Charming Gondola Ride on the Grand Canal & Gondola Gallery™
Overview
Available languages
45 minutes
Mobile ticket
Experience the enchanting essence of Venice as you glide along its romantic waterways with a skilled gondolier. Enjoy complimentary access to an app featuring insightful commentary about your gondola journey. As you soak in stunning views of the Grand Canal, admire landmarks like the Peggy Guggenheim Collection and the historic Gritti Palace, along with famous sites such as La Fenice Theatre, Punta della Dogana, and the Mozart House.
At the end of your ride, take in a breathtaking panorama of Saint Mark’s Basin and picturesque San Giorgio Island.
For an immersive experience, enjoy a unique virtual reality segment that allows you to glide over tranquil waters at sunset, witnessing Venice’s beauty through the ages.
Sail through the Grand Canal and serene inner waterways aboard a traditional gondola, bypassing long lines to step directly onto your boat.
Charming Gondola Ride on the Grand Canal™ © Venice Tours S.r.l. Licensed to City Tours Co. Ltd. All rights reserved.
Additional Info
Public transportation options are available nearby
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Unfortunately the tour is not totally accessible for wheelchair users or people with walking disabilities.
Comfortable shoes and appropriate clothes suggested
It is mandatory to be at the meeting point 10 minutes before the departure time
The itinerary could change in case of wind or bad weather
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
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What To Expect
Canal Grande
“The most beautiful road in the world”, this is how the Canal Grande is known as. If you look around, what you will see is almost the same view that a 18th-century nobleman would have seen, and before him a Renaissance courtesan, and even before that, a merchant who lived in the Middle Ages.
Peggy Guggenheim Collection
Peggy Guggenheim Collection is one of the most important art collections in the world. Peggy Guggenheim, from New York, arrived in Venice in 1949 and began to satisfy her art addiction by buying this wonderful building where she put on display invaluable artworks for the whole world to see. The beautiful terrace you see is where Guggenheim sun-bathed regularly enjoying the view over the Canal Grande
What‘s Included
VR Experience - Journey in the past
a 15-minute introduction to the gondola experience
Multilingual staff at the embarkation point
Venice Gallery Priority Admission
Shared 30 minute gondola ride
In-app commentary
Hotel pick up
Earphones
Audio-devices
Options
Private Romantic Gondola
Starting point:
Campo San Moisè, 30124 Venezia VE, Italy
Discount Grand Canal Ride
Please note : Seats are assigned by the guide. Passengers in the same booking are seated in different gondolas
Starting point:
Gondola Ride Experience, Venice Tours Srl Close to St.Mark’s Square, Calle S. Gallo, 1093/b, 30124 Venezia VE, Italy
French - Premium Gondola Ride
Please note: Seats are assigned by the guide. Passengers in the same booking are guaranteed to be seated in the same gondola
Starting point:
Gondola Ride Experience, Venice Tours Srl Close to St.Mark’s Square, Calle S. Gallo, 1093/b, 30124 Venezia VE, Italy
English - Premium Gondola Ride
Please note: Seats are assigned by the guide. Passengers in the same booking are guaranteed to be seated in the same gondola
Starting point:
Gondola Ride Experience, Venice Tours Srl Close to St.Mark’s Square, Calle S. Gallo, 1093/b, 30124 Venezia VE, Italy
Reviews
1,340 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
This tour was great and...
Lorena A,Apr 5, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00This tour was great and started with a Virtual reality display to show you Venetian history (very cool for kids especially), then a guided walking tour from the meeting place to the dock, then about a 20-35 minute gondola ride. WELL worth it!! The family loved it☺️
Not as advertised
Alyssa L,Apr 4, 2026
- Review from Viator
3.00The ride itself was fine. The rest of the experience not so much. We met at a tourism storefront. The tour didn’t start for about until about 40 minutes later. The earpiece had a delay so it was hard to hear the guide. She said he was going to share info and leave us at the gondola ride entrance and advised us to download an app to learn about the sites we would see. I expected to hear an audio guide of the sites. We really didn’t learn much before entering the gondola through the guide. And we learned even less afterward. The app simply had a map in which we could click certain areas and read about them. No audio guide. We either could read about the sites or experience the ride. Not both at the same time. She told us that we could go back and experience a VR lesson about how the gondolas used to look and be as opposed to today. The guide made it sound as if this was a cool opportunity that we could participate in later on after the ride. But this was supposed to be a part of the whole experience, not a bonus to experience later on not as an unexpected popup experience to have later on at will. The ride itself was about 15 minutes long. The gondolier was nice and the ride itself was ok. We didn’t return later for the VR session. We were done and went back to the hotel. If would have been nice to have a new new experience. It would have been nice to have what was advertised.
Terrible
alexad791,Apr 4, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
1.00Terrible service. We booked a private gondola tour and we were met with a group and they wanted us to do shared gondola. This was our honeymoon so we made sure to book a private one. When asked for a solution they said they couldn’t do anything and that the “romantic tour” was a group tour but it clearly said on the picture it was private. So misleading and just want to take advantage of tourists. Terrible terrible service, would not recommend it if you want a relaxing private tour.
It works
Kelly G,Apr 4, 2026
- Review from Viator
3.00It is a bit of an assembly line that feels chaotic; however, the gondola ride is nice. No commentary during the ride, which is nice if you want to take it in without distractions or converse with your traveling partners.
Very tough experience
Peggy H,Apr 4, 2026
- Review from Viator
1.00Disorganized, very short ride, no interaction with gondola driver, headphones not needed for music on ride.
The tour was unorganized....
Alexis M,Apr 3, 2026
- Review from Viator
2.00The tour was unorganized. We started with a tour guide who was translating in two different languages, which was confusing to say the least. The company then changed to a listening device that didn’t work so we only heard music the entire ride. Not worth the time or money
It was a so amazing. The...
Michael C,Apr 2, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00It was a so amazing. The UV experience was outstanding. The tour guide was knowledgeable about Venice. The only thing I think it was differently over the45 mins so I recommend schedule about a hour to hour and half.
Recommend!
Gail C,Apr 2, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Our meeting point got changed and we got a bit lost finding our new one. Used the Viator contact tour operator function to say we were trying to find them and they were so helpful. We got there 10 mins later than scheduled and was worried they would not let us do it. We didn’t need to worry as they put us on the next available time. (Which was only 5 mins later). Loved it just wasn’t a gondola ride. We were taken first inside and given virtual reality glasses and got fab 360• views as how Venice was in years gone by. We then did a short walking tour with our guide to bring in some more of the history. Our gondola ride was fab, something off my bucket list! Loved this and the staff were excellent! Def recommend this!
Must do activity in Venice - Gondola Ride!!
Passenger21729327263,Apr 1, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
4.00Experience was ok as Gondolier was not giving any information and busy talking to his fellow gondolier on other boat. The VR tour offered before the ride was interesting . Would recommend but ensure to check with the operator about gondola assigned to you.
Our guide gave a great...
Melissa S,Mar 30, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Our guide gave a great mini history tour on the way to meet our gondola. Gondola ride was beautiful.
From €42.90
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