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VeniceSmall group activities

Our most recommended Venice Small group 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.

Doge's Palace & St. Mark's Basilica with Terrace Access Tour

2. Doge's Palace & St. Mark's Basilica with Terrace Access Tour

Delve deep into Venice’s history with a 3-hour guided tour of St. Mark’s Basilica and the Doge's Palace, either as a private tour or shared group experience. Take in two of the city’s most important landmarks while discovering the history of the one-time mercantile capital of the Mediterranean.  Start by exploring St. Mark's Square with your guide before heading into the cathedral. From the first-floor terrace you’ll be able to admire views across the lagoon and see the famous bronze horses up close. Hear how they traveled all the way to Paris and back in Napoleon’s time. St. Mark's Basilica sometimes closes to visitors without warning. If this happens, visit the Church of San Zaccaria or the Correr Museum instead, depending on availability. Take a tour of the beautifully ornate 15th-century church and its flooded crypt or learn about the art and history of Venice. Next, you’ll use the priority entrance to reach Doge's Palace, formerly the residence of the leader of the Republic of Venice. Enjoy visiting the Chamber of the Great Council and courtrooms among other things. Highlights include frescoes by Tintoretto and the Giants’ Staircase.  After this, cross the infamous Bridge of Sighs that links to the New Prisons. Learn how the bridge got its name and the purpose for its construction in the 17th century as you take in the amazing views of the canals. At the end of your tour, feel free to stay and explore the Doge’s Palace with tips from your guide.

Venice Doge's Palace & St Mark's Basilica Skip-the-Line Tour

3. Venice Doge's Palace & St Mark's Basilica Skip-the-Line Tour

Set off on a guided walking tour of St. Mark’s Square, the Doge's Palace, and St Mark's Basilica with skip-the-line entry. Meet your guide at St. Mark’s Square and head for Doge's Palace, the extraordinary palace that served as the seat of Venetian political power for centuries. Enter the splendid rooms, with hundreds of painted masterpieces. Explore where the Duke and his Council controlled the fate of a 1,000-year republic and admire the details of the medieval gold staircase. See the famous Bridge of Sighs. Enter the notorious Venetian prison that held Giacomo Casanova. Visit St Mark’s Basilica and enjoy a guided tour of this Byzantine masterpiece, with its beautiful gold mosaics and marble floor inlays. See the treasure and the terrace of the Basilica of St.Mark's

Venice: St Mark's Basilica Skip-the-Line Guided Tour

4. Venice: St Mark's Basilica Skip-the-Line Guided Tour

Take a fascinating guided tour through the Golden Basilica of Saint Mark, with its famous golden mosaics. Skip the line and enter the majestic church with an expert guide who will narrate the history of this byzantine artwork and its meaning. You will be stunned in front of the five domes decorated by renowned artists. Discover the Saint Mark Treasury, a magnificent collection of relics and precious items collected along the centuries. Also, from the terraces, enjoy the view of St. Mark's Square, the heart of Venice, and the quadriga of St. Mark. Then, use the mobile app to discover the 5 districts of Venice with their best attractions and squares. Listen to the audio narration of the city’s highlights, with more than 120 points of interest including the glorious La Fenice Theater, Rialto Bridge, the Jewish Ghetto, the Arsenale, the majestic Accademia Bridge, and much more.

Venice: Grand Canal by Gondola with Live Commentary

5. 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: Basilica, Doge's Palace, Bridge of Sighs Guided Tour

6. Venice: Basilica, Doge's Palace, Bridge of Sighs Guided Tour

Enjoy the best of Venice on a small group guided tour and visit three of the city's most iconic monuments, the St. Mark's Basilica, the Bridge of Sighs, and the Doge's Palace. Skip the long lines outside with our skip-the-line tickets to save precious time. Discover the imposing Doge's Palace with its splendid rooms and hundreds of masterpieces. Here, the Doge and his Council controlled the fate of a thousand-year history Republic. Live it together with a guide that shows you the halls of power, plunging you into a very particular historical context: the European Middle Ages and the immediately following centuries. Then, cross the world-famous Bridge of Sighs and visit the humid and dark Piombi Prisons. Its name comes from the suggestion that prisoners would sigh at their final view of beautiful Venice through the window before being taken down to their cells. Continue the visit with the main hall and the shining golden naves of St. Mark's Basilica, learn about the history of the artworks decorating the church, and if foreseen in the visit option you chose reach the Basilica museum. Admire the breathtaking view of St. Mark's Square, the heart of Venice, from the Basilica's terrace. Finally, you can continue to visit Venice by yourself using our audioguide. The mobile app includes a digital map that guides you through the city showing the best spots.

Venice: Doge’s Palace, Bridge of Sighs & Royal Palace Tour

7. Venice: Doge’s Palace, Bridge of Sighs & Royal Palace Tour

Visit Doge's Palace with an expert guide and tour its extraordinary rooms. Together with your expert guide, you will be escorted inside the palace where you can admire artistic masterpieces created by the most famous painters and sculptors of that time. Tiepolo and Tiziano make up only a few of the many artists that decorated this palace. Be stunned in front of the golden staircases, the entrance of the rooms of the Doges, and the halls of power from where you can see the “Last Judgment” by Tintoretto, one of the greatest and largest paintings in the world. Visit the Old Royal Palace in St. Marks Square. Here you will discover the Venice lifestyle in the past; the rooms of Sissi (Empress of Austria) and the archaeological museum.

Hidden Venice: Unusual Walking Tour

8. Hidden Venice: Unusual Walking Tour

Get off the beaten path of Venice, away from the crowds. With a guide, explore the heart of Venice, including lesser-known areas, rich with history such as the Rialto Bridge. First, discover Campo Santa Maria Formosa, one of the largest squares of the city, and explore the nine streets and 11 bridges that branch from it. Cross the Campiello degli Orbi, where once lived presumably a blind people Confraternity. Next, arrive at the Saints John and Paul area, now the site of Venetian hospital. Visit the labyrinth of calli and campi (narrow Venetian streets and squares) and find Marco Polo's House, a building believed to be the home of the famous explorer, marked by a white plaque and now used as a theater. Finally, pass through St. Mark's Square with its stunning monuments as well as Doge's Palace. Choose an optional gondola ride on the canals to admire Venice's highlights, such as the Mozart House, the Fenice Opera House, and the Grand Canal. End your tour at Piazza San Marco.

Venice: Private Gondola Ride along Grand Canal

9. 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: Carnival Mask Workshop

10. Venice: Carnival Mask Workshop

Decorate your own unique keepsake of Venice at a Carnival mask-making workshop with an experienced instructor. Learn about the ancient techniques of decorating masks with paper mâché. Choose the glass-making upgrade to add to your experience. Choose a mask to be decorated during the course. Learn how to decorate your own mask in a fun and entertaining way with the help of a professional and artisan mask decorator. Listen to interesting facts about the use of masks in Venice during previous centuries as you craft your own. Take home your own colorful creation as a very special souvenir and upgrade your experience by discovering the art of glass-making in a master artisan's studio.

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Frequently asked questions about Venice Small group activities

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What people are saying about Venice

Overall rating

5.0 / 5

based on 6 reviews

We had a wonderful time at this workshop! It truly is a must for everyone who wants to experience Venice differently and do something unique while there. The atmosphere in the workshop, as well as the whole experience, was extremely relaxing and enjoyable. The tutors were very kind and patient with us. We were pleasantly surprised with the finished masks despite the fact that we have no artistic talent whatsoever. One thing I would have appreciated would be a bit information on the background or history of mask-making (since I understood from the description of the activity that this should also have been included).

it was easy to meet the guide at the meeting spot-we then took the ferry over to the island and watched a demonstration (about 20 minutes). The man who did it was the owner. He had been making Murano glass since he was 9-10 years old! He noticed the animals on my girl's winter hats and made Murano glass pieces (cat and unicorn) right in front of them. That was super special. Then we all made bracelets or earrings (which I've worn several times since!) Our girls really loved this.

Great experience, my guide Francesca was very informative and helpful and you could tell she had a real appreciation and love for the city and the things she was showing us, very worth it

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!

Must do! Our guide was fantastic. She made the tour fun and easy to understand !