Cancellation Policy
Cancellations made 15 or more days in advance of your tour date are fully refundable, minus our 3% credit card processing fee. See our complete Cancellation Policy for more information.
Venice City Center Walking Tour
City Walks
History
Art & Culture
6 hours
Private Tour
About
With well over 1,000 years of history and having been the capital of a mighty city state, Venice has quite a lot to see and its central areas are simply overflowing with art, architecture, and history. So, if this is your first time in town and you want to begin to understand this city, this is the ideal tour for you.
We'll start things off near the Church of San Giacometto in the Rialto area, one of the oldest churches in Venice, dating back to the 12th century. From there, we'll duck into the Rialto Market, making sure to explore both the Old and New Markets. A central hub for trade since the Middle Ages, the market and surrounding area has been incredibly important throughout Venice's history.
Next, we'll walk across the Rialto Bridge, an iconic 16th-century stone bridge spanning the Grand Canal. Supported by over 25,000 wooden piles driven deep into the ground beneath the water, it's a marvel of engineering! From the bridge, we’ll enjoy spectacular views of the Grand Canal and the surrounding historic palaces and merchant homes built across various centuries.
We'll now be in the area where Marco Polo, the famed Venetian merchant and explorer, once lived, so we'll take some time to explore his old haunts while I tell you about his life and fantastic adventures in the Far East and beyond. This is a lovely 13th-century neighborhood, so it has an intimate, closed in feel, with ancient buildings and narrow little streets. Lots of fun to walk through.
The imposing Church of San Giovanni e Paolo now awaits us, one of Venice’s largest churches, built in the 13th century. We'll take a look from the outside and I’ll tell you about its significance as the burial place of 25 Venetian doges!
At this point, I think a little break is always in order, so we'll have some free time for a snack, drink, or just to relax.
Once we're ready to get moving again, it's on to the charming and quirky Libreria Acqua Alta, a famous bookshop that has wonderfully whimsical displays - books stacked in bathtubs, gondolas, and even on staircases.
Next, if you'd like to get on the water, we have the option of taking a 30-minute gondola ride through the city's narrower canals (called "rio" in Venetian), which offer a more intimate perspective of Venice's architecture.
Whether you opt for the gondola or not, it will now be lunchtime, so we'll begin to make our way toward Saint Mark's Square and will take a 1-hour break for a meal once we arrive. This is a very touristy area, so I'll recommend some good spots that are not tourist traps, of course.
After lunch, we'll step out onto Piazza San Marco, a glorious square that's home to many of Venice's most iconic landmarks. Here, I'll explain the square's fascinating history and will share about the various buildings that ring it and their key architectural details. If you chose not to do the gondola ride earlier, we'll have additional time here to check out the sights on the square, especially the Doge's Palace, which we can discuss in depth.
Finally, to round out the tour, we'll enter St. Mark’s Basilica to admire its splendid interior - including the extraordinary mosaics from the 12th to 17th centuries -, and learn about the many important events that took place here over the centuries.
Overview
Highlights
- San Giacometto Church
- Rialto Bridge and Market
- A wander through Marco Polo's old neighborhood
- San Giovanni e Paolo Church
- Libreria "Acqua Alta"
- Gondola Ride (optional)
- Saint Mark's Square and Saint Mark's Basilica
- Private tour - only you and your guide
Duration
Approximately 6 hours
Start Time
This tour can start at any of the following times: 8:00 AM, 9:00 AM, 10:00 AM, or 11:00 AM
Included
- Your guide Alessandro
Not Included
- Optional gondola ride (90 euros - total cost)
- Entrance tickets to Saint Mark's Basilica (10 euros per person)
Languages
This tour can be delivered in English or Italian
Max Participants
This private tour can accommodate parties of up to 6 people
Price
This tour costs a flat fee of $675.00 USD
Tour Itinerary
Explore the Rialto area, including San Giacometto Church, the Rialto Bridge, and Rialto Market
Cross into the 13th-century area where Marco Polo lived
Check out San Giovanni e Paolo church
Cruise the canals on a 30-minute gondola ride
1 hour for lunch
Tour Saint Mark's Square and enter the Basilica
Cancellation Policy
Cancellations made 15 or more days in advance of your tour date are fully refundable, minus our 3% credit card processing fee. See our complete Cancellation Policy for more information.
