Discover Venice and Gondola Ride with Official Guide

Discover Venice and Gondola Ride - duration 2h 30m
Explore Venice’s quirkiest and most characteristic corners on this combination tour! The tour includes a delightful walking tour and a relaxing gondola trip along the Grand Canal and some of the smaller canals, where you will be able to view the city from the water. The tour begins in St Mark's Square and then heads into the back streets where you will experience a less well-known Venice with its little hidden squares. When you get to the Rialto Bridge you will board a gondola and learn a bit about what it's like to actually live in this unique city.
Your local guide will be waiting for you in front of the clock tower in Saint Mark's Square and you will follow them through the maze of alleyways, squares or “campi”, and learn about the city's history, Hear fascinating tales and examples of the Venetian dialect. Stop in front of the Fenice Theatre as you leave the square. It is one of the most famous opera houses in Europe and you will learn about its fabulous but turbulent history. Discover the history of Venice as you pass through hidden corners of the city and its great architectural sites. Here, you will be able to see the Bovolo Staircase, a masterpiece of the Renaissance and one of Venice's finest architectural gems. This fascinating and complex spiral staircase is part of the Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo and dates back to 1499. It is tucked away in a little courtyard near Campo Manin. Pause near the Rialto Bridge before heading back to Piazza San Marco. it is the oldest bridge over the Grand Canal and you will find out why it was the historical centre of the city's commercial area.
The walking tour ends in Saint Moisè Square, the landing stage for the city's most famous form of transport, the gondola. Enjoy the thrill of seeing the Grand Canal and minor canals as you relax aboard this historic vessel. You will see Venice from this amazing viewpoint, witness its amazing architecture and as you glide under its bridges, you will discover secret entrances to the elegant palaces and fascinating hidden corners.
This two-hour tour ends in Saint Moisè Square, just a stone's throw from Saint Mark's Square.
Highlights
• A guided walking tour away from the crowds to discover hidden Venice.
• Fully qualified local guide covering the area between Saint Mark's Square and Rialto.
• External visit of the most popular Venetian sights and hidden corners: the Fenice
• Theatre, the Bovolo Staircase and Rialto Bridge.
• Gondola ride along the Grand Canal and minor canals.
• Great photo opportunities.
• Live audio commentary on walking tour.
• Pick up from a centrally located meeting point.
Inclusions
• Guided tour of the area covering Saint Mark's Square and the Rialto Bridge.
• Personal audio system and headset for tour commentary.
• Live tour commentary provided in English, French, Spanish or German.
• Gondola ride along the Grand Canal and the minor canals.
Exclusions
• This tour does not include inside visits to museums or attractions.
• The gondola ride is not a guided tour.
• Optional gratuities.
• Hotel pick up and drop off.
• Food and drink.
Notes
• This is an external tour only.
• Check-in is 15 minutes prior to booked tour start time.
• Shared gondola with max. six people per gondola.
• This tour is not wheelchair accessible.
• This tour is unsuitable for those with limited mobility.
• Please wear comfortable walking shoes.
• The tour will not operate in the event of bad weather, high tide or gondoliers' strike.