Chioggia to Pellestrina Island tour: Small-group lagoon boat

Colorful fishermen's houses and the Murazzi walls from a restored local boat

A small-group boat tour from Chioggia to Pellestrina Island takes 90 minutes and carries no more than five passengers with a licensed skipper who speaks English, Spanish, Italian and French. The route passes the Ca' Roman nature reserve, the historic Murazzi walls built by the Venetian Republic, mussel farms and the stilt houses of traditional fishermen, ending at Pellestrina's waterfront of painted houses. Life jackets are available on request. Sun awning and unlimited photo stops are included.

Step-by-step itinerary

Boat tour to Pellestrina Island

• Start excursion from Chioggia
• Cruise past Ca’ Roman nature reserve
• Arrive at Pellestrina Island

The experience

The tour leaves Chioggia (called little Venice for its own canal-threaded streets), and heads into the shallow lagoon waters in a fully restored traditional boat built for these narrow channels. A licensed skipper narrates in your choice of language and knows the lagoon's currents, bird migrations and fishing seasons. The boat holds five passengers maximum, so there's room to move and ask questions without shouting over a crowd.

The route passes Ca' Roman, a protected nature reserve where migratory birds stop to rest, then reaches the Murazzi walls: the stone barriers the Venetian Republic built centuries ago to hold back the Adriatic. From there you glide past mussel farms and the stilt houses where fishermen still live and work, their homes painted in blues, yellows and reds that reflect in the water. Pellestrina Island itself is a thin strip of land squeezed between the sea and the lagoon, and the tour ends there so you can photograph the houses and the waterfront at your own pace.

Sun awning is available if the day is bright, and you can ask the skipper to stop for photos anywhere along the route. Life jackets are on board for anyone who wants one. The whole excursion runs 90 minutes from start to finish, timed so you're back in Chioggia before the afternoon.

What’s included

• Transportation in a fully restored traditional lagoon boat.
• a licensed multilingual skipper (English, Spanish, Italian, French).
• life jackets available on request.
• sun awning available on request.
• unlimited photo stops on request.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day6 departure times: the first at 08:30, the last at 18:30

Book up to2h before

AgesAdult (14 and older) · Youth (4 to 13 years) · Child (2 to 3 years): free · Infant (under 2)

GroupUp to 5

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French and Italian

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 4 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Bosetti Tours

Is this one for you?The small group size, five passengers maximum, suits anyone who wants to hear the skipper's knowledge without competing for space or attention, and the 90-minute duration fits easily into a day based in Chioggia or the surrounding lagoon towns.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French and Italian.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (4 to 13 years); Child (2 to 3 years): free; Infant (under 2).

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

How long does the boat tour from Chioggia to Pellestrina take?

The tour runs 90 minutes total, including the boat ride to Pellestrina Island, time on the water past the nature reserve and the Murazzi walls, and arrival at the island itself.

What is the Ca' Roman nature reserve?

Ca' Roman is a protected lagoon habitat where migratory birds stop during their seasonal journeys. The boat passes it on the way to Pellestrina, and the skipper can point out the species that use it as a stopover.

What are the Murazzi walls?

The Murazzi are stone barriers built by the Venetian Republic to protect the lagoon from the Adriatic Sea. They stand as a historic landmark along the route and the skipper explains their role in the lagoon's defense.

How many people travel on this boat?

The boat carries a maximum of five passengers, which keeps the group small and gives everyone space to move and see the sights without crowding.

Can I take photos during the tour?

Yes. Unlimited photo stops are included, and you can ask the skipper to pause anywhere along the route so you can photograph the fishermen's houses, the walls, the birds or the water.