7 Shore Excursions Tours in Venice, Compared

1.Lake Bled & Ljubljana – Shore Excursion from Trieste

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 24 reviews · 7 hours (approx.) · from $145Our pick

This seven-hour shore excursion pairs Lake Bled’s island, castle views, and famous cream cake with a walk through Ljubljana’s old town. A driver-guide collects you at an agreed Trieste location, then gives you time to explore independently. Guides named Dean, Barbara, and Ernest have been praised for their stories and friendly approach. The boat ride and meals cost extra.

“Our Tour guide Dean was very knowledgeable and made our trip a pleasure we would highly recommend him. Maybe Viator could give the option to do two separate excursions so as to give more time in each destination to fully appreciate both places.”

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2.Postojna Cave & Predjama Castle – Shore Excursion from Trieste

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 24 reviews · 6 hours (approx.) · from $138Top rated

Travel from Trieste to Slovenia for Postojna Cave’s electric train and vast underground halls, then explore Predjama Castle, built into a 123-meter cliff. The roughly six-hour trip includes transport and admission. Past trips have featured guides such as Ernie and driver Dean, though guide assignments can vary.

“Ernie was entertaining and gave us some history of the region. Our group enjoyed the experience! The cave is a work of art by nature and the castle is a work of art by human. The castle has a lot of uneven stairs and can give you some cardio, BUT very well worth the effort! The views of the surrounding area are gorgeous and the drive to the castle through the countryside gives you a taste of rural Slovenia. The tour was just a group from our cruise ship and consisted of 50 people on our bus. There is a bit of discrepancy on Viator about it being a small…”

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3.Private tour/Shore excursion to Lake Bled and Ljubljana from Trieste

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 24 reviews · 8 hours (approx.)

Travel from Trieste to Lake Bled and Ljubljana in a private vehicle with a licensed guide/driver. You get free time at both stops, plus optional visits to Bled Castle and Ljubljana Castle, where admission is extra. Guides such as Igor, Goran and Marco have tailored routes to guests’ interests, including time for lunch, shopping or a stop at the Lipica stud farm.

“What a lovely day. Igor was an amazing guide, very knowledgeable about Trieste, Bled and Ljubljana. We adjusted the tour, so that our kids could do the zipwires in Bled. A fabulous time was had by all.”

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4.Deluxe Venice Shore Excursion from Trieste Cruise Port

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 17 reviews · 7 hours (approx.) · from $102

This shared shore excursion pairs a coach ride of about two to two and a half hours each way with a boat trip and a guided walk through Venice. You’ll see the Giudecca Canal, Rialto Bridge and market, St. Mark’s Basilica, Doge’s Palace, and Piazza San Marco, with about an hour of free time. Food and a €10 tourist tax cost extra.

“by David_W -"It is just a big bus tour with 40+ strangers. There was no bottled water, despite its written description. Otherwise, it is fine just to superficially touch Venice. Tour guide and bus drivers were quite professional and friendly.”

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5.Piran & Panoramic Slovenian Coast – Shore Excursion from Trieste

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 7 reviews · 5 hours (approx.) · from $114

Travel from Trieste in a group of up to 15, with pickup arranged at your hotel, cruise terminal or train station. Explore Piran’s Venetian-era streets and hilltop church, then see Portorož, Izola and Koper by van. A driver-guide leads the way, with food and wine tastings included.

“Our group of eight was met by our guide Dean right outside the cruise terminal. We were quickly underway in a very comfortable van. Dean pointed out some of the sights in Trieste as we made out way out of the city and on the road to Piran. We made stops along the way to admire the view of the ocean from turnouts high above the sea. Once in the lovely city of Piran (almost like a small Venice) Dean dropped us in the city square while he parked the van. That gave us an opportunity to get a coffee and people watch in the square. Once Dean rejoined us,…”

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6.Venice Shore Excursion Private Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 7 reviews · 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.)

Meet guide Nadia at your cruise ship, ride by private transport to Piazzale Roma, then explore Venice on foot and by private water taxi. This 3.5-hour tour for up to six includes coffee or tea and an alcoholic drink, with time for local stories and quieter corners. It does not include entry to the Doge’s Palace, Basilica, or museums.

“A really lovely tour! We visited a lot of interesting places and discovered hiden details that a "common tourist" doesn't see.”

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7.Full Day Venice Shore Excursion from Trieste

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 6 reviews · 6 to 7 hours (approx.) · from $82Best value

This 6 to 7-hour shore excursion takes you from Trieste to Venice by air-conditioned vehicle, then by boat along the Giudecca Canal. A certified local guide leads you past major sights, including Rialto Bridge, St. Mark’s Basilica, and Doge’s Palace. You’ll have free time, but no time to tour the buildings inside.

“The trip started with miscommunication about how to meet the driver after leaving the ship. Ride to Venice was comfortable in Mercedes vans but takes 2 hours. Smooth transition to water taxi. Guide was good and gave narrative about the main sites. The description of the excursion indicated that would see inside buildings (especially the palace) but we never went in any building. The period of free time means that one probably should preorder tickets.”

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