Whether you’re visiting Venice to see the beautiful St. Mark’s Basilica, explore the Doge’s Palace, or just relax and enjoy a gondola ride, there are a ton of fantastic sights, activities, and dishes to try. In fact, there are so many amazing things to do in the Floating City, it may be difficult to choose. In this guide, we share the best Venice tours to help you decide which tour is best for you.
Pro Tip: Planning your trip to Venice? Bookmark this post in your browser so you can easily find it when you’re in the city. See our comprehensive guide to Venice for more planning resources, our top Venice tours for a memorable trip, and how to see Venice in a day.
Should You Take a Tour in Venice?
Yes, without a doubt! Venice has its well-known sights but it also has a lot of hidden gems to discover that only your knowledgeable local guide will know to show you. Your guide will also bring the city to life with interesting stories and historical facts.
A tour of Venice will certainly elevate your experience as you explore new food in the best places, get to know the city on a deeper level, and maybe even meet new friends on the way. Don’t take our word for it. See what our clients have said about taking a Venice tour:
The Best Tours of Venice To Take
The Italian city of Venice is a popular destination steeped in history. There are plenty of unique things to do, great food to try, and top attractions to explore from St. Mark’s Basilica to the Doge’s Palace, Rialto Bridge, and the Islands of Murano and Burano. In this article, we share our best Venice tours for an unforgettable experience of the Floating City.
- St. Mark’s Basilica and Venice City Tour with Gondola Ride
- Doge’s Palace Prisons and Tyranny Tour in Venice
- Venice in a Day with Gondola Ride
- Venice Food Tour with Gondola Ride
- Venice Island Adventure Private Tour
St. Mark’s Basilica and Venice City Tour with Gondola Ride
If you’re only in Venice for the day and you don’t have six hours to spare for the full-day tour, this Venice City tour with St. Mark’s Basilica and a gondola ride is your best option. You’ll see the city’s highlights in just two and a half hours and take in some amazing Venetian scenery with a gondola ride.
You’ll get to see the best of Venice and still have enough time to enjoy plenty of gelato and Spritzes. This short and sweet tour will take you to St. Mark’s Basilica, where you’ll skip the line. Inside, admire the rich decor—treasure gained in the conquest of Constantinople, and the beautiful gilded mosaics, which are the work of eight centuries.
Then, you’ll see the Rialto Bridge and the surrounding neighborhood. The bridge is the oldest spanning the Grand Canal and, as it stands now, was constructed in the 16th century. On one side you can see the Rialto Market, a centuries-old market full of delicious fresh produce.
Along the way, discover some of Venice’s hidden gems. To end, enjoy a scenic 30-minute gondola ride on Venice’s Grand Canal. This short tour is a great way to see the city’s top sights and get a taste of Venice’s tradition and culture.
Highlights:
- 2.5-hour tour
- Skip-the-line tickets to St. Mark’s Basilica
- Go on a traditional gondola ride
- Discover Venetian piazzas and hidden gems
- Explore the historic Rialto Bridge and neighborhood
Not ready to book a tour? Check out our Venice Guide for more info.
Doge’s Palace Prisons and Tyranny Tour in Venice
The Doge’s Palace (or Palazzo Ducale) is located just next to St. Mark’s Basilica in St. Mark’s Square. Begin this behind-the-scenes Doge’s Palace tour by exploring the stunning exterior architecture and then skipping the line to enter the magnificent gothic palace.
Once inside, admire the even more luxurious interior, filled with marble, friezes, and frescoes. You’ll see beautiful features such as the Golden Staircase and great works of art by Veronese, Tintoretto, and Titian.
Your guide will tell stories of crime, betrayal, and how this magnificent Gothic palace was once the center of power for the Venetian Republic. After the opulent beauty, you’ll explore the palace’s darker side as you visit the torture chamber, prison cells, and the haunting Bridge of Sighs.
Highlights:
- 2-hour tour
- Skip-the-line entry to Doge’s Palace
- Learn the Doge’s Palace’s history
- Discover famous artwork and the Golden Staircase
- Visit the cells, torture chambers, and Bridge of Sighs
Not ready to book a tour? Check out our Venice Guide for more info.
Venice in a Day Combo Tour With Gondola Ride
If you want to see the best that the Floating City has to offer, this is the tour for you. You’ll see everything in the St. Mark’s Basilica and Venice City tour and the Doge’s Palace tour. Grab your favorite walking shoes and clear your schedule for this six-hour tour, because you’re going to see Venice in a day.
Prepare yourself for breathtaking sights like St. Mark’s Basilica, also known as the “Church of Gold,” and the iconic Rialto Bridge. Your guide will explain the history of these amazing sights and show you hidden gems in the surrounding neighborhood.
You’ll also get to skip the line and go behind the scenes at the Doge’s Palace, where powerful magistrates ruled until the late 18th century. You’ll explore the Bridge of Sighs, as well as some prison cells, not to mention the beautiful art and design in the rest of the palace.
Of course, you’ll also be able to check a Venice gondola ride off your bucket list. Afterward, you can ask your guide for some amazing suggestions on where to grab a bite to eat, or just relax knowing that you’ve had a day full of unrivaled culture and history.
Highlights:
- 6-hour tour
- See the highlights of Venice in a day
- Skip-the-line tickets to St. Mark’s Basilica and Doge’s Palace
- Walking tour of Venice’s quieter areas and hidden gems
- Gondola ride on Venice’s Grand Canal and others
Not ready to book a tour? Check out how to see Venice in a day.
Venice Food Tour with Gondola Ride
If you want to immerse yourself in Italian culture, food is one of the best ways. On this 2.5-hour Venice food tour, your English-speaking foodie guide will take you around the city to try authentic and local food and drink.
Enjoy cicchetti (savory snacks) along with a glass of wine at bacari, the local wine bars. The tradition of pairing the two goes back centuries. People would visit the bacari at all hours of the day and eat cicchetti along with their drinks to ensure they don’t get too tipsy.
Cicchetti isn’t the only thing you’ll try, you’ll also enjoy some of the city’s best pasta for lunch, along with prosecco, cocktails, and gelato. You’ll even enjoy a short gondola ride across the canal to the Mercato Rialto, where you can explore the lively fish market that has been there for centuries.
Highlights:
- 2.5-hour tour
- Short walking tour of Cannaregio
- Sample assorted cicchetti dishes
- Visit a bacari wine bar
- Enjoy a traditional sit-down dinner
- Stop for gelato
Not ready to book a tour? Check out our Venice Guide for more info.
Venice Island Adventure Private Tour
The City of Venice is full of beautiful canals and historical landmarks, but there are even more amazing sights to see if you venture to the surrounding islands. In this private Venice Island Adventure tour, set sail for Murano and Burano, two Venetian islands known for their artisanal glass and lace. After your short boat trip from Venice, you’ll see the colorful, pastel buildings of Murano.
The island is home to many craftsmen specializing in famous Venetian glass. You’ll learn about the history with an English-speaking guide and even get to see the glass-blowing techniques for yourself.
Your private boat will take you to your next stop, Burano. This colorful island is known for its beautiful Burano lace. It’s also a fishing village, home to around 2,000 people and full of delicious seafood. On your way back to Venice, you’ll pass by St. Michael’s Cemetery, a landmark with a long history that your guide will explain as you enjoy the boat ride.
Highlights:
- 4-hour tour
- Private boat
- Visit Murano and Burano Islands
- Murano glass blowing tour
Not ready to book a tour? Check out our Venice Guide for more info.
Where To Stay in Venice
Despite the size of this little island, there are endless hotel options to choose from. We’ve picked the best neighborhoods and hotels to stay in whether you prefer Italian luxury or quiet serenity—or both!
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