Grand Canal: Our most recommended tours and activities

Venice: Grand Canal Gondola Ride with App Commentary

1. Venice: Grand Canal Gondola Ride with App Commentary

Feel the essence of Venice as you explore hidden and picturesque waterways near the Grand Canal with a gondola ride. Listen to in-app commentary to learn more about the city as you admire the sights. Start your activity by meeting the host, who will explain some curiosities about the history of gondolas and gondoliers. Get free access to an app with commentary of your itinerary on the gondola. As you enjoy the beauties of the Grand Canal, admire the marvelous Palaces such as the Peggy Guggenheim Collection Palace, the Gritti Palace, the Salute Church, the Punta della Dogana. Discover the worldwide-famous La Fenice Theatre and the Mozart House along the romantic and hidden waterways. At the end of your ride, enjoy a breathtaking view of the Saint Mark’s Basin with San Giorgio Island.

Venice: Grand Canal by Gondola with Live Commentary

2. Venice: Grand Canal by Gondola with Live Commentary

Explore the canals of Venice aboard a gondola. Enjoy live commentary from your guide as your gondolier takes you down narrow ways and along the Grand Canal. Learn about the city's palaces, churches, and attractions. Hear about local stories and the history of the gondola and gondoliers. During your journey, admire Desdemona’s House and Mozart’s House. You'll also pass by the magnificent La Fenice Theatre and the “De le Ostreghe” Canal. Continue to the most important canal in Venice, the Grand Canal. Make your way towards the Salute Church, the Peggy Guggenheim Collection, and some of the stunning Venetian palaces that run alongside the canal, like Ca'Dolfin, Ca'Loredan, Grimani Palace, and many others. You will also see Punta de la Dogana and Saint Mark’s Basin before making your way back to Campo San Moisè. 

Venice: Private Gondola Ride along Grand Canal

3. Venice: Private Gondola Ride along Grand Canal

Board an authentic gondola and take a romantic journey along the Grand Canal in Venice. See the historic sights along the shoreline as you glide down the canal. Set off from the departure point and admire marvelous palaces, such as the Peggy Guggenheim Collection and Basilica Santa Maria della Salute. Explore the secret waterways of Venice and soak up the city's atmosphere with your friends or your beloved. Travel by gondola close to St. Mark's Square, Fenice Opera House, Punta della Dogana, and many other charming palaces. Pass under a small bridge as you discover the hidden spots reachable only by gondola.

Venice: Private Gondola Cruise for up to 5 Passengers

4. Venice: Private Gondola Cruise for up to 5 Passengers

Experience the romance of Venice aboard a traditional gondola for up to 6 people and enjoy a more intimate experience, exclusive to your group. Depart from the Campo San Luca at a time to suit you. Gondola rides are available by day and at night, when you can marvel at the monuments illuminated after dark. Journey along the legendary Grand Canal to see some of the historic buildings from the water. Venture down some of the smaller canals and get away from the tourist crowds. Pass the Gothic façades of palazzos at a gentle pace as your gondolier punts you through the historical center aboard the city's most traditional mode of transport. Glide back to the starting point for the end of your amazing gondola ride.

Venice: Waterbus and Mainland Bus Pass

5. Venice: Waterbus and Mainland Bus Pass

With this transportation pass, bypass the ticket lines and ride on Venice's public transport services. Climb aboard the public ship, known as the vaporetto, and explore the city by waterway. The ticket is valid for nearby areas and for buses in Mestre and Marghera. Begin traveling around Venice with your pass by first pausing at a vaporetto stop. Once you've acquired your ticket, head out with one of the unique water buses to your destinations. Cruise around the city and take in the sights for an hour or up to a full week, depending on your ticket. Make the most out of your ticket by journeying to area destinations, including Venice's surrounding islands. Experience the magic of Lido, Murano, Burano, and Torcello Island with the handy ticket that has you covered at every step of the way. Zip over to Mestre and Marghera with a bus.

Venice: Shared Gondola Ride Across the Grand Canal

6. Venice: Shared Gondola Ride Across the Grand Canal

Share a gondola ride with up to 5 other people and a master gondolier through the canals of Venice. Glide gracefully through the mysterious canals of Venice on a peaceful 30-minute ride. Discover the quaint and charming canals of Venice that have different charms and appeals, which you'll experience on this tour. Float down the iconic Grand Canal, ride down minor waterways, and pass by the famous theater, La Fenice, to soak up the atmosphere.

Venice: Traveling Opera in a Historic Palace on Grand Canal

7. Venice: Traveling Opera in a Historic Palace on Grand Canal

Experience Italian Opera in one of the most important Venetian-Gothic style palaces in Venice, Palazzo Barbarigo-Minotto. Within this historical venue, an innovative approach to opera has been conceived, with a formula that focuses on the interaction between the singers, the musicians, and the audience. This gives spectators the feeling of living Opera ‘from the inside’. This sensation is amplified by the clever 360-degree use of the ‘stage’ and by having the guests move through 3 different rooms within the Palazzo, one for each act of the show. The whole setting changes, not just the background. Reviving a tradition dating back to the late 1800s, this reimagining is brought to life by some of the finest lyrical voices, accompanied by a talented small group of strings and a piano: a virtuoso ensemble who performed in some of the most prestigious concert halls in the world.

From Porec: Venice Day Trip by High Speed Ferry

8. From Porec: Venice Day Trip by High Speed Ferry

When on holiday in Porec, make the most of your holiday and take the opportunity to join Venezia Lines on a one-day visit to intriguing Venice. A 3 hour catamaran crossing gives you the opportunity to have a holiday within a holiday, making you Croatian vacation an unforgettable experience. The time on our comfortable catamaran crossing to Italy will allow us to present an overview of the day and give you an insight into the rich history of La Serenissima, the Most Serene Republic of Venice! Once having entered the Venetian lagoon you will discover a completely different world to what you are used to. Canals are substitutes to roads, boats replace cars, buses, trucks and all other road transport means. Every island and building plays an important role in the mosaic of this rich city. After disembarking in the port of San Basilio you will set off to discover the wonders of this unique city on the north-east side of the Adriatic coast.

Venice: Street Food Tour with a Local Guide and Tastings

9. Venice: Street Food Tour with a Local Guide and Tastings

Eat your way around Venice on a tasting tour of some of the city's eateries, and see historical monuments along the way. Follow your foodie guide through the historic Rialto Market alongside the Grand Canal. End at Campo Santa Margherita square, surrounded by local restaurants and farmers’ markets. Meet your guide in the San Marco district. Cross the Rialto Bridge to visit the Rialto Market and marvel at the colorful fruit and vegetable stalls. Experience everyday life in the city as the locals come to purchase fresh fish and other ingredients. Next, go to Campo San Polo and enter the Basilica dei Frari. Pass the square of Campo San Bartolomeo, where the locals like to gather. Along the way, taste a wide range of food specialties, from regional cheeses to buranelli biscuits and traditional cakes. Sample some sweet tiramisù in the city where it was invented, and experience the unique culture of cicchetti, the tapas-like snacks loved by Venetians served in typically cozy bàcari (bars). End on the Campo Santa Margherita in the historical sestiere (district) of Dorsoduro near the university.  

Venice: Food Tasting Tour with Cicchetti Dishes and Wine

10. Venice: Food Tasting Tour with Cicchetti Dishes and Wine

This tour is the perfect introduction to Venice, giving you an overview of the city’s unrivalled history and a taster of its world-famous cuisine. Your adventure begins in the Cannaregio neighbourhood, one of the few remaining residential areas of Venice, known for being a popular after-work meeting spot for thirsty locals. We will take a gentle stroll around and chat about its 1,000-year history and your local guide will offer suggestions on other things to see and do during your stay. A ride in a traditional, stand-up traghetto gondola is next as we cross the Grand Canal the way the locals do. Once in Rialto, the food tasting can begin! We will try some fresh fish at a small eatery, owned by a group of young locals with a passion for experimenting with traditional recipes, giving them a modern twist. Expect dishes such as black ink calamari, fried mix fish, polenta with seafood, tuna balls with tomatoes or seasonal vegetables (served in elaborate dishes). All the fresh fish served is coming from the Rialto market, a large fruit and vegetable market in the centre of Venice. After mouth-watering tastings, we will head to the few local spots that will help you better understand the culture of Cicchetti bars in Venice and how to enjoy food and wine experience. We will introduce you a new bar, owned by two Venetian brother with passion for locally sourced food and wine, and at this stop you will taste a local sandwich called `tramezzino` and very local `Venetian Spritz`. Moving forward you will try dishes such as Creamy Dried Codfish Baccalà or stockfish (dried cod), arrived in Venice in the 15th century thanks to Captain Querini. Here we will have a chance to try this traditional local recipe. Expect cod cooked in two different ways. Let us know, which one you prefer most? A few secrets and hidden spots near the Rialto are up next, which will demonstrate the importance of moving just one street away from the tourist hordes, to get a little slice of Venice to yourself. Expect meet and cheese Cicchetti in one of the spots and Lasagna or Risotto or Pasta in the other. Finish with well-deserved desert – Tiramisu. The tour will end at Campo San Bortolomio, which is surrounded by great restaurants and shops. Your guide will be happy to help you with recommendations for continuing the fun or with directions to help you back to your accommodation. We reserve the right to change both the route and places visited within the tour. Food inclusions are subject to change, dependent on availability on the day.

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Grand Canal
Gaze upon the stately homes of former merchants with a gondola ride down Venice’s longest canal.

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What people are saying about Grand Canal

Overall rating

4.2 / 5

based on 24,848 reviews

This was a lovely time! Even though it was rainy, it was still a very cool experience, and our tour guide Riccardo was very informative, charming and engaging. (He gave me some great restaurant recommendations too!) The trip in total was about 45 minutes and there was no wasted time. Definitely recommend!

An excellent tour that I recommend to everyone, you will be full of energy and good taste. Everything was superlative, the only regret is that it's over. Thank you very much, wonderful Camilla.

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!

Great fun! Little walk to the boat with a nice explanation of the city then the gondola ride was a good amount of time :))

Our guide Denis was great and we really enjoyed the stops and food on offer.