In a nutshell
- There are countless options for tours in Venice online — but which ones are actually worth your time? We’ve handpicked six guided tours that we genuinely recommend for your trip to Venice.
- First-time visitors should start with the classic Venice walking tour. You’ll hit all the top highlights and discover a few lesser-known spots along the way.
- Only have one day but still want a gondola ride? The gondola ride with app commentary lets you combine a sightseeing tour and a canal cruise in one go.
Historic Walking Tour
What you’ll see: the top highlights of Venice. St. Mark’s Square with St. Mark’s Basilica, the Doge’s Palace, the Bridge of Sighs, and the Rialto Bridge. You’ll also discover some lesser-known spots, like Marco Polo’s former home.
What you need to know: This is the classic Venice walking tour done in a group. For larger groups, headsets are provided free of charge so everyone can always hear the guide. The tour lasts approximately two hours and is conducted in English.
Is it worth it? Absolutely! This venice tour is especially worthwhile for first-time visitors, or if you’re only making a day trip to Venice and want a solid overview in a short amount of time.
Book the historic Venice walking tour
Venice Tour Off the Beaten Path
What you’ll see: The lesser-known highlights that are just as interesting. For example, Marco Polo’s house, the Campo Santa Maria Formosa — one of the largest squares in Venice — and the impressive Basilica of San Zanipolo.
What you need to know: This guided tour of Venice lasts two hours. You can also optionally add on a gondola ride.
Is it worth it? Totally! This venice tour is a great choice if you’ve already visited the main highlights and want to see something that most visitors never find.
Book the off-the-beaten-path Venice tour
Doge's Palace and St. Mark's Basilica Tour
What you’ll see: All of St. Mark’s Basilica with skip-the-line entry, including the viewing terrace — which can only be accessed with a guide. Then it’s on to the Doge’s Palace with skip-the-line entry, covering all the important sections, including the Bridge of Sighs and the New Prison. After the tour, you can continue exploring the Doge’s Palace on your own.
What you need to know: Inside the Doge’s Palace, you’ll follow the classic route. However, you won’t see the well prisons or the lead chambers. If those are important to you, book two separate tours instead: the secret passages tour with the lead chambers and dungeons, and the St. Mark’s Basilica tour with the terrace.
Is it worth it? Definitely! This venice guided tour is worth it if you want more context about Venice’s two most important landmarks than the info panels can offer — and you’ll skip the lines too.
Book the St. Mark’s Basilica and Doge’s Palace guided tour
Still looking for a place to stay? Be sure to check out our hotel tips for Venice and our picks for unique boutique hotels in Venice.
Venice Tour with a Gondola
What you’ll see: On this gondola ride, you’ll glide through the narrow canals, past the Teatro della Fenice, before reaching the Grand Canal. There, the gondolier will take you past the Peggy Guggenheim Collection and the impressive Santa Maria della Salute church.
What you need to know: The ride lasts only 30 minutes and you’ll see just a fraction of Venice’s must-sees. That said, an audio app provides commentary along the way — so don’t forget your headphones!
Is it worth it? It’s not a full sightseeing tour, since you only see a handful of highlights. But it’s a great opportunity to take a relatively affordable gondola ride through Venice.
Book the gondola ride with commentary app
Lies auch:
Boat Tour to Murano, Burano, and Torcello
What you’ll see: The three most beautiful islands in the Venice Lagoon: Murano, Burano, and Torcello. On Murano, you’ll watch a live glassblowing demonstration.
What you need to know: On the boat, you’ll hear information about the islands over the speakers, and once ashore you’ll be accompanied by a tour guide. The entire experience takes approximately six hours.
Is it worth it? 100%! This venice tour lets you visit all three islands in one go — it’s a bit of a whirlwind, but if you’re short on time, we really recommend it.
Book the boat tour to Murano, Burano & Torcello
Legends and Ghosts Tour through Venice
What you’ll see: You’ll be taken to the spots in Cannaregio where ghosts have allegedly been sighted, and you’ll hear stories about the neighborhood’s dark past.
What you need to know: The tour takes place in the evening so the spooky atmosphere really hits home! It’s available in English or French.
Is it worth it? If you love all things eerie and want to experience Venice from a totally different angle, this one is perfect.
Book the Ghosts and Legends Tour
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Is the Venice Hop-on/Hop-off Boat Worth It?
The Venice Hop-on/Hop-off boat is nothing other than the vaporetto, which runs along the Grand Canal and around Venice. The 24-hour ticket costs 25 euros — the same as a regular vaporetto ticket.
From the Grand Canal, you only see a few sights, and the Venice Hop-on/Hop-off boat can’t navigate through the narrow canals of the old town. So the hop-on/hop-off concept doesn’t really serve its purpose here.
If you want to ride the boat as often as you like for 24 or 48 hours, you might as well just buy a vaporetto ticket.
