Evening Gondola Ride on the Grand Canal

4.3(442 reviews)Venice, Italy
30minDurationEnglish, French, SpanishOffered inMobile ticketTicketNot includedPickupEasyLevel

About this experience

This experience involves a small-group gondola ride through the Grand Canal and other canals in Venice. Participants will first visit the Gondola Gallery for an introduction to the history and traditions of gondolas, which includes viewing authentic gondola parts and tools. A virtual reality experience is also part of this introduction, showcasing historical Venice. During the ride, the gondolier will steer through the city's waterways, allowing participants to see landmarks such as La Fenice Theatre, Mozart’s House, Peggy Guggenheim’s Palace, Punta della Dogana, and the Accademia Bridge. An optional upgrade is available for a dinner at a traditional Venetian restaurant, featuring local dishes.

Itinerary

1

Canal Grande

“The most beautiful road in the world”, this is how the Grand Canal is known as. Gondola serenades have always been part of Venetian culture, an unchanged tradition for an unchageable city. 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.

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

Palazzo Gritti Badoer

The Gritti Palace takes its name from the Gritti family, an old Venetian family, the most important member being Andrea Gritti, who was Doge of Venice in the Renaissance, and led the Venetian armies against the League of Cambrai, composed by France, Spain, Holy Roman who attempted to stop Venice’s expansionist goals in France.

4

Peggy Guggenheim Collection

Peggy Guggenheim Collection, one of the most important art collections in the world. Peggy Guggenheim, originally from New York, arrived in Venice in 1949 and began to satisfy art addiction buying this wonderful building where she displayed invaluable artworks to the world. The beautiful terrace you see is where Guggenheim sun-bathed regularly looking onto the Grand Canal.

5

Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute

Here, as you come into the Grand Canal you are opened to 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

6

Campanile di San Marco

From your gondola, you will see the basin of St. Mark's and the marvelous bell tower with the base of its incredible square.

What's included / not included

Aboard a timeless gondola, experience centuries of Venetian history in VR30-minute gondola rideDinner (if option is selected)Gondola Gallery: how gondolas are made, with tools and a cross-section20-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

  • The Gondola Ride does not operate in case of exceptionally bad weather, high/low tide (in these cases it can be postponed the days after otherwise it will be refunded)
  • Each gondola can hold a maximum of 5 people; the seat aboard cannot be chosen but will be assigned by the gondolier depending on guests' weight
  • 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.
  • The gondola route may change due to weather, canal maintenance, or tides.
  • Duration may be slightly less than 30 minutes.
  • Children must be accompanied by an adult; free under 2 years if not occupying a seat.
  • Not fully accessible for wheelchair users or those with mobility issues.

Traveller reviews

4.3442 reviews

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