2 h

Small Group

Instant confirmation

About this activity

Meet your guide in central Venice, near St Mark’s Square, and step aboard your motorboat for a 2-hour tour of the canals. While cruising away from the busy city centre, exploring the lesser-visited canals, look out for the Cattedral di San Pietro di Castello. Hear how the sleepy-looking place of worship served as Venice’s primary cathedral for centuries before Mark’s Basilica was ‘promoted’ from humble chapel status.

Pass alongside more quieter canals, seeing streets lined with drying laundry (a quintessential Venice sight), and enter the Porta dell’Acqua city gates into the impressive Arsenale, Venice’s historical shipyard and naval depot. Built at the start of the 12th century, the Arsenale grew to be one of Europe’s greatest shipyards, producing naval and merchant ships on a mass scale.

Relax as you cruise out of the old shipyard to the Cannaregio neighborhood, where some of the city’s most charming canals are found. Work your way around the quieter waterways, seeing romantic canalside restaurants and bars, and then head into the picturesque area known as the Jewish Ghetto. Enjoy a break of roughly 15-20 minutes to walk about and take photos of the pretty streets, and then continue by boat along the backwater canals of Santa Croce and Dorsoduro.

Loop past one of Dorsoduro’s gondola workshops to see craftsmen at work producing traditional Venetian gondolas, and then cruise down the famous Grand Canal. Have your camera ready to capture sights of the Baroque mansions and churches that line the busy stretch of water, and gaze at the thoroughfare of passing gondolas, vaporetto (water buses) and water taxis — all jostling for space on the water.

Cruise beneath Venice’s iconic Rialto Bridge, and return to the start point near St Mark’s Square where your cruise finishes.

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Included

Professional guide
Transport by motorboat
Stop at the Jewish Ghetto
Grand Canal ride

Not included

Gratuities
Hotel pickup and drop-off

Additional

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Tour is not suitable for people in wheelchairs or with walking difficulties as passengers are required to step down onto the boat when boarding. The variation of the level of tides can make the vessel unstable
This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund

Features

Tourism

85%

Cultural

70%

Aquatic

20%

Original

15%

Reviews

4.7

125

M

Mary M

4 | 2019-09-26

Very enjoyable and informative. Excellent tour for start of visit. Gave a 4 only because taxi did not accommodate outdoor viewing for all guests at same time.

m

mdzdandan

5 | 2019-08-12

Christina B. was an exceptional guide, she answered many questions about Venice and it’s history. She was knowledgeable about her beautiful city and she made is comfortable and entertained. There was only 6 of us on the tour so it was a nice size for that tour.

J

Juanita B

5 | 2018-07-10

This was a wonderful tour. Christiana was very knowledgeable about the history of Venice and the neighborhoods along the canal. We were able to see sites that you can't see on gondola rides. I also particularly enjoyed walking through the Jewish Ghetto and viewing the monuments. Christiana was very personable and professional.

H

Harvey S

5 | 2018-03-21

Excellent tour - extremely interesting - loved seeing the different types of boats used.

a

anisem2001

5 | 2018-02-19

The tour guide was very knowledgeable on the history and even many fun facts. With this tour, you really feel like you have been able to experience Venice in a unique way. Definitely recommend this tour.

S

Sally E

5 | 2017-11-15

The cruise was great. I really liked that it was a small group. Our guide was wonderful. She brought the history and magic of Venice to life.

B

Brandon

5 | 2017-10-19

My husband and I loved this small group tour. Our tour guide was great and very knowledgeable! Would definitely recommend this tour!

C

Colin K

4 | 2017-10-17

Good value. I wish we could have gone all the way down the Grand Canal

J

Janice R

1 | 2017-10-12

Was looking forward to this tour and was very disappointed after finishing it. First of all the motor boat was too crowded - 8 passengers plus the guide. They put 4 of us in the back and 4 plus the guide in the front of the boat. It was a beautiful day and all the passengers in the back stood to enjoy the views. If you decided to sit outside you couldn't see anything around the people that were standing so you also had to stand. because 4 people were way too many and you couldn't move or even turn around to take pictures without pressing next to the people around you. The tour down the canal from the starting point was a waste of my precious time I had to enjoy Venice - not much to see other than St. Marks Square. Once the boat turned into the small canals the trip was very nice although as I said before, way too crowded. The stop at the Jewish Quarter was interesting but a little too long. Eventually the boat went into the Grand Canal but not far enough up the canal to enjoy all the Palaces, which is why you do the Canal. Personally I feel less time heading toward the Docks, and more time through the less traveled canals arriving at the Grand Canal farther up so tourists could see the best area of the canal. Of course there was plenty of room to sit inside the motor boat - naturally everyone wanted an outside view - especially to take pictures!! - Did not enjoy the trip due to the crowded boat.

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