Venice Grand Canal Small Group Panoramic Tour: Explore Venice's Transportation Hub

Embark on a 1-hour small group tour along Venice’s Grand Canal, the most beautiful street in the world. Explore the city’s transportation hub and enjoy the scenic views from a motor-boat with a multilingual hostess.

Duration: 1 hour
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights

At your chosen time, meet your guide at the dock near the Royal Gardens Gate. The itinerary starts from St.Mark’s basin, from where you can admire San Giorgio Maggiore, a 16th-century Benedictine church on the island of the same name, which is one of the three Churches designed by Andrea Palladio and visible from St.Mark: the Church of the Redentore…

What's Included
  • Scenic motor launch ride along the Grand Canal
  • Guided tour with a professional art historian
  • Engaging live commentary during the tour
What's Not Included
  • Gratuities
  • Food and drinks
Additional Information

Join a delightful one-hour motorboat tour along the Grand Canal with a small group, guided by a multilingual host. Often referred to as “the most beautiful street in the world,” the Grand Canal extends over 3 km in length and ranges from 20 to 70 meters in width. It bisects the city and acts as the primary waterway for Venetian transport, accommodating…

Location
Alilaguna & Bucintoro Viaggi -Ticket Office San Marco Giardinetti
Riva degli Schiavoni
Alilaguna ticket office is located at San Marco Giardinetti vaporetto stop, in front of Illy Caffè next to the Royal Gardens. Strictly requested to be at the meeting point 15 minutes before the departure of the tour.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
3.2
(74 Ratings)
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Tamsyn_m
Jun 22, 2025
What a great way to experience another side of Venice. - What a great way to experience another side of Venice! Our tour guide was friendly, knowledgeable and happy. Small group meant small group, only 9 in total on our tour. The time of day was perfect (18.30pm) and the tour was an hour which was just enough time to experience the Grand Canal in all its spendor.
Review provided by Viator
Nura_a
May 3, 2025
Our driver was amazing... - Our driver was amazing but unfortunately, I can’t remember his name. He was knowledgeable and friendly.
Review provided by Viator
Bonnie_h
Jul 7, 2025
Lovely - Small group tour with guide on part of the grand canal. Easy to find. Easy to book. Lovely start to Venice.
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Keely_v
May 29, 2025
Good orientation to Venice - This boat tour was a nice overview of the important sites and buildings along the Grand Canal in Venice. I would recommend taking it early in your visit to orient yourself to the area. The boats used are water taxis so there is limited space for having an unobstructed view. I was in the back part of the boat that is open to the air so it was great, but some of the people on the tour had to sit inside the boat and it was harder to see from in there. The tour guide was very knowledgeable but it was kind of difficult to hear her when we were standing in the back of the boat.
Review provided by Viator
Paolo_carboni_sbt
Apr 24, 2025
Visit of the 3 islands - Taking advantage of a family offer (80 euros for two adults and two children) we took the tour of the three islands in the lagoon (Murano, Torcello and Burano, in order) that we loved because we discovered the unique beauties. Too bad that the individual visits to the islands were rather short (45'-50').
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Cynthia_r
Jun 8, 2025
I thought the tour was... - I thought the tour was going to be in a gondola or something similar but instead it was in a water cab. The glass w as dirty so unable to see out. We had to take turns looking out the opening. Once I was able to look out the opening, the views were beautiful.
Review provided by Viator
Juancarlos_l
May 4, 2025
Good, but not so much to make pictures - It was good but it could be better if the boat had more not covered space to make pictures. We selected spanish language tour but it was all explained in english so my wife couldn't understand anything.
Review provided by Viator
Kraackers
Jul 2, 2025
Grand Canal tour disappointment - We were very disappointed in this tour. There were too many people for the vessel so that some people had to sit inside. It’s very difficult to enjoy your scenic tour when you can’t see the sights. The two tour operators took two of the few available outdoor seats preventing the paying customers from seeing anything.
Review provided by Viator
Michael_t
Aug 25, 2025
Not worth it! - Waste of time and money! Guide was very unprofessional without any knowledge about anything! Very poor experience for not so little money
Review provided by Viator
Britni_h
Jul 3, 2025
Just Hire Your Own Taxi - Would not recommend. This tour is literally a guide who hires a water taxi to take you from the start point (near the square) to the bridge near the train station and back. A water taxi can fit approximately 6 people outside (2 in the back, 4 in the front). If your tour has more than 6 people, then the remaining people will be in the center of the taxi - a stuffy interior with small windows that you can barely see out of. Perhaps some people are grouped with others that will rotate seats - the others on our tour did not. The tour guide spoke for maybe 5-10 minutes of the hour tour. For the fact that this cost $50 a person, I feel as though a couple or a small group could simply hire their own taxi and have a better experience. For our particular tour, a second guide got on board our taxi. The guide and the extra guide sat in the front outside seats - meaning only 2 people could sit outside and the rest of the paying tour members sat in the interior (in 90 degree heat) where you couldn't see. This was the case for the first 15 minutes of the 60 minute tour - until we stopped to drop off the bonus guide. That's right - we gave another guide a free ride down the canal, giving them the best seat.
Review provided by Viator
From $53
up to 15 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).