Highlights & Hidden Gems of Venice with Grand Canal Gondola Ride
3 hours
City Highlight Tours
Venice
Choose one of 7 locals available
Experience hosted by Valerio, rocco & other locals
Private Tour
Carbon Neutral
See the best of Venice—by land and water! From iconic highlights to secret corners only locals know, this tour shows you the real Venice. To top it all off, enjoy a private 1-hour gondola ride along the Grand Canal and hidden canals for the ultimate Venetian experience.
1 hour Gondola Ride: Please note: the Gondola Ride needs to be paid in cash directly at the time of the tour (€220)
6 reasons to book this tour
Explore the best of the city in only 3 hours including Gondola ride
Spot classics like Basilica di San Marco & Marco Polo’s house
Discover hidden gems away from the tourist paths
Experience the city from a local’s perspective
Can be 100% personalized to your wishes
Privately guided by a local expert
What you can expect
Venice is a magical place—and with your chosen local host, you're in for the full experience! Culture, history, local lifestyle, and a stunning gondola ride along the Grand Canal are all part of this unforgettable journey.
Discover the origins of Venice as you explore landmarks like the Basilica di San Marco, Marco Polo’s house, and the Rialto Bridge. But that’s not all—your host will also reveal hidden corners and unique gems only locals know. Each host brings their own passions and stories to the tour, offering a personalized view of Venice that reflects their background, from art to history and everything in between.
To make this tour even more special, enjoy a private 1-hour gondola ride through the iconic Grand Canal and the city’s secret waterways—an essential part of any true Venetian experience!
Need a break? Your host knows the perfect local spot. Grab a traditional treat and soak in the atmosphere while hearing more about your host’s life in Venice, plus their personal tips for what to do next in the city.
This tour is all about connection, discovery, and making Venice your own. Want to change the route? No problem! Your host will be happy to adapt the experience just for you.
Choose your local
Get to know these 7 passionate locals, each bringing unique perspectives and talents. Choose your favorite, check their availability, and book to create an unforgettable adventure tailored to you.
Valerio
A venetian [deTour]ist®
5.0234 reviews
English・Deutsch・Italiano・Español
rocco
Venetian Anthropologist
5.05 reviews
English・Français・Italiano
Federica
The family friendly guide
5.045 reviews
English・Italiano・日本語
Romy
The Warm Art Historian
4.9227 reviews
Italiano・English
Genny
The Language Lover
4.9169 reviews
English・Español・Italiano
Lucia Bondetti
The Passionate Art Historian
5.0144 reviews
Italiano・English
Adair
Cultured Island Hopper
5.0148 reviews
Italiano・English
This is the plan
Check out the plan below to see what you'll get up to with your local host. Feel free to personalize this offer with the host of your choice.
Meeting point
Meet at in front of Cafe Florian - Venice to start your journey
Itinerary
This is what our experience could look like, but it’s not set in stone! Once you book, you can chat directly with your host to make small tweaks to suit your preferences.
City Highlights
See from Basilica di San Marco, Marco Polo’s house, Rialto Bridge, and other landmarks and must-sees of the city. Your local host will take you to the main spots in town so you can get the perfect overview of what makes Venice so unique
Hidden Gems
Along the way, your local host will show you treasures hidden in plain sight that only the locals know about. Get to know the city through a different perspective, the local way, and discover places and stories that not many tourists experience
Magical Storytelling
Behind every landmark and every stop, there’s a story, and your local host is ready to tell it all. Get ready to listen to incredible stories, one-of-a-kind insights, and fun facts only a knowledgeable local would know!
Special Treat
Follow your host to one of their favorite eateries for a snack or a drink beloved by the locals. Take a break and catch up with your new local friend and get the answers to all your travel questions
Gondola Ride
Enjoy a one-hour private gondola ride along the iconic Grand Canal and through hidden waterways, soaking in Venice’s beauty from the water
Make it yours
Want to tweak the itinerary? Book directly & chat afterwards with your host to adjust highlights, skip stops, or make small changes to fit your preferences.
Book risk-free: Cancel within 24 hours for a full refund.
Need something special? Personalize your experience for more time, alternative locations or a completely tailored plan.
Flexible cancellation policy
Feel confident booking
Cancel within 24 hours for a full refund. Even up to 7 days before your experience, you’ll receive a refund, minus the service fee.
Change of plans?
Reschedule your experience to a date and time that works best for you.
Loved by travelers worldwide
Simple and flexible – your plans, your way.
Reviews from guests
Cornelia
(About local )
26 May 2025
Valerio macht den Spaziergang durch Canareggio und San Polo weit über die Brunetti-Informationen hinaus interessant. Wer weiß schon, wie die Hausnummern zustande kommen oder wo die Bestattungskirche aus dem Film "Wenn die Gondeln Trauer tragen" liegt? Die Restaurant Empfehlungen, die man noch zusätzlich bekommt, sind eine echte Empfehlung. Vielen Dank, Valerio!mehr als Brunetti ...
Sudharsan🇮🇳 India
(About local )
18 May 2025
We were lucky to get an overview of Venice with Adair right on the first day. This helped is connect the dots when we did the indepth types of near by islands, St. marks/Doges palace and the various nooks and crannies. Recommend!History + Architecture + Personal stories
Mara
(About local )
17 May 2025
Adair was absolutely wonderful and perfect for our stay in Venice. She led us through the city and we saw some much more than we could have imagined. She planned the best day and best fit for our family. She was so warm and friendly ... my family of 4 just adored her.
Plus, she knows so many people - we were given extra special treatment on the tour. Book with Adair and it will be one of your favorite memories of your time in Venice. It was one of our most memorable in our 10 day tour of Italy!!!PERFECT DAY IN VENICE!!!
Debbie
(About local )
13 May 2025
Romy was a great guide. We have traveled all over the world for 40 years. Our best guide yet. If you are traveling this far, make the trip worth it. Let Venice come alive—this city deserves your attention. Romy’s makes the Venice tourists don’t get
Angela🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
13 May 2025
Adair was just a wonderful guide for us. Attentive, personable and full of information. It was so helpful to understand the formation of Venice and how each area has evolved.
We stopped for chichetti and now our favorite spritz 'Select'. We all shared little bits of info and she shared many stories of her own and of well known Venetians. It was a fabulous afternoon and we are so glad to have had her show us Venice!Fabulous tour! A
Kevin🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
13 May 2025
We had the best time with Genny. We went to spots that we would’ve never dared to enter. She navigated the hustle and bustle with ease and showed us so many different aspects of Venetian eats. We had an amazing time. Every shop we entered, everyone seemed to know her. 10/10 would recommend booking this tour with Genny. Do not book with anyone else
gabriel🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
9 May 2025
Went to Murano and Burano. Adair gave insights into the glass blowing industry as well as the lace. Saw many examples of the two and was amazed. This was our second day with Adair ( done on purpose) and she delivered. Would highly recommend and would definitely use again.Island hoppers
gabriel🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
9 May 2025
Adair was very knowledgeable and kept the conversation interesting. Buildings are just that without some history (fish market). She adjusted to the members of our group (78 to 15 months of age) very nicely. Would use her again without a second thought.Not disappointed
Cristina
(About local )
4 May 2025
Il tour privato con Lucia è stato meraviglioso, siamo andati con un figlio din7 anni che si era svegliato alle 4 del mattina per prendere l’aereo a venezia, e durante tutta la sperienza con lucia è stato attivo senza dire sono stanco e super involve con tutto ciò che diceva lucia e la caccia del tesoro! Abbiamo imparato tanto, conosciuto grazie a lei la zona più bella di venezia e tutti i segreti! Lucia è una donna molto speciale che sa interagire tanto con adulti e bambini! se venite a visitare la città dovete fare per forza el tour con lei! sarà una esperienza bellissima per tutta la famiglia! non perdetevela!
Lucia grazie mille, durante tutto il resto delle visita abbiamo trovato pisciabrague, altane…. e pensavamo a te! un forte abbraccio della familia spagnola molto alta! 😊Lucia e meravigliosa esperienza altretanto
Sylvia
(About local )
4 May 2025
Frederica was amazing and patient with our 3 boys. The kids and also we adults had a fantastic time and enjoyed the tour in Venice.
Amazing tourist guide
Travis
(About local )
1 May 2025
Our tour with Adair was absolutely fantastic! She covered all the major highlights and shared some of Venice's hidden secrets. We highly recommend her!Perfect!
cczg6gvypf
(About local )
30 April 2025
Jeder der überlegt, ob sich ein Private Guide lohnt, möchte ich sagen: Auf jeden Fall!!
Man darf Venedig von einer ganz anderen Seite erleben. Wenn man möchte, ganz entspannt fernab der Touristenmassen. Venedig ist eben nicht nur Dogenpalast und Markusplatz!
Wunderbare Zeit in Venedig, danke Valerio!
Tanya🇦🇺 Australia
(About local )
29 April 2025
A huge shout out to Adair for taking us on a 2hour magical Venetian walking tour. We had a blast! A great afternoon adventure!
William🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
29 April 2025
I can’t tell you how much we enjoyed the food and the experience with Adair. As an American living in Venice, we related so much to her. She loves it there and was able to give us such an interesting perspective on life in Italy, especially in Venice. This tour was so worth it.Best Way To Experience Venice
HENRYK🇨🇦 Canada
(About local )
27 April 2025
I am a big fan of Inspector Brunetti, the Venetian policeman created by Dona Leon. A friend enthused about the "Brunetti" tour presented by Valerio in Venice. We hired Valerio and embarked on the expensive two hour tour (over two days unfortunately). We walked by five relevant sites and enjoyed espresso at Brunetti's local coffee bar. From my friend's enthusiasm, I had expected more from the tour. Perhaps, we didn't get the full tour?Inspector Brunetti tour
Evelyn🇦🇹 Austria
(About local )
27 April 2025
Valerio hat mich unterhaltsam und charmant durch diesen mir nicht bekannten Teil Venedigs geführt . Er hat mir alle Facetten , Kultur, Geschichte, Religion und Kulinarik näher gebracht, sowie alte Filme, die da gedreht wurden wieder aus meinem Gedächtnis geholt. DORSODURO ENTDECKEN
Mary🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
26 April 2025
We spent a couple days with Adair and couldn’t have had a better time! One day was a walking tour of Venice, the other was an island hopping tour. Both were a lot of fun, very informative and got to experience things that I don’t think we could have, had we been on our own. In Venice we took in all the historical attractions as well as experience the local food, the gondole (not gondola!) a spritz! The second day island hopping to Murano, Burano and Mazzorbo. So much fun and each island so different than the other. The behind the scenes at the glass factory, inside look at lace being hand stitched, both were incredible.
Adair also helped us by booking transportation, reservations, and gave recommendations, very helpful. Adair was a lot of fun and was really very easy and comfortable to spend that much time with!Great time with Adair!
Jacqui🇬🇧 United Kingdom
(About local )
18 April 2025
Adair was friendly and helpful sharing loads of tips on places to visit and eat for the rest of our trip.
We had a great couple of hours with her and enjoyed the food and drink on offer. She also showed us a great wee place to see the Rialto Bridge away from all the crowds.
Wouldn’t hesitate to recommend her as your guide. Enjoyable afternoon with a great guide
DOMINIQUE🇧🇪 Belgium
(About local )
15 April 2025
Here's a suggestion for an enthusiastic and positive review for Adair in English:
---
Review for Adair - Our Guide in Venice
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
We recently had a fantastic culinary tour of Venice with Adair as our personal guide, and it was an unforgettable experience! Adair introduced us to the hidden gems of this beautiful city, complete with the tastiest snacks and delicious drinks.
From the very beginning, she perfectly understood what we were looking for and ensured that we got to know the real Venice. Her rich knowledge of the city's history added an extra layer to our tour. Thanks to her handy tips, we made the most of our visit!
What made this experience even better was Adair's wonderful sense of humor. She made us feel completely at ease, which made the tour even more enjoyable.
We wholeheartedly recommend Adair to anyone looking to explore Venice. Don't hesitate to book her – you won't regret it!
Dominique & Sven
So much more than we expected.
Tonya
(About local )
14 April 2025
Adair was a wonderful guide. She tailor made a tour for our family in Venice. Adair was patient with our group of very mixed ages and interests and made sure that we got to do all the things we had wanted to do in Venice and more. Adair was helpful and caring and knew a lot about Venice. I would definitely recommend her as a guide for your tours in Venice.
Gregory🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
30 March 2025
Adair went above and beyond for us!
Adair was so helpful before and throughout our trip.
The tours were fantastic, don’t book anyone else!
Super flexible and worked perfect with my kids.
Grqzie Adair!Adair is the best!
Lana
(About local )
15 March 2025
Adair was highly knowledgeable about the culture and food in Venice. We had a Beautiful day touring with her. It was like we had been friends forever. Thank you for making his birthday extra special. I would recommend Adair for any tour! Grazie!!!Amazing Day in Venice with Adair!!
Jonathan
(About local )
14 March 2025
Adiar was an absolutely fantastic tour guide! Our family's recent trip to Venice was made truly memorable thanks to her expertise and enthusiasm. She possessed a remarkable depth of knowledge about the city's history, particularly regarding the intricate architecture that makes Venice so unique. Adiar's explanations were engaging and easy to understand, even for our younger family members.
Beyond the historical insights, Adiar also took the time to point out some delightful local spots to grab a quick snack, which was a welcome treat.
Her recommendations were spot-on, and we felt like we were experiencing the authentic flavors of Venice.
Adiar's warm and friendly demeanor made the tour a truly enjoyable experience for everyone in our family. She was patient, attentive, and clearly passionate about sharing her love for Venice. We couldn't have asked for a better guide, and we highly recommend Adiar to anyone looking for a comprehensive and delightful tour of Venice. She truly made our experience perfect!Amazing time in Venezia
Dominic🇨🇭 Switzerland
(About local )
3 March 2025
Danke Valerio10
Karen
(About local )
2 March 2025
Romy’s tour was really great! It was a perfect introduction to our 2 days in Venice with our 2 young adult children. She explained the history of Venice and showed us all of the highlights. She even pointed out some of her favorite spots which we revisited on our own. I would highly recommend Romy as a tour guide!!!Romy is great!
Mason🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
26 February 2025
Lucia was an excellent guide. She is very knowledgeable as well as fun, enthusiastic and professional. We had fun exploring and learning about these important Venetian landmarks. Thanks Lucia!Palazzo Ducale and St. Marks Basilica
David🇫🇷 France
(About local )
22 February 2025
Nous avons passé un excellent moment avec Valerio, passionné limite enflammé par Venise. Il connaît les endroits et l'histoire de sa ville et a su transmettre son ethousiasme. Il nous a montré les différentes facettes de la cité, des ambiances contrastées de foule et de calme, des lieux atypiques. Plein de bons conseils. Merci Valerio !Le vrai vénitien, amoureux de sa ville
Diane
(About local )
16 February 2025
For 3 Jewish women, this was a highlight of our trip to Venice. Lucia told the story of the ghettos and ghetto experience so personally, complete with family photos. It is necessary to tell our story, but Lucia's tour will be meaningful to non-Jewish visitors too. The experience is a first-hand view through the eyes of a Venice local.
Below is a question about Price-value rating. This is not your typical tour experience, and in my opinion, worth every dollar, eruo or shekel.Passionate Lucia
Denise
(About local )
9 February 2025
With so many food options available in Venice, I wanted to have someone guide me through the street food options. Adair certainly managed that plus more. She weaved snippets of history into our conversations whilst savouring a variety of foods. Adair made navigating the alleyways look easy and we probably needed her the next day when revisiting one of the cafes! Venice can be overwhelming with food options but that can be made easier when in Adair’s capable hands. Thankyou for providing a great memory of this magical city.Flavours of Venice
christina.zielinski
(About local )
2 February 2025
We had a great tour with Adair, she was very knowledgeable about history and local gems as well. She had a great energy levelGreat tour
Tara
(About local )
26 January 2025
Genny is a great guide and took us so many brilliant places. My partner is vegetarian and so usually doesn’t have a great time with food tours but Genny customised the tour to suit us both. Genny is like a celebrity - vendors and store owners greeting her as she passes just showing how much of a beloved local she is. 10/10 would recommend. Brilliant and delicious experience.
Lori🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
13 January 2025
While visiting Venice, I had the pleasure of booking a tour with Valerio for fish shopping at Rialto Market followed by home cooking in Murano. The experience was nothing short of extraordinary and truly authentic.
We began our day at Rialto Market, selecting fresh, local ingredients under Valerio's expert guidance. From there, we traveled to his lovely home in Murano, where he prepared a mouthwatering multi-course meal, perfectly paired with libations for each course. What made the experience even more special was how hands-on it was—my friend and I got to help with some of the preparations, which made the meal feel even more personal and rewarding.
Throughout the day, Valerio’s warm and engaging personality shone. He answered all our questions about life in Italy with patience and enthusiasm, sharing fascinating insights into local culture and traditions. Despite our endless curiosity, he never seemed to tire of our company and made us feel completely at home.
To top it off, Valerio provided excellent recommendations for other unique experiences and activities we could try during our trip. His hospitality, knowledge, and passion for sharing the Italian way of life made this tour the highlight of my visit to Venice.
If you’re looking for an authentic, unforgettable experience in Venice, I cannot recommend Valerio enough. He is the perfect host and guide, and this experience is not to be missed!A Highlight of My Venice Trip!!
Elaine🇦🇺 Australia
(About local )
11 January 2025
What a great day in Venice with Genny.Informative, entertaining, and seeing places we would have missed without her local knowledge and contacts. Genny treated us like family so much so that we ended our day with a hug. Thanks so much,Genny , we will recommend you to friends travelling to Venice.Wander Woman
Des
(About local )
11 January 2025
We had a fantastic tour with Romy. She provided us with exactly what we asked for and more. She clearly knows everything about Venice and comes across in a very friendly and relaxed manner. We will certainly book Romy again when we are back in veniceRomy review
Dennis🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
1 January 2025
Genny was a delightful and knowledgeable guide. I would highly recommend her tours. Venice with flair
Desmond🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
30 December 2024
We toured with Adair as a family of five, including some members with allergies and intolerances. We still had a great time and were able to enjoy ourselves! Adair adjusted our stops and offered substitutes for those who needed them. We would absolutely book with her again!Family-friendly food tour!
Rene🇲🇽 Mexico
(About local )
29 December 2024
Gran host
Brooke🇦🇺 Australia
(About local )
29 December 2024
Romy was a wonderful guide. We learnt so many interesting things about Venice. She provided great context for the history of Venice at the start of the tour so we had a good understanding of things she was taking about during her tour. A really worthwhile as an introduction to Venice! Thank you! Interesting Tour!
Chantelle🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
22 December 2024
Genny was an absolutely wonderful host to us in Venice. She was extremely knowledgeable and charming, giving us a detailed history of the city and it’s rich heritage. She was accommodating to my wife’s pregnancy as well for the food offerings and made us feel very welcome every step of the way. I would absolutely recommend her to anyone wanting a great food tour in the city. Fantastic food tour!
Steve🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
14 December 2024
We took the Brunetti tour with Valerio last week. Valerio was very accomodating in adjusting our start time and meeting location. We had just arrived the previous day and were still getting up to speed. Needless to say, the tour was absolutely fascinating. We learned some very interesting facts about Venice as well as about Donna Leon and Brunetti's Venice. A most enjoyable 2 hours. If your a fan of Brunetti and visiting Venice, definetly look at this tour. It was the highlight of our trip. Aside form the tour, Valerio was extreemly helpful in giving us some recommedations for restaurants and some things to do in Venice and Murano. We visited some areas that were definetely not on the normal tourist track, which made the tour that much more interesting. Thanks Valerio!Brunetti's Venice with Valerio
Horacio🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
2 December 2024
Genny was great! Super personality and was easy going. Our kids said she was the best tour guide they have ever had. She accommodated our needs ( we were hungry) and went above and beyond. Shes awesome! Amazing time!
Benjamin🇩🇪 Germany
(About local )
25 November 2024
Wir hatten das große Glück, Valerio als unseren Städteführer zu haben – und es war einfach fantastisch! Die Führung war spannend und unglaublich lehrreich. Valerio hat es geschafft, uns die Stadt auf eine ganz besondere Weise näherzubringen. Besonders beeindruckt haben uns die vielen tollen Tipps und Empfehlungen für Sehenswürdigkeiten und ‘places to go’, die wir ohne ihn wahrscheinlich nie entdeckt hätten. Vielen Dank für diese unvergessliche Erfahrung, Valerio! Wir kommen definitiv wieder!Einfach Klasse
Matthew🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
11 November 2024
Romy took us on a magical tour through the main parts of Venice. She was incredibly engaging and well versed in the history, art, architecture and truly gave our family a deep sense of Venice, its people and culture. We started near Rialto, explored the markets and then walked us through St Marks square, the Doge’s palace and St Mark’s church itself. She presented us with the gift of a glimpse into the soul of both ancient and modern Venice. It was an afternoon we will never forget!Magical Venice Tour
Jessica🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
9 November 2024
Romy did a great job taking us around Venice and making it interesting for our young children. Lots of interesting information and a great time. Thanks!Wonderful tour and tour guide
Annette
(About local )
6 November 2024
Wir haben Valeria für eine Führung durch den Dogenpalast gebucht.
Er hat auf unsere Anfrage sofort reagiert und geantwortet.
Valerio spricht ein sehr gutes Deutsch und ist auch super auf unsere Kinder eingegangen. Die Führung war interessant und mit vielen Zusatzinformationen gespickt.
Wir können Valerio guten Gewissens weiterempfehlen !!!Top Führung
Brian
(About local )
5 November 2024
Genny was amazing. She was incredibly knowledgeable. She did a perfect job of mixing the cultural history of Florence with finding some amazing food choices. Everywhere we went, she was greeted by shop owners and restaurant owners with hugs, and smiles. After a half-day with Genny, she feels like a life long friend. The food was amazing; but Genny's personality and knowledge really made this an incredibly special day.Food Tasting with Genny!
Kim🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
3 November 2024
Adair provided us with a great introduction to the food and culture of Venice. We enjoyed tastings of traditional Venetian food that we would not have tried otherwise. Introduction to Venice
Gerry🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
2 November 2024
Romy was great. Very knowledgeable about her city. Great tour.Very knowledgeable
Karin🇦🇹 Austria
(About local )
1 November 2024
Super interessante Führung mit vielen Tipps, Empfehlungen und dem Besuch von unbekannten Plätzen in Venedig. Sehr persönlich gestaltet und auf individuelle Bedürfnisse eingegangen. Jedenfalls eine Weiterempfehlung!Brunetti Tour durch Venedig mit Valerio
Pedro Juan🇵🇷 Puerto Rico
(About local )
1 November 2024
My wife and I had a great time with Romy. We walked through the most important streets of Venice as well as hidden gems. Romy is extremely knowledgeable about Venice and its history. We truly had a great time. Highly recommend you ask her for restaurant recommendations, she has great taste. We loved the three rest. she recommended. Great City Tour
Withlocals experiences
are always
Private & personalizedNo strangers, just you. Fully customize your trip to your needs.
With a local expertFrom historical facts to the most up-to-date health regulations.
Without the crowdsExperiences designed to take you away from the crowds towards authentic local spots.