RoamRide
Historical

Grand Canal Gondola Ride with Storytelling, Venice

4(4667 reviews)Venice, Italy
1hDurationGerman, Zh-TW, Russian, Japanese, English, Italian, French, SpanishOffered inMobile ticketTicketNot includedPickupEasyLevel

About this experience

Take a gondola ride through the canals of Venice with a small group of 5 guests and a gondolier. This experience includes a journey along the Grand Canal and views of St. Mark’s Basin and San Giorgio Island. During the ride, a guide shares stories about Venice's landmarks and history. After the gondola ride, visit the Gondola Gallery where the history and craftsmanship of gondolas are explained, featuring the only original gondola on display and a 3D journey showcasing Venice through its history.

Itinerary

1

Chiesa di San Moise

Close to San Marco Square, in front of St Moise (Moses) Church and the Gondola station, the guide will introduce you in the elegant and romantic world of the Gondolas.

2

Teatro La Fenice

Once one of 7 major theatres in the city, today the Fenice is Venice’s one and only opera house. It is surely a jewel among European theatres, and began to shine from the beginning, as the best composers of the age wrote and performed their operas here, among which Bellini, Donizetti and Rossini. But it was Giuseppe Verdi who is most attached to the Fenice and to Venetian memory.

3

Canal Grande

The most beautiful road in the world”, this is how the Grand Canal is known as. If you look around, what you will see is almost exactly what a nobleman in the 18th century might have looked upon, and before him a Renaissance courtesan and before him a merchant in the Middle Ages.

4

Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute

Here, as you come into the Grand Canal you admire the church of the Madonna della Salute. The first thing that strikes a viewer is how imposing the church is, strategically placed at the entrance of the Grand Canal looking out onto the rest of the city in every direction, thanks to its circular shape. Today, ever 21 November the city celebrates the Madonna della Salute in memory of the end of the plague

5

Punta della Dogana

Punta della Dogana separates the Grand Canal from the Giudecca Canal. For its strategic location it was the house of the Custom and of the Salt Warehouses. During the fifteenth century, the Sea Customs House, which had previously been near the Arsenale, was transferred to the western point of Dorsoduro borough.

6

Abbazia di San Giorgio Maggiore

You will have a view of the Island of san Giorgio Maggiore, with its beautiful Renaissance Church built by Palladio in the Renaissance and the belltower resembling the bigger one in St Mark’s Square. The island was once known as the Island of Cypress Trees before it became an important Benedectine monastery.

7

Giardini Reali

At the end you will enjoy a wonderful overview of Saint Mark’s Square. This is a spot which painters from all over the world have tried to capture in its uniqueness, but we can only recommend that you sit back and take it all in.

8

Gondola Gallery Bookshop

The Gondola Gallery is a unique place to discover the history, craftsmanship, and traditions of Venice’s iconic gondola. With your guide, see the only original gondola displayed in section and enjoy a unique 3D journey through Venice across the centuries

What's included / not included

Gondola Gallery: guided visit through the history, traditions, and craftsmanship of the gondolaPrivate Gondola Ride Option: 30-minute gondola ride with app commentary onlyDuring the gondola ride, commentary is broadcast via radio, as guests admire Venice’s palaces.Journey in the past by Gondola 3D Experience (not included in the private option)30-minute Gondola Ride (approx.)Skip the line serviceApp commentary in Italian, German, Japanese, Chinese, Hindi and Russian20-minute introduction to the gondola experience

Additional information

Accessibility and comfort

  • Public transportation options are available nearby
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels

Good to know

  • Each gondola can host maximum 5 people; the seat aboard cannot be chosen but will be assigned by the gondolier depending of guests weight.
  • The Gondola Ride does not operate in case of exceptionally bad weather or high/low tide (in these cases it can be postponed the days after otherwise it will be refunded)
  • The itinerary may change in the event of wind or bad weather
  • The live commentary will be only in English, French and Spanish. The commentary on German, Japanese, Chinese, Hindi, and Russian will be provided by mobile app downloaded on the own devices.
  • Private Gondola Ride - In-App Commentary Only
  • Please be at the meeting point 10 minutes before the departure time
  • On certain dates, most travelers staying outside of Venice who are planning to visit for the day will be required to pay a €5 access fee. For further details (including exemptions) and to learn what days this fee is applicable, please visit: https://cda.ve.it
  • The gondolier serves as the driver of the gondola, providing rowing and navigation services throughout the ride.

Traveller reviews

44667 reviews

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