Venice · TOUR REVIEWS

The 15 Best Tours in Venice and the Veneto

363 tours  ·  from $5 a head

A long weekend or a fortnight, the question is the same: which of the palaces, boats and day trips earn a slot. The 15 below are priced and timed, with every other review underneath when you want to go further.

Venice: Doge's Palace Reserved Entry Ticket - The Bridge of Sighs and the prison route
Doge's Palace Tours, Tickets, Tour Reviews, Venice Tours

Venice: Doge’s Palace Reserved Entry Ticket

1.Doge’s Palace Reserved Entry Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 42,716 reviews · 1 day · from $41Our pick

This self-guided ticket gets you into the Doge’s Palace and also covers Museo Correr, the National Archeological Museum, and the Marciana Library. Explore the palace’s Gothic rooms, gold staircase, art, armory, and former prison at your own pace. There’s no guide included, so bring time to read the displays and plan which museums you can fit in.

“There’s lots to see and lots of information to read, the audio guides isn’t necessary”

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Venice: Grand Canal Gondola Ride with App Commentary - From the Grand Canal into smaller waterways
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Venice: Grand Canal Gondola Ride with App Commentary

2.Grand Canal Gondola Ride with App Commentary

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 18,908 reviews · from $39

Share a gondola for a 30-minute ride past the Peggy Guggenheim Collection, La Fenice, Santa Maria della Salute, and quieter canals near the Grand Canal. A host introduces gondola history on a short walk, while an app provides route commentary. The experience also includes a visit to the Gondola Gallery and a virtual-reality gondola ride.

“Great activity and excellent value for money. The tour guide gave us a little mini walking tour first and some information about the Gondola. The Gonaleer was friendly and the ride was great. The VR experience after was interesting too. A must do in Venice!”

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Boat Trip: Glimpse of Murano, Torcello & Burano Islands - Murano: Glassmaking in About 45 Minutes
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Boat Trip: Glimpse of Murano, Torcello & Burano Islands

3.Boat Trip: Glimpse of Murano, Torcello & Burano Islands

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 15,699 reviews · 4.5 - 5.5 hours · from $29

Cruise the Venetian Lagoon with multilingual onboard commentary and stops on Murano, Torcello, and Burano. In Murano, watch glass being blown at a factory; on the other islands, explore independently, from Torcello’s quiet paths to Burano’s painted houses and lace shops. Plan on about 45 minutes per island, with little time for a sit-down meal.

“The trip was around 4.5 hours. You have time on each island to do a little walk. You can find restaurants, shops and places to visit.”

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Venice: Grand Canal by Gondola with Live Commentary - Through the small canals
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Venice: Grand Canal by Gondola with Live Commentary

4.Grand Canal by Gondola with Live Commentary

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 13,681 reviews · from $44

Start with a guide-led introduction to gondolas and Venice’s water heritage, then ride through narrow canals and along the Grand Canal. Expect views of La Fenice, the Salute church, and palaces, plus a Gondola Gallery visit with boatmaking displays and a 3D Venice experience. The guide rides in one gondola; others use an audio device.

“Aurora was amazing!! Thank you so much to make our trip great.!”

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Venice: La Fenice Opera House Entry Ticket with Audio Guide - What the audio guide adds
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Venice: La Fenice Opera House Entry Ticket with Audio Guide

5.La Fenice Opera House Entry Ticket with Audio Guide

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 11,742 reviews · 1 day · from $14Best value

Enter Venice’s La Fenice opera house with a skip-the-line ticket, then explore at your own pace with an audio guide in English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Russian or Spanish. Admire the gilded auditorium, learn about the theatre’s past and look out for its royal box and Maria Callas display. Bring your ID and headphones.

“such a spectacular sight and visit. the decor was amazing 👏”

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Doge's Palace & St. Mark's Basilica with Terrace Access Tour - Inside the Doge’s Palace
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Doge’s Palace & St. Mark’s Basilica with Terrace Access Tour

6.Doge’s Palace & St. Mark’s Basilica with Terrace Access Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 10,697 reviews · from $123

Spend three hours with a local guide at St. Mark’s Basilica and the Doge’s Palace. See the basilica’s bronze horses and lagoon-view terrace, then cross the Bridge of Sighs to the New Prisons. Choose a private or shared tour. Guide assignments vary; Federica, Elena, Matteo, and Chiara are among those who have led it.

“Our family loved the tour and our guide. She was full of enthusiasm and interesting stories of the sites. She was also very considerate of my aging parent’s abilities throughout the tour. Highly recommended!”

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Venice: Burano, Torcello & Murano Boat Tour w/Glassblowing - Murano: glassmaking up close
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Venice: Burano, Torcello & Murano Boat Tour w/Glassblowing

7.Burano, Torcello & Murano Boat Tour w/Glassblowing

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 10,245 reviews · 6 hours · from $28

Spend six hours crossing the Venetian lagoon by panoramic boat, with stops on Murano, Burano and Torcello. A multilingual host shares information aboard, and a Murano glass master demonstrates glassblowing. You explore the islands on your own, so plan your time around the strict departure schedule.

“It was worth going to see the three islands. The guide seemed a bit disinterested at times but I guess she did her job while on the boat. One critique, could do with a slightly bit more time on murano & burano.”

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Venice: Murano and Burano Boat Tour with Glass Factory Visit - Murano: a close look at glassmaking
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Venice: Murano and Burano Boat Tour with Glass Factory Visit

8.Murano and Burano Boat Tour with Glass Factory Visit

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 9,527 reviews · from $34

Cruise from Venice to Murano and Burano with Il Doge di Venezia. You’ll see a glass-blowing demonstration in Murano, then have time to explore both islands on your own. Guides speak Italian, English, German, French, and Spanish. Departure and return points vary by booking option.

“Great and option to get boat back to station from San marco”

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Murano, Burano and Torcello Half-Day Sightseeing Tour - Torcello: Early Venetian Roots
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Murano, Burano and Torcello Half-Day Sightseeing Tour

9.Murano, Burano and Torcello Half-Day Sightseeing Tour

★★★★★★★★★★3.5 · 7,928 reviews · 4 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $25

Travel by shared motorboat from Venice to Murano, Burano and Torcello on a half-day trip with an English-speaking tour leader. Watch a glassblowing demonstration, see Burano’s painted houses and lace shops, and visit Torcello’s historic sights. Each island stop is brief, so expect a sampler rather than a leisurely island visit.

“It was very good chose. We traveled on the boat between the islands and excursion leader described rhe landmarks in english, french, italien. We also made stops at different interesting islands and had 50 of free time on each island, so we could have a walk there or eat. On one of the islands we saw interesting show: the craftsman showd us how things are created from glass.”

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Murano & Burano Islands Guided Small-Group Tour by Private Boat - How much of the five hours is yours?
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Murano & Burano Islands Guided Small-Group Tour by Private Boat

10.Murano & Burano Islands Guided Small-Group Tour by Private Boat

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 7,580 reviews · 5 hours (approx.) · from $36

Ride a private boat from central Venice to Murano and Burano with an English-speaking local guide and a group of no more than 22. Watch glass being shaped in Murano, see handmade lace in Burano, and leave time to explore the islands. Demonstrations and the order of stops can vary; the lace presentation may not run on Mondays.

“We enjoyed our tour guide, Silvia, she has lots of tips about what to see and do in Venice. Much if the time is spent traveling on the boat, Silvia pointed out many i terseting sights.”

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Venice: Shared Gondola Ride Across the Grand Canal - From the ticket office to the gondola
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Venice: Shared Gondola Ride Across the Grand Canal

11.Shared Gondola Ride Across the Grand Canal

★★★★★★★★★★3.9 · 6,645 reviews · 30 min · from $46

Share a gondola with other passengers and a master gondolier for a short ride through Venice’s Grand Canal and smaller canals near San Marco and Rialto. You may pass La Fenice and see the city from water level. The route can change with canal traffic, and the gondolier does not provide a serenade or guaranteed commentary.

“I did this activity as a solo traveller and was fortunate to be on the gondola with only two other people! 30 minutes was just perfect for this journey - enough time to take in the gorgeous scenery and get a real feel for riding round on a gondola with plenty of time to take pictures. There is no interaction from the driver but I don’t think this was needed as I was just taking it all in. I would very much recommend as an affordable way to go in a gondola!”

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Venice: Doge's Palace, St Mark's Basilica, and Pala d'Oro - Enter Doge’s Palace and Venice’s political world
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Venice: Doge’s Palace, St Mark’s Basilica, and Pala d’Oro

12.Doge’s Palace, St Mark’s Basilica, and Pala d’Oro

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 6,235 reviews · from $100

Explore St Mark’s Square, Doge’s Palace, and St Mark’s Basilica with a guide in a group of up to 20. Expect grand council rooms, the Bridge of Sighs, Byzantine mosaics, and, if your option includes it, the basilica museum and terrace. Guides such as Denise, Ana, Marina, and Donatella have led tours in several languages.

“Marina was an excellent guide. She was sure to share the rich history of the city, Doges palace, and St Mark’s Basilica. For a person who knows next to nothing about historical art and architecture, this tour helped me appreciate everything Venice and these monuments had to offer. Thank you!”

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Venice: Murano & Burano Panoramic Boat Tour w/ Glassblowing - Murano’s glassblowing demonstration
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Venice: Murano & Burano Panoramic Boat Tour w/ Glassblowing

13.Murano & Burano Panoramic Boat Tour w/ Glassblowing

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 6,212 reviews · 4 - 4.5 hours · from $29

Take a panoramic motorboat from Venice’s St. Mark’s area to Murano and Burano. Watch a glass master work in a Murano factory, then explore Burano’s painted houses, lace shops, and bakeries at your own pace. An onboard assistant gives multilingual explanations, but there are no guided walks on the islands. Expect about four to four and a half hours, including the boat ride.

“Next time we're in Venice, we're doing it again! We absolutely loved it. The glass masters of Murano are super skilled and Burano is one of the most charming places we've ever visited. Francesca was great. We were surprised that she explained everything in 5 languages.”

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Venice: Murano, Burano, Torcello, and Glass Factory Tour - Murano: watch glass take shape
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Venice: Murano, Burano, Torcello, and Glass Factory Tour

14.Murano, Burano, Torcello, and Glass Factory Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 5,563 reviews · from $40

Take a full-day boat trip from Venice to Murano, Burano, and Torcello. Watch a glass artisan at work, then explore Burano’s bright streets and Torcello’s historic center at your own pace. A multilingual guide shares information during the crossings, while free time lets you shop, eat, or visit the basilica.

“It’s well planned and you get enough time on all islands but you only have the guide on board and in 5 languages so it completely lacks any personal touches.”

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Legendary Venice: Doge's Palace, St Mark's & VIP Terrace Access - St. Mark’s Basilica, mosaics, and stories behind the treasures
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Legendary Venice: Doge’s Palace, St Mark’s & VIP Terrace Access

15.Legendary Venice: Doge’s Palace, St Mark’s & VIP Terrace Access

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 5,033 reviews · 2 to 3 hours (approx.) · from $76

Visit St. Mark’s Basilica and Doge’s Palace with an English-speaking guide, reserved entry, and stories of Venetian rulers, art, and prisoners. Choose an 8 AM departure for early access to the palace, or add a basilica terrace visit for views over St. Mark’s Square. Tours last about two to three hours.

“Roberta was a fantastic tour guide. She seems to really care and enjoy the topics she speaks about. It was a fantastic tour with lots of great access and interesting history, would greatly recommend.”

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More of Venice and the Veneto

A palace, a boat, a bacaro or a mountain.

San Marco

St Mark’s BasilicaDoge’s PalaceSkip-the-lineMuseumsConcerts

On the water

GondolasBoat toursKayaksMuranoBurano

At the table

Food toursCooking classesWine tastingsProseccoRialto Market

Out of town

Day tripsDolomitesLake GardaValpolicellaBike tours