no alt text

Travel bucket list idea:

Last updated: 24 June, 2023
Expert travel writer: Nicky Swallow

To all intents and purposes, the Grand Canal (or Canal Grande) is Venice’s high street, a wide thoroughfare lined with elegant palazzi that winds through the city. Like any high street, it is full of traffic (water buses, ambulances, builder’s barges, gondolas and private boats) and is essential to Venetian life.

Two miles long, and traversed by four bridges, the Canal flows between the train station and St. Mark’s Square (Piazza San Marco). Between the 12th and 18th centuries, every important Venetian family built a palazzo (often called a Ca’) on its banks, each with a water entrance. The most notable palazzi include; Ca’ d’Oro, Ca’ Pesaro, Ca’ Foscari, Ca’ Rezzonico and Palazzo Grimani.

The cheapest boat ride is to hop on one of the regular water buses (vaporetto) that ply the Canal from one end to the other. Progress is slow, and they are often crowded, but a sought-after open-air seat at either the front or the back allows you to see everything. For a more exclusive experience, and to up the glamour stakes, take a water taxi or a gondola.

Price from: £5
Minimum age: Any
Age suitable: 8+
When: All year around
Duration: 45 minutes

Getting there & doing it

The trip between the San Marco and Ferrovia (train station) stops takes around 45 minutes;

Line 1 plies this route zig-zagging along the canal between multiple stops along the way. Just like buses, you can hop on and off along the route. For information and timetables about this and all the other public transport routes in Venice, see the ACTV website.

Water taxis have pick up points at the train station, Rialto and Piazza San Marco. You can also order one by phone. There are official gondola stops all over the city including at the railway station, in front of the hotel Danieli and at the San Tomà and Vallaresso vaporetto stops.

When to do it

Vaporetti run daily, all year round from around 5am until around 11.30pm.

For a better chance of an outside seat (and to avoid the crowds), take the trip very early in the morning or late at night when the canal is at its romantic best.

Venetians themselves walk a lot; the vaporetti are often filled with tourists. So low season means emptier vaporetti.

Our selection of the best Viator tours of this attraction or activity

Private Grand Canal 1-Hour Boat Tour

Venice

 Private Grand Canal 1-Hour Boat Tour
The best way to appreciate the beauty and uniqueness of a city built on water is by boat. Gliding through Venice's Grand Canal and minor canals, you'll be introduced to the splendid palaces, churches, bridges, gardens and warehouses lining the city's liquid streets. Your luxurious motor launch boat tour of the Grand Canal brings the magic of Venice alive – ideal for photographers!

Price: €69

Min age: 0

Rating 4.10 / 5 [678 ratings]

Tour supplied by:

Viator Logo

Venice in one Day: Grand Canal, St Mark's Basilica, Walking Tour

Venice

Venice in one Day: Grand Canal, St Mark's Basilica, Walking Tour
If it’s your first time in Venice, see all the highlights of this magical city on a combination walking including St Mark's Basilica and a boat tour on the Grand Canal. From Piazza San Marco (St Mark’s Square) to the Rialto Bridge, your informative guide will offer historical perspectives on this fascinating medieval city. Plus, you'll skip the long lines at St Mark's Basilica – there’s no need to waste time waiting in lines when you're on vacation!

Price: €119

Min age: 0

Rating 4.15 / 5 [3326 ratings]

Tour supplied by:

Viator Logo

Venice Grand Canal by motorboat & Basilica San Giorgio Maggiore

Venice

Venice Grand Canal by motorboat & Basilica San Giorgio Maggiore
Speed through Venice by luxury motorboat to discover the sights of the Grand Canal and the Basilica of San Giorgio Maggiore. As a knowledgeable guide drives, relax on board and gaze out at sights of Rialto Bridge and Doge’s Palace alongside the churches and palaces of the Grand Canal. Then, cruise to the Basilica of San Giorgio Maggiore to soak up views of Venice from the top of the bell tower. Numbers are limited to nine for personalized attention from a guide.

Price: €119

Min age: 0

Rating 4.58 / 5 [29 ratings]

Tour supplied by:

Viator Logo

The Secrets of the Grand Canal - Boat Tour

Venice

The Secrets of the Grand Canal - Boat Tour
The most exclusive and unique tour of the Grand Canal, discovering its stories, legends and mysteries. A true Venetian will guide you in this fascinating itinerary to live the city from a different perspective: the water! Through this experience you will explore the entire city in just 1 hour, immersed in a magic 100% Venetian atmosphere! Please note: pictures are for illustration purposes only and to present the experience in its entirety. The boat is a private deluxe water taxi. A specific boat cannot be granted, since it is upon availability. For any inquiry or customization, feel free to contact us.

Price: €165

Min age: 0

Rating 4.74 / 5 [27 ratings]

Tour supplied by:

Viator Logo

Grand Canal boat tour and Murano glass experience with Hotel pick up

Venice

Grand Canal boat tour and Murano glass experience with Hotel pick up
Meet your private guide at your Hotel and by a confortable watertaxi explore Venice Learn about the legendary buildings and Families that lived for centuries Reach Murano island and enter in an historical glass factory for a private visit Your guide is at total disposal for any questions

Price: €250

Min age: 0

Rating 4.32 / 5 [25 ratings]

Tour supplied by:

Viator Logo

Private Tour: Venice Grand Canal Evening Boat Tour

Venice

Private Tour: Venice Grand Canal Evening Boat Tour
Take a romantic evening cruise along Venice's canals aboard a modern Venetian boat. This evening tour by comfortable boat takes you along Venice's famous Grand Canal, and allows you to explore further than a traditional Venice gondola allows. You can choose to speed along for one or two hours with your very own boat and personal guide.

Price: €375

Min age: 0

Rating 4.28 / 5 [49 ratings]

Tour supplied by:

Viator Logo

Private Venice Canal Cruise: 2-Hour Grand Canal and Secret Canals

Venice

Private Venice Canal Cruise: 2-Hour Grand Canal and Secret Canals
Explore some of the smaller, secret Venetian canals by motorboat on a 2-hour cruise, and discover the neighborhoods of Cannaregio, the Jewish Ghetto and Dorsoduro as well as the Grand Canal, too! While hearing anecdotes and history about the enchanting city from an onboard guide, look out for sights such as the Arsenale shipyard alongside intriguing lesser-known landmarks. See craftsmen at work at a gondola boat workshop, and then finish the cruise on a high note with a jaunt along the glamorous Grand Canal and underneath Rialto Bridge.

Price: €390

Min age: 0

Rating 4.48 / 5 [139 ratings]

Tour supplied by:

Viator Logo

Private Guided Tour: Venice Gondola Ride Including the Grand Canal

Venice

Private Guided Tour: Venice Gondola Ride Including the Grand Canal
Float through Venice by private gondola boat on a 1-hour tour, and learn all about the history of the quintessential Venetian gondolas, too! As a gondolier navigates the boat along the famous Grand Canal, relax and listen to fun facts and trivia about the boats and the city from a local guide. Pass along pretty Rio della Madonnetta, and then ogle top Venice attractions such as Rialto Bridge and the glamorous Gothic Ca’ d’Oro mansion on the Grand Canal. The traditional gondola is small but seats up to five people comfortably in addition to the onboard guide and gondolier.

Price: €395

Min age: 0

Rating 4.17 / 5 [129 ratings]

Tour supplied by:

Viator Logo

Private 5 hrs Grand Day Tour of Venice on foot and by boat with tickets included

Venice

Private 5 hrs Grand Day Tour of Venice on foot and by boat with tickets included
Experience the highlights of Venice on this Private 5 hrs tour featuring the Doges Palace, St Mark's basilica and a walk through the so called hidden Venice ( all skip the line tickets included) ! By boat cruise the grand canal and some of its smaller canals with drop off in hidden Venice to explore more of the real Venice. Depending on the time/ day you'll take the tour, the last hour can feature the Rialto Market and Santa Croce district or the Cannaregio and Jewish ghetto.

Price: €505

Min age: 0

Rating 4.39 / 5 [706 ratings]

Tour supplied by:

Viator Logo

Private Grand Canal Boat Tour and Murano Glass Experience

Venice

Private Grand Canal Boat Tour and Murano Glass Experience
A private guided boat ride along the Grand Canal followed by a visit to the famous Murano island Glass factory that is known for its glass production all around the world.

Price: €508

Min age: 0

Rating 4.54 / 5 [24 ratings]

Tour supplied by:

Viator Logo

Grand Canal Boat Private Tour: Murano and Burano 4 hrs

Venice

Grand Canal Boat Private Tour: Murano and Burano 4 hrs
Step aboard a private boat and let the beauty of Venice enchant you as you explore one of the world’s most romantic cities and its spectacular sights with a local guide. You’ll set your own schedule for this four-hour tour with an included pickup at your hotel or the cruise terminal, learning about the artistry of glass-blowing on Murano, marveling at the technicolor homes and intricate lacemaking traditions passed on through generations in Burano, and taking in the rich history and architecture of the Grand Canal and St. Mark’s Square, with a few detours to lesser-known lagoons and neighborhoods along the way.

Price: €813

Min age: 0

Rating 4.88 / 5 [18 ratings]

Tour supplied by:

Viator Logo

Destination guides including or relevant to this experience

Venice

Veneto, Italy

Venice

Crammed with picturesque canals, Renaissance palazzos and artistic masterpieces, this unique and alluring city is heaven-on-earth for art lovers and romantics.