5 Full-Day Tours in Venice to Plan a Day Around

1.Full-Day Guided Group Tour of Venice

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 1,389 reviews · from $94Our pick

Ride an air-conditioned coach from a Lake Garda pickup point, cross the lagoon by private boat, then walk from St. Mark’s Square toward Rialto Bridge with a guide. You’ll have about three and a half hours to explore on your own. Guides have included Francesco, Thomas, and Gabriella, though yours may differ. Optional gondola and lagoon trips cost extra.

“A day trip from Lake Garda [Desanzano] to Venice. what a fabulous trip to Venice. We were a little apprehensive booking this trip online and ahead of our tour to Lake Garda, as we have never used a service like this before. We were collected on time and looked after by Gabriella from the moment the coach pulled up until the moment we were dropped back in Desanzano. Gabriella was a fountain of knowledge all through the trip and put us at ease while in Venice. Gabriella showed us around the city pointing out the various sights of Venice, sorted out our Gondola ride [ an extra €30 each] and…”

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2.Full-Day Venice Lagoon Tour: Visit Murano, Burano and Torcello

★★★★★★★★★★3.5 · 332 reviews · 6 hours (approx.) · from $36Best value

Travel by boat from Venice to Murano, Burano and Torcello in about six hours. Expect a glassblowing demonstration, time among Burano’s colorful houses, a visit to a lace shop and a walk to Torcello’s Devil’s Bridge and cathedral. English is offered, but the schedule and guide commentary can vary.

“I think the tour went well and was as stated, but if I could choose I wouldn't do it again. They took us to Murano for 3 hours. This island was boring in my opinion. ALL the shops sell only glass items, so if you're not into browsing glass and buying something your stuck for 3 hours. There were no places to sit and only a couple restaurants. No cafe to sit at, no gelato that I could find. The island of Burano was much more interesting but you only got 45 minutes there. They had tons of various shops and photo ops but there was not enough time to…”

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3.Full-Day Padua to Venice Burchiello Brenta Riviera Boat Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 198 reviews · 9 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $177

Start in Padua at 7:50 am and travel by Burchiello boat toward Venice, stopping for guided visits at Villa Pisani, Villa Widmann Rezzonico Foscari, and La Malcontenta. Expect a full day, commentary in four languages, and a memorable approach to Venice by lagoon. Lunch and your return to Padua are not included.

“This was a great tour--the river was lovely and the stops at the three villas were terrific. We passed on the multiple-course lunch and just ordered pasta which was incredible!! More lovely scenery, interesting narrative, and then we docked in Venice. A bonus was the fact that they had arranged for another boat to take us back to the train station at no extra cost! A wonderful way to spend a day in northern Italy.”

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4.Venice to Padua Full-Day Brenta Riviera Boat Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 118 reviews · from $157

Cruise from Venice to Padua along the Brenta Riviera, passing more than 70 villas and crossing nine swing bridges and five locks. Guided visits take you inside Villa Foscari, Villa Widmann, and Villa Pisani. A multilingual guide leads the trip; lunch at Il Burchiello is optional and costs extra.

“The cruise started out well. We left from Venice with the boat about 3/4ths full. After we stopped for lunch—which was very organized and very good(but not included)—they loaded several more people. We were not told this would happen. It now made the ride very noisy. We could not hear the tour guide as she talked about the things we were sailing past.”

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5.Cortina & Dolomites Small Group full Day tour from Venice

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 40 reviews · 8 hours (approx.) · from $275

Leave Venice by air-conditioned minivan for a full day among the Dolomites’ peaks, lakes, and alpine towns. An English-speaking driver handles the route, with photo stops and free time in places such as Pieve di Cadore, Tre Cime di Lavaredo, Misurina, and Auronzo. Groups are small, but the exact stops can change with weather and road conditions.

“Simone’ was fantastic—knowledgeable and humorous. The drive was beautiful and afforded us a nice nap on the way back to Venice. Dolomites were amazing and Cortina was an especially nice town. We will be sure to watch the 2026 Olympics and recall our time there! What a nice break from the hustle and bustle of Venice!”

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