Venice by “acqua”: boat tour of the Canal Grande...

The Grand Canal is a meandering waterway and has the shape of a backward ‘S’ that divides the city into two parts. It originates from an ancient river that met right in the lagoon and has always represented a most important means of transport for the Venetians: to have a house on this prestigious waterway was a sort of status symbol. That is why its banks have an uninterrupted series of sumptuous patrician homes. The tour may proceed right up to the islands of the Lagoon defined as ‘the minor islands’ such as San Lazzaro degli Armeni - a piece of the orient in the lagoon, San Francesco del Deserto - home of the legendary monastery, San Erasmo - considered the agricultural market of Venice, San Giorgio with the same named beautiful Palladian church and even San Servolo, San Clemente, the Lido etc, etc.

The tour of the Grand Canal takes about an hour. We recommend that you do this tour at the end of a walk (total 2 hours) or combine it to the tour of the bigger islands (see tour 3, total 4 hours) or to the smaller/minor islands (total 4 hours). The visit to some of the smaller islands must be booked in advance and foresees an entrance ticket. Should you wish to tour all day, lunch can be booked in a typically local restaurant.