Venice in 3 Days - Private Tours with Expert Guides

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Venezia

Price Range €330-980
Duration 3 days
Group Size Max 8
Categories
Arte Cultura Easy

Introduction

Discover Venice with a private three-day itinerary through calli, canals and lagoon islands, accompanied by expert local guides. A tailor-made journey that combines the great classics – San Marco, Grand Canal, Murano and Burano – with authentic experiences like lunch in a bacaro with Venetian cicchetti and navigation in a private motorboat. No accommodation included: freely choose your hotel and leave everything else to us.

💎 Why choose this tour

  • The "real" Venice in 3 days: Unmissable monuments, authentic neighborhoods away from the crowds and the unique colors of the lagoon
  • All private and tailor-made: Dedicated guide, reserved motorboat, timings and paces adaptable to your needs
  • Curated experiences: Typical lunch in bacaro included, boat tour to Murano and Burano, personalized suggestions
  • Venice from the water: Panoramic navigation in private motorboat along the Grand Canal and historic canals
  • Murano and Burano: Private excursion with glass demonstration, colorful houses and artisan lace
  • Maximum flexibility: No imposed hotel, customizable program, extendable to 4-5 days on request
  • Argiletum Tours assistance: Dedicated customer service for any needs during your stay

📋 Practical information

  • Duration: 3 days of services (flexible program, extendable on request)
  • Services: Private tours and transfers; accommodations not included (free hotel choice)
  • Languages: Italian; English, Portuguese, French, Chinese, Japanese on request
  • Lagoon transport: Private motorboats; charming wooden boat version available on request
  • Suitable for: Couples, families and small groups
  • Confirmation: We recommend advance booking

Itinerary Details

Day 1

Welcome to Venice

Arrival and private transfer

Arrival in Venice and private transfer by motorboat to your hotel. Check-in and free time to settle into the city on the water, breathe the unique atmosphere of the canals, and get your bearings among the first calli.

Private walking tour (2 hours)

In the afternoon, meet your local guide for a private 2-hour walking tour to discover the heart of Venice. You will explore Piazza San Marco, admiring the exteriors of the Basilica and the Campanile. The walk continues to the Ponte di Rialto, the oldest and most iconic bridge over the Grand Canal, and the lively Mercato di Rialto, where Venetians have been shopping for over 700 years. You will venture into the San Polo area, discovering silent calli and hidden campielli, far from the tourist paths.

Free evening to explore the city at sunset.

Argiletum Tours Tip: At the end of the tour, a ride in a private gondola for a first glimpse of Venice from the water, with the palaces reflecting in the canals in the warmth of the evening light (extra on request).


Day 2

Classic Venice and the city from the water

Morning: Basilica di San Marco and surroundings (2 hours)

Meet the guide for the guided tour of the interiors of the Basilica di San Marco, a masterpiece of Byzantine art with its famous golden mosaics covering over 8,000 sqm of surface. The guide will reveal the secrets of the Pala d'Oro, the precious marbles, and the thousand-year history of this temple that tells the power of the Serenissima. Continue to the Ponte dei Sospiri, the covered passage between the Palazzo Ducale and the prisons, and the panoramic Riva degli Schiavoni with a view of the lagoon.

On request: guided tour of the Palazzo Ducale, seat of the government of the Republic of Venice for over a thousand years, with its monumental halls and paintings by Tintoretto and Veronese (extra entries).

Lunch in bacaro (included)

Lunch in a typical Venetian bacaro or selected trattoria, where you will taste the famous cicchetti – the Venetian tapas – accompanied by traditional lagoon dishes and an'ombra de vin, the glass of wine that Venetians sip standing at the counter. An authentic gastronomic experience, far from tourist restaurants.

Afternoon: Venice from the water by private luxury motoscafo (2 hours)

The afternoon continues with another 2 hours of tour, between walking and navigation in a private luxury motoscafo. Panoramic itinerary along the main canals: suggestive glimpses of the Canal Grande, the Gothic and Renaissance palaces reflecting in the water, the churches overlooking the rii, and the secret corners that only the perspective from the water can offer. A unique way to understand why Venice was built on water and how water is the beating heart of the city.

Return to the hotel and free evening.

Argiletum Tours Tip: Venetian masks experience – Mini-course of about 2 hours in an artisan workshop, where you will decorate your Carnival mask with traditional techniques. A unique souvenir to take home (extra on request).


Day 3

Murano and Burano: the colors of the lagoon

Private boat excursion (4 hours)

Half day dedicated to the Venice lagoon with a private approximately 4-hour boat excursion with a guide. An immersion in the colors and artisanal traditions that have made these islands famous worldwide.

Murano – The island of glass

Arrival in Murano, the island where master glassmakers have been working blown glass for over 700 years. Visit to a historic furnace with a live demonstration: you will watch a master transform sand and fire into light sculptures, using techniques passed down from generation to generation. Free time to explore the shops and glass art galleries, where you can purchase unique handmade pieces.

Burano – The island of colors

Continuation to Burano, the most photogenic island in the lagoon. Walk among the colorful houses that reflect in the canals, creating an explosion of colors worthy of an impressionist painting. You will discover the centuries-old tradition of Burano lace, a very fine and patient craftsmanship that has made the island famous worldwide. Stop for coffee or a typical sweet, with time for photos and shopping for artisanal lace.

Return to Venice. Afternoon and evening free for shopping, minor museums, or simply to enjoy the city on your own, following your own pace.

Argiletum Tours Tip: Walk in the Cannaregio area, one of Venice's most authentic neighborhoods, with a final tasting of cicchetti and local wines to bid farewell to the Serenissima with all your senses (on your own).

Services Included

Included in Price:
  • Private hotel transfer upon arrival in Venice
  • One 2-hour private walking tour on the first day
  • One day of sightseeing on the second day with a private guide (total 4 hours)
  • Private motorboat for the water tour on the second day (1 hour)
  • One private half-day boat excursion to Murano and Burano with a guide
  • Lunch on the second day in a bacaro/typical trattoria
  • Agency assistance
  • Taxes
Optional Extras:
  • Private gondola ride
  • Entrance fees to the Doge's Palace and other museums/monuments not listed
  • Overnight stays in Venice
  • Departure transfer if necessary

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