Famous for its canals, historical architecture and many more factors including Shakespeare ballades, Venice offers fabulous tourist attraction to trippers of almost every taste. Exclusive VIP small-group format tour called “Venice gondola ride” is carefully designed to offer a full and enjoyable introduction to splendid Venice, its art, history and flavorful local fare. Discover Venice’s soul, led by professional and knowledgeable guide, and guide into its colors and flavors during the whole tour period.
Facts and Historical Overview
Venice is a city in north-eastern Italy and the capital of Veneto region. It is built on a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by more than 400 bridges. The islands are in the shallow Venetian Lagoon, an enclosed bay, lying between the mouths of Po and Piave rivers.
Although no surviving historical records deal with emerging of Venice, tradition and the available evidence have led several historians to agree that the original population of Venice consisted of refugees – from nearby Roman cities, such as Padua, Aquilea, Treviso and others. They were fleeing waves from Germanic and Hun invaders. This is further supported by the documentation of the so called “apostolic families”, the twelve founding families of Venice, who elected the first doge, who in most cases trace their roots to Roman past. Some late Roman sources reveal the communities of fishermen, who were referred as lagoon dwellers. The traditional founding is marked with building first San Giacomo Church, built in 24 March, 421 AD.
Gondola Ride: Main Attraction for Tourists
Making a journey through Venice and missing the world famous gondola ride down the city canals – who can ever imagine that? Meet your guide and start with visiting a historic café. While your guide introduces you to unique Venice features, you will start experiencing the characteristic lifestyle with famous “colazione” – expresso or cappuccino, invented of course in Italy, and delicious taste of patisserie. Next you ride the gondola, and began your trip down the canal, which in fact replaces city streets! On the way the guide will show you various places on both sides of the canal – discover the grandeur of St Mark’s Square, a showpiece that beautifully represents splendors of Venice’s past, crowned by Venetian-Byzantine domes. There is gothic architecture of Doge’s Palace, once seat of the government. Palace of Justice, prison, home of the Doge, which also harbours the haunting Bridge of Sighs.
Along the canal way, there are narrow streets on both banks, and you can see the local people, whom you can join for traditional Cicchetti, luscious Venetian “tapas” made with local products and refreshments. Then you return to gondola and continue the ride.
See the iconic Ponte de Rialto over the Grande Canale, and learn why it was once said that this beautiful daring structure was bound to fall ( while it is standing for more than 400 years!) and then the fascinating Rialto fish market. You can stop here for some time, explore the market. After that continue the gondola ride for more than next 30 minutes, tasting uniquely unexpecting and unforgettable views of the city. Art, history, tradition and flavours are the soul of the city’s culture.
Instructions and Precautions
Beside there are other programs, these are described below:
- Guided walking tour
- Italian breakfast
- Local product tasting
- Licensed English/Spanish speaking guide
- Suitable for vegetarians, if informed in advance
Meeting point
- MARKS SQUARE: The tour leader always waits under the column with the lion on the top, in front of Doge Palace. Any food allergy should be declared to the guide in advance.
Rain Policy
The walking tour will never be cancelled, it will operate rain or shine. The gondola ride might be cancelled due to rain. In case of cancelling the gondola ride due to rain, a partial refund can be paid, corresponding to the tour cost without gondola ride.
Other tour attractions include bridges like Calli, Ponti and Rugnette.
Some other facts
Best time to visit Venice: April-June, the summer shiny period.
Best restaurants in Venice: Osteria Campo Santa Marina, Quadri, Al Covo, Venissa and La Zucca