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.
• 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.
© Venice Tours S.r.I. - format created by Venice Tours and licensed to City Tours Co. Ltd. All rights reserved.
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
French- Guided Gondola ride
Shared Gondola Ride
Starting point:
Venice Tours Srl Close to St.Mark’s Square, Calle S. Gallo, 1093/b, 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
Discount Gondola (1 seat)
Random Seat English Option: The guide will ASSIGN you the seat.
Starting point:
Venice Tours Srl Close to St.Mark’s Square, Calle S. Gallo, 1093/b, 30124 Venezia VE, Italy
Spanish - Guided gondola ride
Shared Gondola Ride
Starting point:
Venice Tours Srl Close to St.Mark’s Square, Calle S. Gallo, 1093/b, 30124 Venezia VE, Italy
Private Gondola Ride- No Guide
Private Gondola Ride: Private Gondola option does NOT include the commentary.
Starting point:
Campiello Traghetto, 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
Italian - Gondola Ride
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:
Venice Tours Srl Close to St.Mark’s Square, Calle S. Gallo, 1093/b, 30124 Venezia VE, Italy
Reviews
4,090 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Peaceful experience riding along the Venice canals
F628ERdanielc,
Nov 13, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Very informative, Riccardo was great! Such a peaceful experience and the VR experience at the beginning was a great touch.
Amazing experience
Roam758060,
Nov 13, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Our tour Atena guide was amazing spoke very clear and gave us a wonderful explanation of the city and the culture! The gondola ride was very nice and very professionally handled. This is an anniversary trip that we won’t forget. I would highly recommend this experience to others.
Experience Venice
sarahbI6324ZD,
Nov 12, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
4.00Enjoyed the commentary as we walked to the gondela (about 10 minutes) and the views from the water to experience Venice the way it was intended. Our gondolier did not engage with any of the guests on the boat though, he was on his phone the whole time. He was young and we were late in the season, it did not ruin the experience but is why I rate this good not excellent/great.
Nice but short trip.
O2085TGnikkie,
Nov 11, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
4.00The Gondola ride was very nice, but felt very short so was slightly disappointed by that, we had commentary on the walk to the gondola but then nothing after that. The VR experience was very informative and interesting.
It is not worth what it...
Cynthia B,
Nov 10, 2025
- Review from Viator
2.00It is not worth what it costs. The VR was ok but the guide was not. We walked to the gondola with a bit of commentary that was hard to hear and the guide was in a hurry. We boarded a gondola and went down a few areas that were dark and old. Once at the Grand Canal we were at the other end from the bridge and turned off after 20 minutes down another are and were unloading not where we started but a couple blocks away. Then you have to find your way back.
Peaceful and yet magical canals
RejaneH12,
Nov 10, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
3.00It was an OK experience for first timers! However for someone that has been in Venice several times, this gondola grand canal was a small loop around a concise area. My mother and daughter loved and our “gondoliere/barcariolo” was funny and charismatic!
Gondola ride
683lounisb,
Nov 10, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
4.00The organization to find the meeting place as well as the explanations are well done, despite the change of procedure made today. Starting the tour with a presentation of Venice and its history in VR puts you right in the bath. The guide continues the explanations while leading you to the gondola and there the ballet begins. The only downsides are, the whole thing was short (less than 30 minutes when that is what is indicated) and if you are in a couple, try to be the first to sit side by side on the sofa. Otherwise, the ride is exotic and the arrival on the canal is magical!
Discovery Venice by gondola
Roving710762,
Nov 10, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Perfect, very nice walk and thank you to our guide for all his explanations. Very interesting and original virtual tour
To do
Sightsee21610538045,
Nov 9, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Well organized tour with beautiful and interesting guide. Magnificent gondola ride! With personal and historical explanations.
Grand canal by crafted gondola with live commentary
Jo V,
Nov 9, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
4.00The gondola ride was nice but the problem was we chose a later time. Consequently most of the ride was in the dark. Therefore we really couldn't see much of anything. The gondolier and the person's conducting the rides were fine. However, there was no commentary during the ride.
From €41.00
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