Venetian Islands Tour + Gondola Ride: Show & Go Pass™

How It Works

• No reservation is required to use your Show & Go Pass™. If you want to join a tour you can SHOW up at the Meeting Point just 30 minutes before, and GO!

• Venetian Islands Tour departing times: 9.30 am, 10.30 am, 11.30 am, 12.30 pm, 2.30 pm (this tour is not offered on July 15)

• Gondola Ride departing times: 11.00 am, 12.00 am, 2.00 pm, 4.30 pm, 5.00 pm
  

VENETIAN ISLANDS TOUR

About the Tour:

Just a short boat ride from Venice’s bustling streets and canals lie the tiny, charming islands of Murano and Burano—both famous for the crafts that have been made for centuries by their resident artisans. This tour, which visits both the glass-making workshops of Murano, the lace-making artisans of Burano, and Torcello, the island where the very first Venetians settled, gives you a new perspective on the city's history. Accompanying you will be an expert, English-speaking guide whose knowledge illuminates the significance of these creative outposts. 

Tour Itinerary:

Stop 1: Murano

After meeting your group at the ferry stop at San Marco Giardinetti you'll make the short boat ride to Murano—a tiny island known all over the world for its exquisitely elaborate colorful and glasswork. You’ll learn about the island’s history as a glassmaking enclave (which dates to the 13th century), visit an illustrious glass-making workshop, and watch a demonstration of how Murano glass is blown, colored, and shaped. You’ll also get to shop in the gallery boutique for glass pieces to bring or ship home.

Stop 2: Burano

You’ll find that your next destination, the enchanting island of Burano, delights even before you’ve stepped on shore; its canal-side houses painted in bright, cheery colors are some of the most photographed sights around Venice. Once you’ve disembarked, though, you’ll get to experience Burano’s true claim to fame: its many shops where artisans painstakingly craft gorgeous handmade lace. You’ll have the chance to wander among these shops on your own, speaking to lace-makers and perhaps picking up some special souvenirs.

Stop 3: Torcello

The oldest colony in Venice once occupied this island, at the northern end of the lagoon. Though most settlers left Torcello for the mainland centuries ago, remarkable monuments to their history remain here. You'll see the most splendid of them—the Byzantine cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, whose looming bell tower dates to the 7th century—before heading back to the city.

GONDOLA RIDE

About the Tour:

There's no more romantic, authentic way to see Venice than with a gondola ride along its famous canals. This quick, small-group tour (with a maximum of 6 people per gondola) not only gives you a unique vantage point over some of the Floating City's most beautiful landmarks; it also gives you a sense of how Venetians have traveled through their hometown since the 12th century.

Tour  Itinerary:

After meeting your group near the Rialto Bridge, you'll settle into the seat of a traditional Venetian gondola. These narrow-hulled boats with their graceful curving prows have plied the city's canals for centuries, propelled by skillful gondoliers who push them along with single long oars. Yours will spend a half-hour riding along the Grand Canal—lined on both sides with stately palazzos and churches—and also a few smaller canals, where you'll see modern-day residents and shopkeepers going about their business. You'll end your jaunt with a deeper appreciation of the Floating City.

Not Included:

• Hotel pick-up and drop-off
• Gratuities
  

Important to Know:

• Please be sure to arrive at the tour departure point 15 minutes before the starting time. Guests arriving after departure cannot be accommodated, and missed tours or tickets will not be refunded.
• Unfortunately, wheelchairs and strollers cannot be accommodated on this tour.
  

Important to Bring:

• A hat, sunscreen, and bottled water. Many parts of the itinerary are not shaded.