Castles · Tour
A Gondola with Commentary on Your Phone, and a VR Flight Over the Canal
Ratings collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
VeniceThree hours covering the two great buildings of Venice and then two things nobody else on this square includes. The Doge's Palace and St Mark's Basilica come first, with a guide: the art, the history of the Venetian Republic, and the Bridge of Sighs on the way through. Then the gondola, along the Grand Canal and into the side waterways, past the Fenice opera house, the Peggy Guggenheim Collection and Santa Maria della Salute. This gondola has commentary: an app, included in the price, that names the buildings as you pass them, which is otherwise the one thing a gondola ride never tells you. The day ends in virtual reality, flying the length of the Grand Canal at sunset while several centuries of the city's history run underneath, with a close look at a detailed gondola model and how the boats are actually built.
What's included
- Shared 30-minute gondola ride
- Guided tour of the Doge's Palace and Saint Mark's Basilica
- Skip-the-line ticket to St. Mark's Basilica
- Access to Museums in Saint Mark's Square (Correr Museum, Archeological Museum, and Marciana Library)
Show 3 moreShow less
- Skip-the-line ticket to Doge's Palace
- History Gallery: a unique Vr experience of Venice in the past
- 20-minute gondola introductory experience
Itinerary
The map could not be loaded. Please try again in a moment.
Calle de le Rasse, 4536, Venezia
From St Mark's Square, face the Basilica and turn right towards the Doge's Palace. Carry on past the Bridge of Sighs to the Riva degli Schiavoni, the waterfront. Walk for 2 minutes, then turn left into Calle de le Rasse. The Venice Tours office is at number 4536.
Piazza San Marco
St Mark's Square is the centre of Venice and one of the best known squares anywhere. The Basilica, the Doge's Palace and the Campanile stand around it, and the scale of the space is a fair measure of what the Venetian Republic thought of itself.
Basilica di San Marco
Then a guided visit inside the Golden Basilica. The gold mosaics and the marble inlay of the floors, taken sitting down while the guide works through the biblical scenes, the history and the details that make this basilica what it is.
Palazzo Ducale
A guided visit to the Doge's Palace, the old seat of Venetian political power. In these rooms, surrounded by hundreds of paintings, the Doge and his Council ran the Republic. The guide takes you through the halls of power and across the Bridge of Sighs into the old prisons. The same ticket also lets you visit the Procuratie, the other palaces around St Mark's Square, on your own.
Canal Grande
A gondola through the quieter waterways, under the small bridges and out onto part of the Grand Canal. On the way: the Mozart House, the Fenice theatre, the Rio de le Ostreghe, and on the Grand Canal itself the Peggy Guggenheim Collection, the Ca' Dario and Santa Maria della Salute. This is the gondola ride with commentary. The Venice Goes app, included in the price, names the palaces and the sights as you pass them, which is more than the gondolier will do.
Calle de le Rasse, 4536, Venezia
Not included
- Hotel pick-up
- Food and drinks
- Guided tour of Museo Correr, Museo Nazionale Archologico, and Biblioteca Marciana
Good to know
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- The official St. Mark's Basilica ticket price is €12.00 per person (standard) or €24.00 with terrace access; the remaining part of the price covers assistance at the meeting point, accompanied entry with a certified guide or host, access to the Venice Gallery with a dedicated VR experience, the use of an audio guide or radio system with earphones and sales costs.
- A valid ID document is mandatory for security checks at the entrance to the Basilica.
Show 12 moreShow less
- 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, high/low tide or local gondoliers strike (in these cases it can be postponed the days after otherwise it will be refunded)
- The itinerary of gondola ride may change in the event of wind or bad weather
- For the visit of the Basilica suitable clothing is required (no shorts)
- 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
- Tour does not operate in case of exceptional high tide or in case of unplanned religious functions (in these cases it can be postponed to the day after otherwise it will be refunded)
- Due to the security reason, luggage and bags are not allowed inside the Basilica and Doge Palace
- Please provide the full names of all travelers when booking. Failure to present a voucher with all travelers’ full names at the ticket office prior to entry may result in denied entry to the attraction.
- Please note: The St. Mark's Basilica and Doge's Palace visit is followed by the gondola ride. Depending on the schedule, there may be a break between these two parts of the experience.
- Up to 15 travelers per booking.
- Mobile or paper ticket accepted
- Guiding available in: en, fr, es.
Reviews
Loading reviews…
