All Venice Tours & Excursions in 2026

Travelers to Venice have positive things to say about all kinds of tours, from cicchetti (Venetian tapas) crawls to gondola rides through the scenic canals. These are the top-rated options on offer:

• Murano & Burano Islands Guided Small Group Tour by Private Boat
• Legendary Venice St. Mark's Basilica with Terrace Access & Doge's Palace
• Venice In a Day: Basilica San Marco, Doges Palace & Gondola Ride
• Eat Like a Local: 3-Hour Venice Small-Group Food Tasting Walking Tour
• Discover Venice Like a Local: Small Group Cicchetti & Wine Tour

Venice is very walkable—in fact, the labyrinth of canals, bridges, and narrow alleyways can only be traversed on foot or by boat. Fortunately, you can walk from one side of the city to the other within half an hour, and if your feet get tired, you can hire a private gondola or buy an affordable traghetto (ferry) ticket to get around.

That depends on how many stops you make and whether or not tickets or food samples are included in the fee. Shorter tours, such as food crawls and guided visits to historical attractions, range from US$30–130. Full-day group sightseeing tours cost closer to US$200, while private tours generally start at US$300 per party.

Venice tours on the less expensive side include options like the Venezia Walking Tour With Audio and Written Guide by a Local for US$6 per person. The tour takes you past Venice’s top sights, though it’s self-guided and doesn’t include admission to any ticketed attractions. Pricier tours are often private and include gondola rides, such as the Skip the Line: Best of Venice Private Tour Including San Marco Doge’s Palace and Gondola Ride (from US$642 per person). The experience takes you to see Venice highlights, including St. Mark’s Basilica, Doge’s Palace, Rialto Bridge, Marco Polo’s Home, and more—on foot and by boat—with tickets to some sights included.

Venice tours give you an introduction to the city’s most striking attractions, from St. Mark’s Basilica and Doge’s Palace to the picturesque bridges that arc over centuries-old canals. Food tours take you to historic markets and the best bars for Venetian tapas (cicchetti), while day excursions often visit the famed glassblowers on the colorful island of Murano.

Consider booking an all-day tour to see as many Venice attractions as possible. For example, Venice In a Day: Basilica San Marco, Doge’s Palace, and Gondola Ride shows you all the essential sights, from St. Mark’s Basilica and Doge’s Palace to the Bridge of Sighs, Rialto Fish Market, and the Grand Canal by gondola.

Plan to spend three days in Venice. Two days will give you enough time to get lost in the city’s maze of canals, absorb history and culture at heavy hitters like St. Mark’s Basilica and the Peggy Guggenheim Collection, and take breaks for spritzes and cicchetti. On your last day, you can ride the water bus to the nearby islands of Murano and Burano.

That depends on your priorities. March is a wonderful time to visit Venice, offering a combination of minimal crowds and moderate temperatures (in the 50s). February is chilly, but its Carnival festivities are well worth a visit. The summer months bring the most crowds, but the weather is sublime. November–January are less touristy, but you risk running into acqua alta, or flooded canals.

According to travelers, these are the best attractions in Venice:

• St. Mark’s Basilica (Basilica di San Marco)
• Doge’s Palace (Palazzo Ducale)
• Grand Canal
• St. Mark’s Square (Piazza San Marco)
• Rialto Bridge (Ponte di Rialto)

View Viator’s guide to all the best attractions in Venice.

There are tons of great day trips to take from Venice. According to traveler reviews, this is the best day trip to book right now:

• Murano and Burano Islands Guided Small-Group Tour by Private Boat
• Dolomite Mountains and Cortina Semi-Private Day Trip From Venice
• Murano Glass Experience With a Visit to a Burano Lace Island
• Private Excursion by Typical Venetian Motorboat to Murano, Burano, and Torcello
• A Sparkling Day in the Prosecco Hills From Venice by Yellowboot

View all of Viator’s top Venice day trips.

You don’t have to spend a fortune to have a great time in Venice. Here are some of the best Venice activities under US$20:

• Murano Glass Blowing Demonstration - The Glass Cathedral
• Da Vinci Interactive Museum Venice Scuola di San Rocco
• LORDS OF THE NIGHT PRISONS PALACE: Cells and Torture Tools - Escorted Visit
• Venice Murano Island Glass Factory Tour With Glass Blowing Demonstration
• Venezia Walking Tour With Audio and Written Guide by a Local

There are tons of Venice activities to enjoy in the fresh air. Here are some of the top outdoor tours to book right now:

• Venice Sightseeing Walking Tour With a Local Guide
• Real Venetian Kayak - Tour of Venice Canals With a Local Guide
• Welcome to Venice Small-Group Tour: Basilica San Marco and Gondola Ride
• Venice: The Hidden Canals on Electric Boat
• Sunset Jazz Cruise With Aperitivo and Live Saxophone

View all of Viator’s top outdoor activities in Venice.

According to travelers, these are the top museums and cultural attractions in Venice:

• Doge’s Palace (Palazzo Ducale)
• Correr Museum (Museo Correr)
• Peggy Guggenheim Collection (Collezione Peggy Guggenheim)
• Venice Accademia Gallery (Gallerie dell’Accademia)
• Scuola Grande di San Rocco

View all of Viator’s museum tickets and passes in Venice.

Couples will find plenty of romantic tours in Venice. Here are some of the top activities to book now, according to previous travelers:

• Murano and Burano Islands Guided Small-Group Tour by Private Boat
• Venice Sunset Cruise by Typical Venetian Boat
• Private Venice Canal Cruise: 2-Hour Grand Canal and Secret Canals
• Private Hidden Venice With food tasting and Grand Canal Tour
• Private Tour: Venice Gondola Ride With Serenade

View all of Viator’s top romantic tours in Venice.

Venice has enough activities to entertain every member of your family. Here are some of the top kid-friendly tours to book now, according to previous travelers:

• Murano and Burano Islands Guided Small-Group Tour by Private Boat
• Venice Carnival Mask-Making Class in Venice, Italy
• Create Your Glass Artwork: Private Lesson With Local Artisan in Venice
• Venice Doge’s Palace VIP Tour: Secret Chambers and Prison Cells
• Venice Sightseeing Walking Tour for Kids and Families

View all of Viator’s top family-friendly tours in Venice.