POSSIBLE TOURS IN VENICE

Gondola Ride

Gondola

Experience Venice in the most authentic way possible by taking a 20, 30, or 60-minute shared gondola ride while being serenaded. You can choose between an afternoon or evening ride and then hop on the five-person gondola with a traditionally dressed gondolier. During the ride, you’ll be serenaded with beautiful songs while enjoying the breathtaking sights of Venice’s main landmarks, such as the Grand Canal and Palazzo Barberino.

To get a gondola ride, the best way is to go to the Gondoliers dock in San Marco square and negotiate the price with them.

St. Mark Square

St. Mark’s Square

St. Mark’s Square (Piazza San Marco), often referred to as “the drawing room of Europe,” is one of the most famous squares in Italy. The geographic and cultural heart of Venice—with St. Mark’s Basilica and Doge’s Palace at one end, the campanile in the center, and the colonnaded arcade topped by the Procuratie palaces lining three sides—this elegant piazza is also steeped in history. Settle in at one of the many coveted café tables and watch tourists (and pigeons) pose for photos while you sip a Bellini and soak in the square’s Renaissance splendor.

The BELL TOWER is visitable by elevator only (Price $15)

How to Get There

St. Mark’s Square is located along Venice’s Grand Canal. The nearest vaporetto (ferry) stop is San Marco–San Zaccaria.

St. Mark Basilica

St. Mark’s Basilica is the crown jewel of Venice, one of the most sumptuous cities in the western world. This ornate cathedral blends elements of Gothic, Byzantine, Romanesque, and Renaissance architecture—testimony to the city’s political and economic dominance that spanned centuries. Topped by soaring domes and with an interior of astonishing golden mosaics, the church is so opulent it is known as the Chiesa d’Oro, or the Golden Church. Construction began in 828, when the body of St. Mark was smuggled back to Venice from Alexandria; the church has been rebuilt, expanded, and delicately restored over the centuries.

From $ 45

Rialto Bridge

The Rialto Bridge was the first to span Venice’s Grand Canal (Canal Grande) between its two highest points above sea level. The original 12th-century wooden bridge was replaced in 1592 by a stone structure resting on wooden pilings—a bold design by Antonio da Ponte featuring a single central arch over the water that allow ships to pass. Today, the bridge is among Italy’s most famous, carrying an endless stream of tourists and locals across the canal while countless gondolas and vaporetto water buses pass beneath.

The Rialto is one of the most famous landmark bridges in Europe, and a popular and crowded Venice attraction connecting the San Marco district, home of St. Mark’s Square, to the San Polo district, where Venice’s famous fish market has stood for 700 years. The bridge is visited on nearly every walking tour through the “Floating City,” along with other historic tourist attractions like the nearby Doge’s Palace (Palazzo Ducale), Bridge of Sighs (Ponte dei Sospiri), and St. Mark’s Basilica (Basilica di San Marco). For a unique view of the bridge far from the crowds, consider booking a Venice gondola ride or Venice Grand Canal evening boat tour to see the bridge from the water.

How to Get There

The Rialto Bridge crosses the Grand Canal between the San Marco and San Polo districts, and can be reached by vaporetto water bus lines 1 and 2 via the Rialto stop. Along Venice’s maze of tiny streets, there are signs and arrows painted on the walls at regular intervals pointing toward the Rialto.

Doge Palace

Doge’s Palace

The Palace of Doges is a significant historical site in Venice, with many travelers arriving to hear about the strict rule of the Venice Doges from an expert local guide. The site is most often visited on a two- to five-hour Venice tour and can be combined with a stop at St Mark’s Basilica, once the private chapel of the Doges. Inside the palace, admire the many paintings by Titian, Tintoretto, and Veronese, and climb the narrow staircases to visit the Doge’s apartments and the prison cells, as well as the ducal notary. Outside the palace is the Bridge of Sighs and the beautiful columns along the piazzetta.

The popular Secret Itineraries tour allow visitors, accompanied by a guide, into chambers of the palace not open to the general public. You’ll see the secret chancellery where the delicate work of governing was done, the secret archives, the torture room, and the cell from which the famous writer Giacomo Casanova made his escape.

From $110

Venice Jewish Ghetto

The origins of the word ghetto can be traced back to Venice: gheto in Venetian means foundry and refers to the island where Venetian Jews were once confined after sunset by Venetian Republic decree. The area is divided into the Ghetto Nuovo (New Ghetto), and the adjacent Ghetto Vecchio (Old Ghetto), though the Ghetto Nuovo is actually the older of the two. Jews from across Europe settled in this neighborhood from the 16th to the 18th centuries, and each synagogue historically catered to a different nationality—German, Italian, Spanish, and Sephardic.

Today Campo del Ghetto Nuovo is still the center of the Venetian Jewish community and offers a glimpse into its history and culture. The ghetto’s Jewish Museum (Museo Ebraico) narrates local Jewish history with a collection of antique gold objects and textiles from ghetto artisans, historic religious texts and artifacts, and personal and household items from former residents. There is also a small Holocaust memorial in the neighborhood to honor the many residents deported during World War II. Book a Jewish ghetto walking tour with a guide to learn more about the ghetto, or pair your visit with a Cannaregio food tour or home cooking experience to explore local cuisine. The museum offers guided tours of the neighborhood’s historic synagogues, or you can book a private tour to view these historic places of worship more intimately.

How to Get There

The Jewish ghetto is in Venice’s Cannaregio neighborhood. Take the vaporetto (water bus) to the Ponte delle Guglie stop on the Fondamenta di Cannaregio.

The Real Hidden Venice

The Real Hidden Venice

Discover the real Secret Venice with a native Venetian guide!
The experience to live the uniqueness of the most authentic local districts.
From Cannaregio, admiring its small canals and millenary legends, the tour will take you back in 1400s, learning the stories of the Venetian Republic, full of secrets and mysteries.
During this exciting walk you will breathe a 100% local atmosphere, out of the beaten tracks, to admire the real life of Venice with its locals and crafts.
The experience will arrive up to Rialto bridge where your guide will show the old trade center from completely a different perspective! Last but not least, an insightful exploration of San Polo where the oldest “mascareri” (creators of Carnival masks) are still working following the tradition of centuries ago. Histories, Legends and Secrets.. from the Venetian eyes!

From $ 45

2 hours (Approx.)

The Bridge of Sighs

The Bridge of Sighs (With Doge’s Palace)

The Bridge of Sighs is one of the most photographed sights in Venice. Its ornate stonework design was created in 1603 by Antonio Contino, nephew of the architect who designed the Rialto Bridge. The structure got its name from the tale that asserts convicts who passed through the covered bridge from their interrogation to their prison cell would let out mournful sighs when catching their final glimpse of Venice through the barred windows. You can sigh over this same view while walking over the bridge during a tour of the Doge’s Palace, the only way to make the crossing.

Both the palace and St. Mark’s Basilica host millions of visitors each year, so it is important to book a guided tour for skip-the-line access, saving hours of time in long lines. Joining a small-group walking tour is an excellent way to see the highlights in and around St. Mark’s Square, accompanied by a tour guide who can explain this fascinating city’s history and architecture.

Burano Tours

Venice is made up of a group of islands that is crowded with opulent churches and sumptuous palaces. The humble island of Burano, though, in the outer reaches of the Venetian lagoon, shows a completely different side of the city, with its jumble of technicolor fishers’ houses and a long tradition of lace-making. Join a guided tour of the Venetian islands and stroll through the winding streets of this charming island to admire the brightly painted houses and watch a lace-making demonstration. A private tour of Burano, Murano, and Torcello islands is a fascinating way to explore the less famous corners of the Floating City by boat.

From $ 55