Venice Gondola & Walking Tour: Bridge of Sighs, St. Mark's

Options for this experience

2 options

Guide in English20 departure times, from 08:30 to 18:00

Guide in English20 departure times, from 08:30 to 18:00

Options with the same name differ in details you'll see when you pick a date.

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

90 minutes walking five iconic stops, then 30 minutes drifting the Grand Canal by gondola

A private walking tour and gondola ride in Venice lasting 2 hours total, with a local English-speaking guide leading you through St. Mark's Square, the Basilica, Doge's Palace, the Bridge of Sighs, and the Rialto Bridge before a half-hour private gondola journey. You choose your own meeting point and can extend the walking portion to a full 2 hours if you prefer more time on foot. No tickets to attractions are included. The guide handles the route and timing while you walk and ride.

Step-by-step itinerary

Venice walking tour and gondola ride

• Visit Rialto Bridge
• Explore St. Mark’s Square
• See St. Mark’s Basilica
• View St. Mark’s Clock Tower
• Tour Doge’s Palace
• Cross Bridge of Sighs
• See Vittorio Emanuele II monument
• Visit Venetian Masks & Carnival workshop
• Enjoy 30-minute private gondola ride

The Experience

The tour starts where you decide (you pick the meeting point in Venice's center), and your guide walks you through the landmarks that define the city. The Rialto Bridge comes first: Venice's oldest stone span, where you see the Grand Canal's widest view and the markets that have traded there for centuries. From there the route moves to St. Mark's Square, the formal heart of the city, where the Basilica rises with its Byzantine domes and 8,000 square meters of glittering mosaics. The Clock Tower stands above it, its bronze Moors striking the bell on the hour, and the Doge's Palace spreads across the square in pink marble: the seat of Venetian power for centuries. Your guide shows you the Bridge of Sighs, the white limestone span where prisoners crossed from the Palace to the New Prisons, their last view of Venice framed by stone grates.

The walking portion runs 90 minutes in the standard option, or a full 2 hours if you book the extended version: same landmarks, more time to absorb them and ask questions. Your guide speaks English and knows the stories the guidebooks don't: how the city was built on wooden piles, why certain buildings face the water the way they do, what the masks in the carnival workshops actually meant. The route is flexible. If you want to linger at one stop or skip another, you shape the day.

After the walk, you board a private gondola for 30 minutes on the Grand Canal. You're alone on the boat with the gondolier, drifting past the palaces and under the low bridges that define Venice's waterways. This is not a group ride. The pace is yours, and the gondolier poles you through the quieter canals where the city feels less crowded than it does on foot.

What’s included

• Private local guide speaking English.
• 90-minute walking tour of the Rialto Bridge, St. Mark's Square, St. Mark's Basilica, Clock Tower, Doge's Palace, and Bridge of Sighs.
• private 30-minute gondola ride on the Grand Canal.
• flexible meeting point of your choice.
• 24/7 assistance during your stay in Venice.

Days and timesDaily · 20 departure times, from 08:30 to 18:00

AgesAges 11+ · 5 to 10 years · Under 5 — Free

Meeting point and pickupNo pickup · ends elsewhereMeeting point, per the operator: “See you in Campo San Luca, in front of H&M shop.”

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

Prices and times updated 9 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyPublic transport nearby

Operated by Joyatrip

Is this one for you?Book the standard 90-minute walk if you want the main landmarks without rushing, then float the canals by gondola to see the city from the water. If you prefer more time on foot to absorb the stories and ask questions, the extended 2-hour walking option pairs with the same gondola ride and gives you deeper access to each stop.

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Top questions

Can children come?

5 to 10 years; under 5, free.

What's included in the private walking tour of Venice?

The tour includes a local English-speaking guide leading you through the Rialto Bridge, St. Mark's Square, St. Mark's Basilica, the Clock Tower, Doge's Palace, and the Bridge of Sighs. Tickets to enter any of these attractions are not included. The guide shows you the exteriors and interiors you can access, and explains the history and architecture as you walk. You choose your meeting point in central Venice.

Can I extend the walking tour beyond 90 minutes?

Yes. The standard option pairs a 90-minute walk with the 30-minute gondola ride. You can book the extended version instead, which gives you a full 2-hour walking tour alongside the same 30-minute gondola ride, so you spend more time on foot exploring the same landmarks.

Is the gondola ride included, and how long is it?

The private gondola ride is included and lasts 30 minutes. It's a private ride, meaning you and your party are alone on the boat. The gondolier poles you through the Grand Canal and the smaller waterways around the city center.

What is the Bridge of Sighs, and why is it on this tour?

The Bridge of Sighs is a white limestone bridge connecting the Doge's Palace to the New Prisons. Prisoners crossed it on their way to confinement, and it's their last view of Venice through stone grates. It's one of the city's most recognizable landmarks and a key stop on the walking route.

Do I need to book tickets to St. Mark's Basilica or Doge's Palace in advance?

Tickets to attractions are not included in this tour. Your guide will show you these sites and explain their history from outside and in any areas you can access without paid entry. If you want to enter the Basilica or Palace interiors, you can arrange tickets separately or ask your guide about options when you meet.

How does the flexible meeting point work?

You choose where to meet your guide in central Venice. When you book, you'll arrange a specific location that works for you, whether that's your hotel, a landmark, or a piazza. Your guide will confirm the meeting point and time with you before the tour.