Grand Canal Gondola Experience with Live Commentary™ Discount Tickets

3.9
★★★★★ ★★★★★
Based on 4426 reviews |

Get your discount tickets for the Premium Gondola Ride on the Grand Canal, save up to 18% !

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Overview

Experience the magic of Venice on a Gondola Ride through its enchanting canals. With just 5 guests and the gondolier on board, enjoy a more intimate and exclusive way to discover the city from the water. As you glide beneath centuries-old bridges, along the Grand Canal, and past breathtaking views of St. Mark’s Basin and San Giorgio Island, your guide brings Venice to life with stories and insights about its palaces, landmarks, and rich history. The guided experience continues at the Gondola Gallery, where your guide reveals the history, craftsmanship, and traditions of Venice’s iconic gondola, shows you the only original gondola displayed in section, and leads you through a unique 3D journey across Venice through the centuries.

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

***PRIVATE GONDOLA RIDE-NO GUIDE***: ************************ GO to the Gondoliers landing stage in Campo Santa Maria del Giglio, in front of the Gritti Palace Hotel. Please go directly to the gondoliers for the check-in. Please be at the meeting point 10 minutes before the departure time.

Redemption Instructions

Please carefully check the title and inclusions of the option booked, as not all options include all - 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, Spanish. The commentary in Italian, German, Japanese, Chinese, Hindi, and Russian will be provided by mobile app downloaded on the own devices. - The commentary IS NOT included in the PRIVATE OPTION - SHARED GONDOLA RIDE OPTION (if option is selected): 20 minutes walking introduction to the gondola experience and 30 minutes shared gondola ride

Language Offered

German-AUDIO

German-WRITTEN

Russian-AUDIO

Russian-WRITTEN

Japanese-AUDIO

Japanese-WRITTEN

English-GUIDE

Italian-AUDIO

Italian-WRITTEN

French-GUIDE

Spanish-GUIDE

Itinerary

1. We will pass trough the Gran Canal terrace of Ca Giustinian, one of the oldest Palace overlooking the Canal Grande.
Duration: 5 mins
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. The most beautiful road in the world”, this is how the Grand Canal is known as. 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.
5. Here, as you come into the Grand Canal you admire 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. Punta della Dogana separates the Grand Canal from the Giudecca Canal. For its strategic location it was the house of the Custom and of the Salt Warehouses. During the fifteenth century, the Sea Customs House, which had previously been near the Arsenale, was transferred to the western point of Dorsoduro borough.
7. You will have a view of the Island of san Giorgio Maggiore, with its beautiful Renaissance Church built by Palladio in the Renaissance and the belltower resembling the bigger one in St Mark’s Square. The island was once known as the Island of Cypress Trees before it became an important Benedectine monastery.
8. At the end you will enjoy a wonderful overview of Saint Mark’s Square. This is a spot which painters from all over the world have tried to capture in its uniqueness, but we can only recommend that you sit back and take it all in.
9. The Gondola Gallery is a unique place to discover the history, craftsmanship, and traditions of Venice’s iconic gondola. With your guide, see the only original gondola displayed in section and enjoy a unique 3D journey through Venice across the centuries
Duration: 20 mins

Inclusion

Gondola Gallery: guided visit through the history, traditions, and craftsmanship of the gondola

Private Gondola Ride Option: 30-minute gondola ride with app commentary only

During the gondola ride, commentary is broadcast via radio, as guests admire Venice’s palaces.

Journey in the past by Gondola 3D Experience (not included in the private option)

30-minute Gondola Ride (approx.)

Skip the line service

App commentary in Italian, German, Japanese, Chinese, Hindi and Russian

20-minute introduction to the gondola experience

Exclusion

Hotel pickup

Audio devices

Earphones

Cancellation Policy

Check mark icon Refundable tickets

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

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 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.

Private Gondola Ride - In-App Commentary Only

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

The gondolier serves as the driver of the gondola, providing rowing and navigation services throughout the ride.

Supplied by CITY TOURS CO. LTD

Reviews

3.9

★★★★★ ★★★★★
Based on 4426 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

5 stars
2379
4 stars
639
3 stars
568
2 stars
355
1 stars
485

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