Venice: Grand Canal by Gondola with Commentary

based on 2060 reviews

Duration:30 minutes to 50 minutes (approx.)
Location: Venice, Veneto

From $34.04

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Infant (Age : 0 to 1)

ADULT (Age : 2 to 99)

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Upto 24 hours in Advance.

Mobile or paper ticket accepted

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Glide through the canals of Venice on a gondola ride with a live guide who explains the stories and secrets of the fascinating palaces around you.

The expert gondoliers will drive you along Venice's hidden passages and canals, reachable only by gondola, admiring the breathtaking Venetian landscape.

Pass beneath centuries-old bridges and take in the famous Grand Canal with its amazing views of stunning palaces.

The guide will narrate to you the fascinating history of gondolas and gondoliers! On board, you will hear all about the palaces, churches, and attractions around you.

Lastly, experience a ride in a unique virtual reality as you glide over the Grand Canal's tranquil waters at sunset over the centuries, and then discover the craftsmanship and secrets behind Venice's iconic boat with an up-close look at a sectioned model.

If you want to live an exclusive experience, book the private gondola and enjoy a ride with only you and your partner or friends!

WHAT'S INCLUDED

WHAT TO EXPECT

1.
We will pass trough the Gran Canal terrace of Ca Giustinian, one of the oldest Palace overlooking the Canal Grande.
2. Chiesa di San Moise
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.
3. Teatro La Fenice
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.
4. Canal Grande
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.
5. Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute
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
6. Punta della Dogana
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.
7. San Giorgio Maggiore
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.
8. Giardini Reali
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.

ADDITIONAL INFO

• Public transportation options are available nearby
• Suitable for all physical fitness levels
• Each gondola can host maximum 5 people; the seat aboard cannot be chosen but will be assigned by the gondolier depending of guests weight.
• The Gondola Ride does not operate in case of exceptionally bad weather or high/low tide (in these cases it can be postponed the days after otherwise it will be refunded)
• The itinerary may change in the event of wind or bad weather
• The guide will be only on one gondola, the participants on the others gondola will listen to her/him with the audio-devices
• The live commentary will be only in English, French, Spanish and Italian. The commentary on German, Japanese, Chinese, Hindi, and Russian will be provided by mobile app downloaded on the own devices.
• The live commentary IS NOT included in the PRIVATE OPTION
• Please be at the meeting point 10 minutes before the departure time
• On certain dates, most travelers staying outside of Venice who are planning to visit for the day will be required to pay a €5 access fee. For further details (including exemptions) and to learn what days this fee is applicable, please visit: https://cda.ve.it

CANCELLATION POLICY

Posted By : SangHa_C
If you want a slow paced gondola ride for 30 minutes for a taste, this would work for you. A guide will take you to the gondola ride from the meeting point in front of the St. Marco place, 10 ~ 15 minutes walk with commentary. A radio device you will receive may or may not stop working. My son’s device stooped working on the way to ride and the guide had no replacement. The gondola ride is okay but expect no interaction with gondonlier.
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-01-07 14:23:27

Posted By : David_M
Gondolier was very loud and abrasive. Would have preferred if he wasn’t shouting back and forth to others and polluting the experience.
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-01-06 15:55:43

Posted By : Zylna_G
Ricardo was the best tour guide .
Knowledgeable and helpful.
Would highly recommend to anyone visiting

Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-01-06 13:46:03

Posted By : sueliaoto
This was a nice tour overall. The walking tour led by Ricardo was very engaging and funny. Our gondola was not bad too but a bit short.
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-01-05 07:53:14

Posted By : jerry_l
What’s Venice without a gondola ride!? Our guide was terrific, giving us history of the gondola, the city, the islands and other little tidbits before we got on the gondola ride.
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-01-04 12:33:17

Posted By : 229sydneym
Aurora was an amazing tour guide! The tour and ride were affordable and fun! Aurora was so knowledgeable and skilled at communicating. She gave great information to make our gondola ride meaningful because I understood the cultural importance of gondolas in Venezia!
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-01-03 10:55:02

Posted By : _V899ET
Services for Japanese tourists are also available.Thank you very much for the tour of the historical city with the guide.
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-01-03 06:30:07

Posted By : Kellie_C
We loved being part of the Venetian way of life on the canal. We took the ride in the evening. It was only a short ride, but most enjoyable! We couldn’t quite work out how the gondolas operated as we would have gone on them more, but didn’t know if they operated like a taxi or ferry service. Would have been nice if the trip went longer and also with a light snack and drinks included. It was too short!
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-01-02 10:33:28

Posted By : Amy_D
This was a brilliant way to experience Venice by gondola at a lesser price. Our guide was extremely knowledgeable and entertaining. The gondola ride was so peaceful and enjoyable. Definitely worth doing, the whole experience was so well organised.
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-01-01 12:20:25

Posted By : Eloise_C
Meet up venue is easy to find. Friendly staff. The short walking tour was informative and the headphones made it easy to hear what the guide was telling us. The gondola ride was great. Parts of the ride are down beautiful quiet areas of the city and very relaxing. Very enjoyable. The whole tour was just under an hour.
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2023-12-31 03:17:54