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Walks (WalksDevour) · St Mark's Square

The Grand Canal by motorboat

A Venetian guide meets you under the Correr Museum portico in St Mark's Square, then takes eight guests at most on a motorboat up the Grand Canal, under the Rialto Bridge and past the fish market and the Ca' d'Oro. Pick it to see Rialto from the water with someone explaining every palazzo.

Grand Canal Boat Tour with a Local Guide

About this experience

This is Walks' (the WalksDevour brand) Venice boat tour. You meet a guide with a yellow WalksDevour sign under the portico outside the Correr Museum, at the far end of St Mark's Square from the Basilica, and spend about half an hour in and around the Piazza. Then it's an hour on a private motorboat: the Grand Canal under the Rialto Bridge, past the Rialto fish market, the Ca' d'Oro, Ca' Pesaro and the Accademia bridge, and out to the cemetery island of San Michele, all from the outside. The tour ends at the San Marco Vallaresso stop.

Eight guests at most makes a real difference on a boat: guests describe space to move around for photos and cover from sun or rain. The guides, Venetians like Alessia, Daria and Barbara, are the reason for the 4.7. Older reviews mention a bell-tower climb at San Giorgio Maggiore; the current listing no longer includes it, so book for the boat ride, not the view from above.

Read two lines in the listing before you book. First, if the boat operator cancels for bad weather, no refund is given, as the listing states outright. Second, the meeting point: several guests missed the start looking for the guide at the Doge's Palace or a statue. It's Piazza San Marco 52, the Correr Museum entrance, under the portico.

  • An hour on the Grand Canal by private motorboat
  • Under the Rialto Bridge and past the Rialto fish market
  • Eight guests at most
  • Ca' d'Oro, Ca' Pesaro, Accademia and San Michele from the water
  • Private boat option for your own group

How the day runs

  1. 15 min beforeCorrer Museum portico

    Piazza San Marco 52, under the portico outside the museum entrance. Look for the yellow WalksDevour sign.

  2. About 30 minSt Mark's Square

    An introduction to the Piazza, the Doge's Palace and the Bridge of Sighs before you board.

  3. About 1 hourGrand Canal by boat

    Up the canal under the Rialto Bridge, past the fish market, the Ca' d'Oro and Ca' Pesaro, out towards San Michele and back.

  4. At the endSan Marco Vallaresso

    The tour ends at the Vallaresso vaporetto stop, a minute from the Piazza.

The Rialto Bridge seen over the wooden bow of a motorboat on the Grand CanalA gothic palazzo with arched windows on the Grand CanalA quiet side canal with a footbridge, seen from the water

What's included

Included

  • Guided tour with a local English-speaking guide
  • Grand Canal by private motorboat
  • Rialto Bridge and fish market, Ca' d'Oro and Ca' Pesaro (exterior)
  • Doge's Palace, Bridge of Sighs and San Michele (exterior)
  • Group of eight or fewer

Not included

  • Gratuities
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off
  • Entry to any building
  • A refund if the boat operator cancels for weather

Who it suits

Book it if

  • You want Rialto from the water with real commentary
  • Your group is small and you hate crowded boats
  • You have one day and want the big picture fast
  • You'd take a guide and a motorboat over a silent gondolier

Skip it if

  • You use a wheelchair or stroller: the listing rules both out
  • You want a refund guarantee for weather: this listing has none
  • You want the romance of a gondola: see the Rialto gondola
  • Your budget is under $60: the water-taxi tour costs less, with mixed reviews

What guests say

★★★★★

We were originally contemplating if we wanted to do a gondola ride instead, but are so happy we chose the Boat tour. We were with 2 others so there was plenty of room to move around the boat to take pictures and have shelter from the sun/rain when needed.

Peyton_C · Sep 2024
★★★★★

Great, small group canal tour. The boat was very comfortable. The tour guide was energetic and informational.

Ross_B · Oct 2026
★★★★★

Having grown up and lived in Venice her entire life really adds to the story telling.

Rob_M · Oct 2024
★★★★★

The boat driver was very helpful with my husband who was using his cane during this trip. [...] It’s pricey but was well worth it !!

Lauren_W · Oct 2023

Tips before you book

  • Go to the Correr Museum, Piazza San Marco 52, at the end of the square opposite the Basilica. Guests who waited at the Doge's Palace missed the start.
  • Weather cancellations by the boat operator are not refunded under this listing. If storms are forecast, cancel yourself more than 24 hours ahead.
  • In July and August, ask to sit outside: one guest found the cabin very hot.
  • Sit at the back, away from the driver, if you want to hear the guide over the engine.
  • Children 2 to 14 pay a child rate; under 2 ride free.

Read next:

Frequently asked questions

Does the Grand Canal boat tour go under the Rialto Bridge?

Yes. The listing includes the Rialto Bridge and the Rialto fish market (from the outside), along with the Ca' d'Oro, Ca' Pesaro and the Accademia bridge.

Where do I meet the guide?

Under the portico outside the Correr Museum, Piazza San Marco 52, at the western end of the square. The guide holds a yellow WalksDevour sign. Arrive 15 minutes early.

What if the weather is bad?

The boat operator may cancel for safety, and the listing says no refund is given in that case. Your own free cancellation still works up to 24 hours before.

Does it still include the San Giorgio bell tower?

No. Older reviews mention it, but the current listing covers St Mark's Square and the boat ride only.

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Book Grand Canal boat tour

Eight guests at most on a private motorboat down the Grand Canal, under Rialto and past the fish market, with a local guide.

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Eight guests at most on a private motorboat down the Grand Canal, under Rialto and past the fish market, with a local guide.

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