Grand Canal by Crafted Gondola with Live Commentary
Overview
Available languages
Mobile ticket
✨ Experience Venice from its most iconic perspective — a guided gondola ride paired with a journey into gondola history and tradition.
• Walking Introduction – Secrets of the Gondola Begin with a short walking tour as your expert guide reveals the fascinating history of gondolas and gondoliers, sharing hidden legends and stories passed down through generations. • Gondola Ride – Venice on Water Glide through quiet canals and iconic sights like Mozart’s House, La Fenice Theatre, and the Peggy Guggenheim Collection. Sail past the domes of the Salute Church and Punta della Dogana, ending with breathtaking views of St. Mark’s Campanile and the Doge’s Palace. • Gondola Gallery – History & Innovation Step inside a Venetian palace to explore a real gondola up close. Touch handcrafted parts, learn how it's built, and enjoy a virtual Grand Canal journey through the ages — just like Venetian nobles once did. A truly unforgettable expierence!
Additional Info
Public transportation options are available nearby
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
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 guide will be only on one gondola, the participants on the others gondola will listen to her/him with the audio-devices
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.
The live commentary IS NOT included in the PRIVATE OPTION
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
SHARED GONDOLA RIDE OPTION (if option is selected): 20 minutes walking introduction to the gondola experience and 30 minutes shared gondola ride
Please note that the activity may follow two different itineraries, the Grand Canal or St. Mark’s Basin, depending on the option chosen.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What‘s Included
PRIVATE GONDOLA RIDE OPTION: 30 minutes gondola ride WITHOUT commentary
Journey in the past by gondola Virtual Reality Experience (not included in the private option)
SHARED GONDOLA RIDE OPTION: Live commentary in English, French and Spanish
SHARED GONDOLA RIDE OPTION: 30 minutes gondola ride with commentary
SHARED GONDOLA RIDE OPTION:App commentary in Italian, German, Japanese, Chinese, Hindi and Russian
SHARED GONDOLA RIDE OPTION: 20 minutes walking introduction to the gondola experience
Gondola Gallery: a unique vr experience of venice in the past (not included in the private option)
Hotel pickup
Audio devices
Earphones
What To Expect
We will pass trough the Gran Canal terrace of Ca Giustinian, one of the oldest Palace overlooking the Canal Grande.
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.
Options
Private Gondola Ride- No Guide
Private Gondola Ride: Private Gondola option does NOT include the commentary.
Starting point:
Campiello Traghetto, 30124 Venezia VE, Italy
Discount Gondola (1 seat)
Random Seat English Option: The guide will ASSIGN you the seat.
Starting point:
Calle larga de l'Ascension, 1257, 30124 Venezia VE, Italy
Gondola Ride & Casanova Palace
English: Sail on shared gondola ride along the Grand Canal. Then visit Ca’Rezzonico, a stunning 18th-century palace from Casanova time
Starting point:
Venice Tours Srl Close to St.Mark’s Square, Calle S. Gallo, 1093/b, 30124 Venezia VE, Italy
English - Guided Gondola ride
Grand Canal Gondola Ride
Starting point:
Calle larga de l'Ascension, 1257, 30124 Venezia VE, Italy
English: St. Mark Gondola
Bridge of Sighs Gondola Ride
Starting point:
Venice Tours, Calle de le Rasse, 4536, 30122 Venezia VE, Italy
Spanish - Guided gondola ride
Shared Gondola Ride
Starting point:
Calle larga de l'Ascension, 1257, 30124 Venezia VE, Italy
French- Guided Gondola ride
Shared Gondola Ride
Starting point:
Calle larga de l'Ascension, 1257, 30124 Venezia VE, Italy
Reviews
3,992 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
This was okay. We knew we...
Adelaide A,
Oct 23, 2025
- Viator
3.00This was okay. We knew we had to do a gondola tour in Venice and just went to for one of the cheapest options. The start of the ‘tour’ was weird because we walked around and got a bit of a history lesson on the islands and gondolas. Then the ride itself was about 20 mins. There was a total of 5 people in the boat, which made it a bit crammed.
Fun, but not romantic
Koltiskad,
Oct 22, 2025
- Viator
4.00Venice is beautiful and the gondola ride was fun but much less romantic than I had expected. There are water taxis, buzzing by constantly, and the gondola people no longer sing. The Viator tour guide was very friendly, and it was easy to find her. She was trying to give us information while we were on the gondola tour, which was impossible to hear or understand anything she was saying with all the noise around and static from the system she was using. The video at the end was exceptional. Very informative and interesting.
Amazing
Erika P,
Oct 21, 2025
- Viator
5.00What a great experience really loved it you get to ride around the city in the gandola nice and relaxing after the gandola ride they took us to a virtual gondola tour in the 1700s and that was a very nice experience also. Highly recommended this experience when you visit Venice
The leisurely ride...
Karen D,
Oct 20, 2025
- Viator
3.00The leisurely ride through narrow back channels was scenic. However the gondola “traffic” was busy. One boat after another and the gondoliers called back & forth between constantly with each other. The camaraderie was charming but it would have been nice if the drivers interacted with us. Also, if they had a few different routes so it wasn’t as busy.
Thoroughly enjoyed our...
Denise P,
Oct 18, 2025
- Viator
5.00Thoroughly enjoyed our gondola ride and tour around Venice. The commentary from our guide was only before getting in the gondola, and nothing during the actual ride. Plus, the ride was done in groups so we did not get a private tour as expected. It wasn't an issue for us but not what was expected based on the description.
Related Experiences
Operated by CITY TOURS CO. LTD