress trip. The price is very reasonable for the boat ride and the guided history tour in between the islands. We started from the S. L. train station, which allowed us to see quite a bit of the southern side of Venice as we looped around to the St Mark's pick up. We saw a quick glass-blowing demonstration in Murano and purchased several pieces of beautiful jewelry. After a light lunch in Torcello, we made our way to my most favorite island - Burano! Burano was so very charming, with the bright houses, the shops lining the waterways, and the shaded park near the vaparetto stop. Burano offers more than your usual kitschy tourist shops - local artisans there sell beautiful clothing and art that you won't find in Venice. Knowing what I know now, I'd probably skip Murano and Torcello, pack a lunch, and take a vaparetto to Burano and spend several hours there. The 50 minutes given to us was simply not enough time for what this village has to offer.

Shared Boat Trip: Glimpse of Murano, Torcello and Burano Islands

Rhoda

4 days ago

Our guide and the boat driver were very nice and knowledgeable. These 2 small and very charming cities, you should visit, a nice way to get away a little from the big crowd of Venice. Unfortunately 2 costumers from our tour found a way to get lost and made the whole group wait for 25’ inside the boat and reduced the time we could have had for a nicer lunch in Burano.

Murano and Burano Excursion

Irene

8 days ago

We had booked a gondola ride at 7.30pm only for the two of us. Since we had read in the reviews that the office is not so easy to find, we left earlier. With Googel Maps that was no problem at all. Since it was our turn earlier, the employee asked us if we wanted to drive earlier and where we were we said yes. She wrote a new time on the slip of paper we went to the stop at the Hard Rock Cafe where there was a long line but we were led straight to the next arriving gondola and off we went. It was a special experience from time to time we saw or heard the gondola with musicians. So I enjoyed it very much, I enjoyed it and it would not have occurred to me to look at the watch for how long we were on the road.

Hidden Venice: Private 30-Minute Gondola Ride

Dean

9 days ago

It was interesting to visit the islands surrounding Venice. Each island was different in terms of beauty and were all aesthetically pleasing. In murano the main attraction was the glass factory other than that there wasn’t much there. Torcello was more historical but smaller. Burano was the busiest of the three with many restaurants and beautiful scenery. You were allocated about 60 minutes to see each island before your boat left to get to the next island.

Shared Boat Trip: Glimpse of Murano, Torcello and Burano Islands

Michela C.

10 days ago

The walking tour was really nice, allowing you to see unusual spots in Venice you wouldn't normally stumble upon. The gondola ride was amazing, the ride was so peaceful, and the views were incredible. The only slight downside was the guide would begin to walk to the next stop with no warning, which wasn't a massive problem but would have been nice to know we were moving on. Overall an amazing experience.

1-3 hours Walking Tour with an Optional Gondola Ride

Ting

10 days ago

The tickets are easy to redeem. You will get a redemption code after order confirmation. Just head to the yellow ticket machine at every ferry station and insert the redemption code and you will get the ticket right away

Waterbus and Mainland Bus Pass (Non-refundable)

Tracy

11 days ago

I loved the 15min commentary prior to the ride and wish that was longer. The boats seated 4 so we were with another couple. The Gondolier smiled when he saw us taking selfies that he was in the background on, so cute! Great value for the money

Grand Canal Shared Gondola Ride with Venice stories

Tracy

10 days ago

I highly recommend this perfect trip to Murano and Burano. It was beautiful, informative, and a shopping extravaganza! I wish I had done the full day tour to spend more time! One negative was the meeting place!!! Give yourself extra time. 8 of us waited with no guide meeting us!

Half Day Boat Trip to Murano and Burano Lagoon Islands

LauraQW

12 days ago

It was a highly concentrated tour on the three (probably) most important islands of the Venetian Lagoon. Our guide Francesco went into many important details for all three islands in three different languages. I only wish we stayed more on Burano which was very picturesque!

Shared Boat Trip: Glimpse of Murano, Torcello and Burano Islands

Tobias

12 days ago

Although it was a bit difficult for us to get to the meeting point, there was a guide who later took us to the starting point. The gondolier was very friendly and entertained us with anecdotes and comments about Venice since the gondola was exclusively for the four of us.

Hidden Venice: Private 30-Minute Gondola Ride

Adi

12 days ago

The walking tour was excellent. We learned a lot about the city. The gondola ride was good but not very long and there was no live guide during the ride. It's something to check off the list at a very reasonable price.

50-minute Shared Gondola Ride with Live Guide

Vanna P.

13 days ago

Our Guide Nicoletta, explained to us the little hidden mysteries of Venice by taking us through narrow streets, each prettier than the next. The people who took part in the excursion allowed us to share a good time with very interesting questions and the 2 hours spent were a special moment that we did not imagine at the start.

1-3 hours Walking Tour with an Optional Gondola Ride

Alexandre

12 days ago

Great tour with a great group leader Georgia. She had great command over four language and was very clear in her English. The way they showed us the various important landmarks of Venice along the route made it as a city tour as well which we really liked. The time given at Murano Burano was also sufficient as we felt. ( if you want to spend more, one can come separately but with a tour I think time given was very sufficient). Transported in a big enough boat with good views . 10/10 from my side.

Half Day Boat Trip to Murano and Burano Lagoon Islands

Skylar G.

13 days ago

This was fantastic and totally worth the money! My husband and I traveled to Rome, Florence and Venice in July 2018. We were on a budget and didn't want to bust the budget, so went with the "shared" gondola option and then splurged to have the serenade option. The experience was unforgettable and easily the best part of our whole trip! The singer and the man with the accordion had great chemistry and were constantly interacting w/ my husband and I. I thought the 20 mins sounded kinda short, but it ended up being the perfect amount of time. Do it at sunset around 7:30 if possible. Highly recommend this to all my family members and friends, it was simply enchanting and something my husband and I will never forget!

30-minute Shared Gondola Cruise with Live Music and a Serenade

Christina U.

13 days ago

My family and I had the great pleasure of being guided by Tomosa on his classic Venetian styled boat. Honestly, it wasn’t the boat, the possible sunset, or anything else that made the trip it was Tomosa. Hands down an exceptionally smart, humorous, and well spoken skipper. My husband and I enjoyed his stories and wit so much that we almost had to be reminded to take pictures. He was organized by explaining to us what we were doing, where we were going and when we would do certain things. I found him to be considerate of our elderly group member to ensure she made it into the boat safely. We just had such a great time with him and learning some of Venice’s history. My husband and I love naval history and seeing Venice from this perspective was so much fun. We drank Prosecco, the whole bottle. I would highly recommend take a cruise with him, sunset, no sunset… it’s still an absolute blast to talk to him and hear all the wonderful historical stories.

2-hour Private Romantic Sunset Venetian Boat Tour

Ella B.

13 days ago

All of the gondoliers are fun and amazing to take the trip with. I’ve heard of some people saying trey were rude or inattentive or not very helpful and it couldn’t be further from the truth. Had a great time and learned a lot.

Venice: Private Gondola Ride

Grand Canal Venice Tours

Tours and tickets 33

Tours near the attraction 5

Reviews

Discover the Best of Venice with a Grand Canal Tour

The History of the Grand Canal

Planning Your Grand Canal Tour

Best Time to Visit

Choosing Your Mode of Transport

Planning Your Route

Unique & Off-the-Beaten-Path Experiences

Hidden Canals and Alleys

Local Shops and Authentic Eateries

Lesser-Known Museums & Galleries

Tips for a Memorable Grand Canal Tour

Final Thoughts: Is a Grand Canal Tour Worth It?

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does a Grand Canal boat tour last?

Can you see the Rialto Bridge on a gondola ride?

What’s the best way to see St. Mark’s Square and its architecture?

How can I book a private gondola ride in Venice?

Can I book a private gondola ride in Venice?

What are the main attractions near the Grand Canal?

How long does a typical gondola ride last?

What is unique about the Grand Canal?

Can I take a Grand Canal trip at night?

Sights of Venice

Murano

Burano

St. Mark's Square

Doge's Palace

Piazza San Marco

Rialto Bridge

Torcello

Marco Polo's Home

Cannaregio

Santa Maria della Salute

Lido di Venezia

Saint Mark's Basilica

Bridge of Sighs

Correr Museum

St. Mark's Clocktower

San Giorgio Maggiore

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Tours and tickets
33

Tours near the attraction
5