Venice: Grand Canal & Murano Glass Factory with Lunch

Gondolas, Grand Canal & a Master Glassblower in One Afternoon

You walk the Venice city center with a local guide for three hours, then ferry to Murano to watch a glass master at work in a historic furnace. Lunch is three courses at a local restaurant, and the return journey crosses the lagoon by taxi so you see Venice from the water. Hotel pickup and all transport between stops are included. The whole day runs seven hours.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Grand Canal10m
2. Doge's Palace15m
3. Rialto Bridge20m

Venice walking tour and Murano visit

• Admire buildings at San Marco square
• See Doge's Palace
• Walk around Rialto Bridge and fish market
• Enjoy views of the Grand Canal
• Take traghetto across Grand Canal
• Ferry to Murano island
• Have 3-course lunch in Murano
• Visit Murano glass factory
• Watch glass master performance
• Take taxi to see Venetian lagoon and canals

The experience

The Grand Canal opens up in front of you: water the color of wet stone, palazzo facades rising straight from it, a traghetto cutting across with locals standing shoulder to shoulder. This is the first thing you see on the private Venice walking tour, and it sets the rhythm for the next seven hours. Your guide meets you at your hotel and walks you through the city center on foot, past the Rialto Bridge where the fish market still smells like the morning catch, then toward San Marco and the Doge's Palace. You're moving at a pace that lets you actually look, not just tick boxes. The hidden corners matter as much as the famous ones: the bridges that don't make postcards, the squares where Venetians actually sit.

Around the midpoint, you board a ferry to Murano. The island appears suddenly, smaller and quieter than Venice proper, and you step into a glass factory where a master artisan is waiting. You watch him work: the furnace, the rod, the way the molten glass moves like it's alive. It's not a sales pitch dressed as a demonstration. It's a craft that's been there for centuries, and you see why people still come to learn it. After the factory, there's a 3-course lunch at a local restaurant, no drinks included but the food is the point. You sit with your guide and whoever else is on the tour: groups stay small, which means you're not herded through.

The return to Venice happens by taxi across the lagoon, so you get a different view of the water and the city from the outside looking in. By the time you're back at your hotel, you've crossed the Grand Canal like a local, stood in front of the Doge's Palace, watched glass being made, and eaten properly. It's thorough without feeling rushed, and the fact that your hotel pickup is included means you don't spend the morning figuring out how to get to the meeting point.

What’s included

Hotel pickup and return transport, three-hour guided walking tour of Venice's city center, traghetto crossing of the Grand Canal, ferry to Murano island, glass factory visit with a master artisan performance, three-course lunch at a local restaurant, taxi ride across the lagoon back to Venice, and a local guide throughout. Drinks during lunch are not included.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 09:00

Book up to8h before

AgesAdult (18 and older) · Child (under 18)

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French, Italian, Arabic and Russian

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 5 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical effortStroller-friendlyInfant seats availablePets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Glass factory Colleoni Murano

Is this one for you?Choose this if you want to see Venice's main sights and Murano's glass-making tradition in one day without arranging transport, timing ferries, or booking lunch separately: the private format and fixed itinerary handle all of that, leaving you free to look and listen.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French, Italian, Arabic and Russian.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (under 18).

Is the 3-course lunch included in the price?

Yes. Drinks are not included, but the three courses are part of the tour price.

How many people are usually in a group?

Groups are kept small. The exact number varies, but it's a private tour format, not a large group experience.

Do I need to book the glass factory visit separately?

No. The glass factory visit and performance are included in the tour itinerary.

What if I have dietary requirements?

Let the operator know at the time of booking, and they will arrange the lunch accordingly.

Is there a €5 Venice access fee I should know about?

On certain dates, day-trippers staying outside Venice are charged a €5 entry fee. Check the official Venice tourism site to see if your visit date is affected and whether exemptions apply.

How do we get around Venice? Is it all walking?

The city center portion is three hours on foot. You also take a traghetto (local water taxi) across the Grand Canal, a ferry to Murano, and a taxi back across the lagoon.

Can I bring a stroller or pram?

Yes, infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller. Service animals are also allowed.

What's the physical fitness requirement?

You should have at least a moderate level of fitness. There's walking involved, and you'll be moving through the city for several hours.

Does the tour include entry fees to the Doge's Palace or San Marco?

The itinerary mentions viewing the Doge's Palace and the buildings around San Marco square. Confirm with the operator whether interior entry is included or if these are exterior viewings.

What time does the tour start and end?

Hotel pickup is included, so the tour begins at your accommodation. The full experience runs seven hours, including transport and lunch.