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Grand Canal

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

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: Shared Gondola Ride Across the Grand Canal

3. 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: Private Gondola Ride along Grand Canal

4. 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: 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: Palazzo Grassi and Punta della Dogana Entry Ticket

6. Venice: Palazzo Grassi and Punta della Dogana Entry Ticket

Admire the works of the Pinault Collection in the current exhibitions at Palazzo Grassi and Punta della Dogana with this combined entry ticket. Discover the "CHRONORAMA. Photographic Treasures of the 20th Century" exhibit at Palazzo Grassi and the "Icônes" exhibition at Punta della Dogana. The exhibition "CHRONORAMA. Photographic Treasures of the 20th Century" brings together over four hundred works that bring the twentieth century to life through the events, social phenomena, and illustrious figures that marked it. Spanning from the 1910s to the early 1980s, this selection presents the work of more than one hundred and fifty international artists including Edward Steichen, Berenice Abbott, Cecil Beaton, Lee Miller, André Kertész, Horst P. Horst, Diane Arbus, Irving Penn, and Helmut Newton, among others, as well as the illustrators Eduardo Garcia Benito, Helen Dryden, and George Wolfe Plank. Between figuration and abstraction, the exhibition "Icônes" at Punta della Dogana invokes all the dimensions of the image in the artistic context—paintings, videos, sounds, installations, performances—through a selection of emblematic works from the Pinault Collection, and new dialogues between artists who are particularly important for the Collection (David Hammons/Agnes Martin; Danh Vo/Rudolf Stingel; Sherrie Levine/On Kawara...). Uncover the beauty of the interior of Palazzo Grassi, an 18th-century building that was the last palace to be built on the Grand Canal before the fall of the Venetian Republic. It was bought by art collector François Pinault and renovated by the Japanese architect Tadao Ando. Marvel at Punta della Dogana, the former sea customs house of Venice that was converted to a contemporary art space. Have access to the rooftop of the building and gaze out over a sweeping view of the Venice Lagoon and the last part of the Grand Canal. Enjoy these sites which host some of the world's most important temporary contemporary art exhibitions. Get access to both locations and feel free to start your visit to either one of the two locations.

Venice: Private Gondola Cruise for up to 5 Passengers

7. 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.

From Rome: Day Trip to Venice by High-Speed Train

8. From Rome: Day Trip to Venice by High-Speed Train

Set off on a day trip from Rome to explore Venice, Europe’s most romantic city. Enjoy a relaxing ride on a high-speed train, see the iconic St. Mark's Square, and cross the Bridge of Sighs. Meet your tour leader at Rome's Termini train station and board a high-speed train to Venice. When you arrive in the city, get your one-way pass for Venice’s waterbus transportation. Follow your guide onto a Vaporetto (waterbus). As you ride, enjoy your first glimpse of this magical water city. Head to St. Mark’s Square, the heart and soul of Venice. From the waterfront, marvel at the magnificence of the western façade of St. Mark's Basilica. Enjoy some free time to go shopping, sip a delicious Italian coffee, or get lost in the maze of insanely romantic alleys. Next, cross the Bridge of Sighs (Ponte dei Sospiri), which is among the city's most beloved and most Instagrammable locations. On the way back to the railway station, join your tour leader for a fantastic aperitivo, or Cicchetti, as the locals call it. Sit down for a mix of small savory side dishes, typically served in a bàcari, and wash it down with a Venetian Spritz. Return to Rome on the high-speed train with your guide.

Venice: Traveling Opera in a Historic Palace on Grand Canal

9. 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.

Venice: Private Rialto Bridge Gondola Ride

10. Venice: Private Rialto Bridge Gondola Ride

Begin the 30-minute tour from the departure point at Bacino Orseolo, right in front of the famous Hard Rock Cafè and just behind Saint Mark’s Square. Follow smaller but unbelievably beautiful secondary canals such as Rio dei Barcaioli, where Mozart once lived, and Rio dell’Ovo to reach the Grand Canal. Enjoy the spectacular view of the Rialto Bridge from the water, and see imposing palazzi such as Ca’ Farsetti, the seat of the municipal government. Admire Palazzo Grimani, the largest building overlooking the Grand Canal and which now hosts the Court of Appeals. Continue down Rio San Luca where it passes Palazzo Manin, the residence of the last doge of Venice, Ludovico Manin, and today the Bank of Italy’s Regional headquarters building, before returning to end again at Bacino Orseolo. Start the 60-minute tour with departure from Bacino Orseolo, right in front of the famous Hard Rock Cafè and just behind St. Mark’s Square. Travel down smaller but beautiful canals, on an itinerary that includes Mozart's House and Grand Canal with the stunning Rialto Bridge. Pass under the famous Rialto Bridge and see the Rialto Market, where locals and visitors enjoy walking around and buy fruits, veggies and fresh seafood. Marvel at the many imposing Palaces, such as Ca’ Farsetti which hosts the Venice Mayor, and Palazzo Grimani, the largest building overlooking the Grand Canal. Cruise down to Rio San Luca with Palazzo Manin, former residence of the last Doge of Venice Ludovico Manin, currently home to the Bank of Italy. Move through enchanting small canals of the city center and end at the same departure point.

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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.