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Hidden Venice Guided Walking Tour with Gondola Ride

Activity Schedule

  • When does it run?

    Daily

  • Duration

    2.5 hours approximately

  • Start time

    11:30am and 6:30pm

  • Meeting Point
    In front of the white marble Accademia di Belle Arti (Venetian Academy of Fine Arts) near the Accademia Bridge and the Accademia vaporetto (waterbus) stop. Your coordinator will be waiting here wearing a blue Dark Rome/Guideman polo shirt or jacket for easy recognition.
    Arriving by train: In front of the Santa Lucia train station you can take the water bus: Line 1, Line 2 and exit at Accademia stop.
  • Ending Point

    The tour ends at the Santa Maria del Giglio Gondola point in Campiello Traghetto near the Gritti Palace hotel, San Marco side.

Key Highlights

  • Get off the main tourist trail and explore the quieter side of Venice
  • Enjoy a walking tour of Dorsoduro district and a romantic gondola ride
  • Delight in the fascinating stories shared from your expert English speaking guide
  • See the major highlights of Dorsoduro including the Academy of Fine Arts and Harry’s Bar
  • Explore the back canals of the city by gondola led by a traditional gondolier

Overview

Get off the beaten path and explore the ‘real Venice’ away from the crowds with a walking tour of the city’s lesser-known district, Dorsoduro. Following your walk, cruise along Venice’s back canals with a romantic gondola ride.

Located at the other side of the Grand Canal, the district of Dorsoduro boasts some of the most charming piazzas and picturesque canals in Venice and is home to many museums, galleries and churches. Walk the rambling streets and take in the delightful old buildings while your expert English speaking guide shares the fascinating stories and history of the region.

A sublime city to view from the canals, no tour around Venice is complete without a gondola ride. Sit back and relax as your gondolier guides the boat through the quiet river channels.

Itinerary

To begin your hidden Venice walking tour, meet your expert guide in front of the white marble building of the Accademia di Belle Arti (Venetian Academy of Fine Arts), near the Accademia Bridge and the Accademia vaporetto waterbus stop.

On this walking tour, your guide reveals the offbeat places in Venice which are rarely uncovered by tourists. Your first stop will be the district of Dorsoduro, where you will navigate the charming streets and piazzas and learn the district’s fascinating history. The group will revel in the story of Ca’Dario house and its owners who died under mysterious circumstances.

Then make your way past the Fondamenta degli Incurabili where homeless orphans were rescued by monks and trained to become nurses and even world-famous musicians.

Along the way, you will come across many famous focal points of the Dorsoduro district. Ernest Hemingway’s favourite hangout, Harry’s Bar, the home of Peggy Guggenheim, now transformed into one of Venice’s major modern art galleries, and the house where William Shakespeare’s Desdemona from drama Othello supposedly lived, are all seen on this epic Venetian walking tour.

In addition, you will also take in some of Venice’s major attractions including the Academy of Fine Arts, the de Ponte delle Maravegie known as the ‘Bridge of Wonders’, the Campo san Trovaso, a gondola workshop known as Squero, the wonderful Redentore Church, Giudecca Island, Punta della Dogana and the Church of the Madonna della Salute.

Following this tour, explore the back canals of the city by gondola. Take pleasure in the quiet surroundings of the back canals and the beauty of the captivating old buildings along the canal as a trained gondolier navigates the boat.

Your gondola ride will conclude at the Santa Maria del Giglio Gondola point in Campiello Traghetto near the Gritti Palace hotel, San Marco side.

Inclusions

  • Dorsoduro walking tour
  • English or French speaking guide (as per the option chosen)
  • 30-minute gondola ride

Exclusions

  • Hotel pick-up and drop off
  • Meals

Additional info

The confirmation voucher includes the local activity operator’s contact details and local telephone numbers at the destination. They will happily answer any logistical questions you may have.

Customer Reviews

  • Diana Huntress

    Excellent tour by a very knowledgeable guide who provided not only history and facts about Venice and the area of the city we were walking in, but personal insights into the...

    04/24/2017

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