Hidden Canals - Private Venice Boat Tour

You'll also make stops to explore on foot, discovering at least one of Venice's famous secret gardens as well as Cannaregio and the fascinating Jewish Ghetto. At the end of your tour, you'll be dropped back at your pier or another convenient location in the city.

Please contact us after booking to let us know your Venice hotel name. If your hotel has an accessible pier nearby then we can arrange pick-up from there. If not, we'll offer another convenient start point for you.

Private Venice Boat Tour Description

Your 3-hour tour includes the following:

• Pick up and drop off at many Venice hotels

• Private luxury boat tour of the Grand Canal and local canals

• Visit at least one secret garden not usually open to the public

• Walking tour of Cannaregio and the Jewish Ghetto

• Private English-speaking guide with tons of local knowledge

Pick Up and Drop Off in VIP Style

To make this private tour in Venice even more fabulous, we pick you up and drop you off at your hotel in our private boat. This VIP service is included for clients who are staying in a hotel in the city center with an appropriate dock. Not sure if your hotel will work? Contact our Travel Experts by email or online chat to be sure.

Grand Canal Cruise

After a quick visit to the stunning San Giovanni & Paolo Church, your boat tour will really begin when you reach the Grand Canal. The main avenue of Venice, connecting St. Mark's Square, the Rialto Bridge, the train station, and many more of the city's most important places, it's often referred to as Venice's artery. On your VIP cruise, your private guide will point out the amazing palaces, bridges, and famous sites that line the Canal. It is a fantastic overview of the city, and you'll also pass by St. Mark's Square—home of St. Mark's Basilica and the Doge's Palace.

Hidden Canals and Secret Gardens of Venice

After enjoying the buzz of the Grand Canal, you'll turn off the main waterway and into the small canals where Venetians have traveled by gondola for centuries. These winding canals were built without a grid in mind, and the buildings and streets that line the waterway are densely packed and full of local life. The hidden canals of Venice are both pretty and practical, and Venetians have been using them to travel through the city for centuries.

There are over 500 secret gardens in Venice, tucked away behind nondescript doorways and offering a magical escape from the bustle of city life. Most people leave Venice without even knowing they exist, but your private local guide knows exactly where they're hiding. Stopping at seemingly random doors, you'll get special access to seem some of the pristine landscaping and wonderful flora tucked away behind the city streets.

You'll see at least one Secret Garden on this tour, and possibly more. As they aren't public tourist attractions, which gardens are available to view can change from day to day.

See where Marco Polo and Tintoretto lived

For hundreds of years during the last millennium, Venice was a major trading and cultural power. The home of the Church of Gold and the luxurious Doge's Palace, Venice was once an international hub of much repute. One of its traders, a man by the name of Marco Polo, famously made it all the way to China! Whether Polo actually brought back noodles or even went to China is up for debate, but his writings were the go-to source on the Far East for centuries. As you explore the city, you'll see the house where Polo was born, as well as the home of Renaissance master Tintoretto—one of the most influential artists of his time.

Madonna dell'Orto

After your scenic boat ride, step back on land to explore another Venetian church, Madonna dell’Orto. As you enter, make sure you turn around to admire the beautiful organ that sits on top of the main entryway! Built in the 14th century, the church owes its name to a miraculous statue of the Virgin and Child. One of the most stunning examples of Gothic architecture in Venice, the church is dedicated to the Virgin Mary and St. Christopher, protector of sailors.

Cannaregio and the Jewish Ghetto

Towards the end of your tour, your guide will lead you on a walking tour of the vibrant Cannaregio neighborhood. Home to many of the city's best shops, bars, and restaurants, it's a hive of local life and one of Venice's hippest areas. You'll also see the Venetian Jewish Ghetto, which was established back in 1516. The entire Jewish population of Venice had to live in the area until the end of the 18th century, when Napoleon liberated the neighborhood. It is the oldest Jewish Ghetto in the world and also the origin of the word "ghetto" itself.

At the end of your tour, you'll be dropped back at near to your hotel, or at another convenient pier in central Venice.