The Discover Venice & Gondola Ride tour starts at 1500h (03:00pm) from the Tourist Information Office in St. Mark’s Square. You will be accompanied by a guide as you walk through the picturesque streets of Venice and, depending on the day of the week, the tour will be conducted in English, French or German.
First you will enjoy a 35-minute gondola ride (up to six people per gondola) on the Grand Canal (S. Maria della Salute area) and minor canals (Fenice area). On the gondola ride there is no commentary but you can admire the lovely old buildings along the Canal and watch the activity on this busy waterway.
After this memorable experience you will see outdoors with your guide.
This excursion explores the area between Piazza San Marco and the Rialto Bridge and looks at the buildings and monuments from the outside only. You will see Venice’s celebrated opera house Teatro La Fenice (‘The Phoenix’). One of the most famous theaters in Europe, it has witnessed many famous operatic premieres. But the building has had a troubled history, having been burnt to the ground and rebuilt more than once. The structure you will see opened in 2003 after being gutted by fire in 1996.
You will also view one of the finest examples of Renaissance architecture in Venice, the Scala del Bovolo. This beautiful and complex spiral staircase is part of the Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo and dates from 1499. It is tucked away in a small courtyard close to Campo Manin.
You will also have the chance to have a good look at the lovely Rialto Bridge, the oldest bridge across the Grand Canal. When it was completed in 1591, the design was considered so daring that critics predicted that it would not survive for long. However, the bridge has defied its detractors by standing proudly for more than 400 years and becoming one most famous icons of Venice.
Please note that your tour does not include an explanation of Piazza San Marco.
The tour ends at the landing stage at Vallaresso (Dogana). You will then need to make your own arrangements for getting to your next destination.