Venice Art Walking Tour with Gondola Ride: 3 Hours

Walk the hidden squares, then drift through the canals by gondola

A 3-hour guided walking tour of Venice combines the city's landmarks, St. Mark's Square, the Rialto Bridge, the Bridge of Sighs, with a 30-minute gondola ride through the canals. A licensed English-speaking guide leads a small group through hidden alleys and charming squares, then you board a gondola for the scenic waterway stretch. An upgrade option adds skip-the-line entry to the Doge's Palace and St. Mark's Basilica, including access to the basilica terraces.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each3 stops

1. Doge's PalaceEntry included2h
2. Bridge of Sighs30m
3. St. Mark's Square30m

Venice walking tour and gondola ride

• Guided walk through hidden alleys
• Visit Rialto Bridge
• Relax on 30-minute gondola ride

The experience

The tour starts on foot through Venice's tighter passages and opens onto St. Mark's Square, where the Campanile and the arcades frame the lagoon side of the city. You'll pass the Bridge of Sighs (the stone span connecting the Doge's Palace to the prisons), and walk the Rialto Bridge, the arched stone crossing that has anchored the city's commercial heart since the 16th century. The guide speaks English and keeps the group small enough that you're not herded. Earphones go to groups of more than five so everyone hears without shouting.

The walking portion ends where the gondola begins. You board for 30 minutes on the canals, drifting past the facades and under the low bridges that define how Venice actually moves. This is not a photo stop. It's the rhythm of the city itself: the water, the oar, the quiet between buildings.

If you choose the Full Venice Upgrade at checkout, the afternoon continues with skip-the-line access to the Doge's Palace, a Gothic and Renaissance structure built in layers from the 14th century onward. You then enter St. Mark's Basilica and climb to the terraces for the view across the square and the lagoon. Both buildings require covered shoulders and knees. The dress code is enforced at the door. The upgrade involves two meeting points at St. Mark's, both reachable at your own pace.

What’s included

• Guided walking tour through hidden alleys and charming squares.
• 30-minute gondola ride through the canals.
• licensed English-speaking guide.
• earphones for groups of more than five.
• intimate group setting for personalized attention. The Full Venice Upgrade option adds skip-the-line entry to the Doge's Palace and St. Mark's Basilica with exclusive access to the basilica terraces.

Options for this experience

3 options

Venice walking tour and gondola ride.Guide in English · Available from 26 Mar 2027Duration: 3 hours. Guided tour exploring hidden alleys and landmarks with a local guide, followed by a 30-minute gondola ride through scenic canals.

Private Venice tour featuring a gondola ride and a spritz.Guide in English · 09:30Private option: a 3-hour private Venice experience with a guided walk through hidden alleys plus a 30-minute gondola ride, reserved exclusively for your group.

Full Venice UpgradeGuide in English · Available from 27 Mar 2027Duration: 7 hours. Add Doge's Palace and St Mark's: after the morning tour, you can upgrade to skip-the-line entry to Doge's Palace and St Mark's, including its terraces.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Lasts 3h, runs every day at 09:30, from € 99 per person, with a live guide in English, in groups of up to 15 and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 09:30

Book up toStart time

AgesAdult (13 and older) · Child (4 to 12 years) · Infant (under 4): free

GroupUp to 15

Live guideEnglish

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.

Prices and times updated 2 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortPublic transport nearby

Operated by Towns of Italy

Is this one for you?Choose the standard 3-hour tour if you want the core Venice experience (the walk and the gondola) in a morning or afternoon. Book the Full Venice Upgrade if you have the full day and want to step inside the Doge's Palace and climb the basilica terraces. The skip-the-line access means you spend time inside the buildings rather than waiting at the doors.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (4 to 12 years); Infant (under 4): free.

What is the Bridge of Sighs and why is it famous?

The Bridge of Sighs is a stone arch connecting the Doge's Palace to the Venetian prisons, originally the passage prisoners crossed before confinement. The name comes from the sighs of inmates glimpsing the outside world and sunlight for the last time. The English poet Lord Byron popularized the name, and it is now known as the "bridge of love."

How does the gondola ride fit into the morning tour?

The 30-minute gondola ride comes at the end of the walking portion, after you've seen St. Mark's Square, the Rialto Bridge, and the Bridge of Sighs on foot. You board the gondola and drift through the canals, experiencing the waterways that are Venice's actual streets and transport.

What is included in the Full Venice Upgrade?

The upgrade adds skip-the-line entry to the Doge's Palace and St. Mark's Basilica in the afternoon, plus exclusive access to the basilica terraces. You reach two meeting points at St. Mark's at your own pace, then continue with the guided experience through both buildings.

What should I wear to enter the Doge's Palace and St. Mark's Basilica?

Both buildings enforce a dress code: shoulders and knees must be covered for men and women. No shorts or sleeveless tops are permitted. Failure to comply may result in refused entry.

Is there a day-visit fee to enter Venice?

On certain dates, most travelers visiting Venice for the day from outside the city are required to pay a €5 access fee. Check the official Venice tourism site for which dates apply and any exemptions that may apply to you.