Venice: Grand Canal by Gondola with Live Commentary

4.1 out of 5 stars
4.1
14395 reviews
Activity provider:
CITY TOURS CO LTD
Add to wishlist
Venice: Grand Canal by Gondola with Live Commentary
4.1 out of 5 stars
4.1
14395 reviews
Likely to sell out

Glide through the canals of Venice on a gondola ride with a live guide. Hear stories and secrets of the fascinating palaces around from your guide and visit the Gondola Gallery.

About this activity

Free cancellation
Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund
Reserve now & pay later
Keep your travel plans flexible — book your spot and pay nothing today.
Duration 40 minutes - 3 hours
Check availability to see starting times
Skip the ticket line
Host or greeter
Spanish, English, German, French, Italian
Optional audio guide
English, French, German, Italian, Spanish
Small group available

Highlighted reviews from other travelers

5
5 out of 5 stars
R
Roger – United Kingdom

The tour was well organised and very informative. The Gondola ride was great and the tour guides do their best to seat you together. We were lucky to get a gondola for just our family. An excellent experience and great value for money

5
5 out of 5 stars
M
Marina Dal Magro – Brazil

The guide (brunette, green eyes - don't remember her name) was super sweet. Before the gondola ride she walked us till the gondola while telling us about the history of Venice and the gondolas. It was super nice. The gondola ride doesn't have any informations. It's just the tourists and the gondoleiro. After the ride you can get a free VR exibition about Venice and it was really worth It! I recommend this experience

Select participants and date

Itinerary

  • 3 starting location options:

    Venice Tours Assistance (NEWSTAND IN SAN MARCO), Venice Tours Assistance (NEWSTAND IN SAN MARCO), Venice Tours

  • Teatro La Fenice

  • Grand Canal

  • Peggy Guggenheim Collection

  • Santa Maria della Salute

  • Punta della Dogana

  • Teatro La Fenice

  • 3 drop-off locations:

    Venice Tours Assistance (NEWSTAND IN SAN MARCO), Venice Tours Assistance (NEWSTAND IN SAN MARCO), Venice Tours

Main sites passed

For reference only. Itineraries are subject to change.

Highlights

  • Glide along the Grand Canal and the romantic canals on board a gondola
  • Introductory walk: learn about gondolas, gondoliers, and Venice’s water heritage
  • Hear stories from your guide about palazzos, gondolas and gondoliers
  • A VR experience aboard a gondola on Venice’s Grand Canal travel back in time

Full description

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 the Mozart’s House and 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. 

Step inside a majestic Venetian palace and uncover the secrets of Venice’s most iconic boat. See a real gondola up close, admire a handcrafted oar, and learn how this elegant vessel was once an essential part of everyday life for Venetians. Enter a recreated felze (gondola cabin), then embark on a timeless virtual experience aboard a gondola, gliding through Venice’s legendary Grand Canal as history and tradition come to life around you—just like a noble of the past.

Includes

  • Gondola ride
  • Introductory walking tour
  • Live commentary
  • Gondola Gallery: see how a gondola is made and take a 3D trip through centuries
  • Rialto Walking Tour (if option is selected)
  • Food and drinks
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off
  • App commentary (if the serenade option is selected)
  • Tips and personal expenses

Not suitable for

  • Wheelchair users

Meeting point

Meeting point may vary depending on the option booked.

Important information

What to bring

  • Comfortable shoes
  • Headphones

Not allowed

  • Pets

Know before you go

  • The tour is composed of a 20-minute introductory walking tour to the gondola experience followed by a 30-minute gondola ride
  • If you have booked the option with random seating, you will not be sitting in the same gondola
  • The guide will be on only one gondola. The participants on the other gondolas will listen to them with an audio device
  • The live commentary is in English, French, Spanish. The mobile app provides commentary in Italian, German, Japanese, Chinese, Russian, and Hindi
  • Each gondola can hold a maximum of 5 people
  • The gondolier will determine your seat according to your weight
  • The tour will only be canceled in cases of extreme weather conditions
  • The itinerary may change in cases of wind or bad weather
  • Commentary for shared tours may be bilingual
  • For the serenade option, the performers (a singer and a musician) will board a gondola in the center of the row so all participants can hear the music (musicians won't be present on every gondola)
Likely to sell out

From $46 per person

Customer reviews

Overall rating

4.1 /5
4.1 out of 5 stars

based on 14395 reviews

Review summary

  • Guide
    4.3/5
  • Transportation
    4.3/5
  • Value for money
    3.9/5

Customer photos

+1073
Filter
By star rating
Sort by:
5
5 out of 5 stars
R
Roger – United KingdomJuly 7, 2025 – Verified booking
The tour was well organised and very informative. The Gondola ride was great and the tour guides do their best to seat you together. We were lucky to get a gondola for just our family. An excellent experience and great value for money
5
5 out of 5 stars
M
Marina Dal Magro – BrazilJuly 6, 2025 – Verified booking
The guide (brunette, green eyes - don't remember her name) was super sweet. Before the gondola ride she walked us till the gondola while telling us about the history of Venice and the gondolas. It was super nice. The gondola ride doesn't have any informations. It's just the tourists and the gondoleiro. After the ride you can get a free VR exibition about Venice and it was really worth It! I recommend this experience
5
5 out of 5 stars
A
Angela – IrelandJuly 2, 2025 – Verified booking
We did not expect the VR experience at the end-very well done and thoroughly enjoyed it! It would be great if the gondolier could point out a few sites or points of interest along the gondola trip. I don’t expect them to have English but they could have a few pictures and point to the places that are historical or popular! Thanks

Product ID: 48463

Activity provider:
CITY TOURS CO LTD

Top Attractions in Venice

Experiences in Venice

Tours in Italy

Things to do in Italy

Top destinations

Top attraction categories

Popular Attractions