Private Venice Canal Cruise: 2-Hour Grand Canal and Secret Canals
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September 2026
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Adults
Age 13 and over
Children
Age 12 and under
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Free cancellation up to 24 hours before. Same price on Viator, Outty earns a commission.
Traveler rating
4.5/5
Based on 139 traveler reviews. Ratings and reviews provided by Viator and Tripadvisor.
Quick answer
Is Private Venice Canal Cruise: 2-Hour Grand Canal and Secret Canals worth booking?
Private Venice Canal Cruise: 2-Hour Grand Canal and Secret Canals is a 2-hour experience in Venice, Italy, from $130 per person. It scores 64 out of 100 on the Outty Ranking, which we label “Solid Choice”, based on a 4.5/5 rating across 139 reviews. Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before the start time. Same-day spots are currently showing.
- Outty Ranking
- 64 / 100
- Rating
- 4.5/5 (139)
- Duration
- 2 hours
- From
- $130 per person
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
What you get
About this experience
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.
What travelers are saying
Outty’s summary of the themes that recur across 139 traveler reviews. Written by us, not quoted from reviewers.
The guide
8 mentionsTravelers single out the guide as the reason the experience works.
Knowledge and storytelling
5 mentionsReviewers describe the commentary as informative rather than scripted.
Organization
2 mentionsPickup, timing, and logistics are described as running smoothly.
Small groups
2 mentionsThe group size is repeatedly described as intimate rather than packed.
Traveler reviews
139 verified traveler reviews for Private Venice Canal Cruise: 2-Hour Grand Canal and Secret Canals. Ratings and reviews provided by Viator and Tripadvisor.
Perfect start to Venice.
Our first tour of the trip! After landing in Venice all the way from the states, we were so grateful for this relaxing orientation to venice. We got so much information and understand the city better!
via Viator
Save your money. Don’t book this one!
Tour was in a taxi and not in a wooden boat like the photos. Taxi was old and run down. Tour guide talked badly about “tourists” and the way they shop. His knowledge about the history was limited. We found ourselves correcting him several times. One strange thing was he kept asking us to leave our belongings (purse and backpack) on the taxi when we got off. Felt sketchy. Tour guide left us in the shopping district and not back where we started like it said. It was a 40 minute walk back. We mentioned we wanted to go back and he ignored us. Just awful experience. This was our 4th Viator tour this trip. The others were great.
Response from the operator: Dear Client, Thank you for your feedback . I spoke with our guide Sergio as from your name I could trace back the booking. I try to answer to all various points you arise: Sergio is a professional guide with degree in art and history and has been one of our guides for about 20 years. Therefore I'm a bit surprised to read that you had to correct him . Also he would never speak badly about tourists as we all live on tourism - he was explaining that since tourism has increased, many venitians have moved out from Venice to live outside of Venice - and this is a true fact. The tour could have easily finished back to where it started ; Sergio understood that you wanted to visit the shopping area and therefore offered you to stop at Rialto, as the main shopping street is between Rialto and St Mark's. In regards to the boat, these are the regular water taxis that are used in Venice to operate these tours and although Sergio confirmed it was not a wooden taxi , we would never operate our tours with run down taxis boats - but if you have pictures of the boat, please share those. We are a professional tour company that have been in business for 24 years and have grown thanks especially to the great dedication and love we have for our business and for trying always our best to deliver quality experiences to our clients. Most of the times we succeed , others we don't,like in all businesses as it is impossible to please everybody, for many variable and subjective reasons as well. Kind Regards Monica
via Viator
Great Tour with 1 Technical Issue
This was a great tour of some of the less touristy parts of Venice. It's divided up into the boat portion of the tour and the walking portion of the tour, that is mostly in the Jewish Ghetto. All the locations that were picked out were interesting and our guide did a good job of relaying information to us. The one issue we had was that in the boat portion of the tour, we were sitting outside in the back of the boat and weren't able to hear the guide who was sitting in the front.
via Tripadvisor
boat ride and Jewish Ghetto stop
There were 8 of us on this cruise and the boat used only had seating for 3 to 4 outside the cabin. Those seated inside the cabin really couldn't see what the tour guide was discussing/telling us to look at. A boat without the cabin should have been utilized Also, really not so many secret canals as the tour was titled, they were just canals that most tourists would not see since they were mostly away from the main tourist locations
Response from the operator: Dear Client, Thank you for your feedback. In Venice the only boats allowed down the grand canal and that can be used to tour are the type of boats you were given for touring. We've been operating this tour for many years and our guides advice clients to stay outside in the open air - Generally there is room for 4 people in the back and 4 in the front - Majority of clients enjoy spend part of the time stading and part of the time seated. As for the secret/ hidden canals, our tour features many off the tourist routes canals to give you a different perspective of venice - this is what we intend for secret, seeing places of enchanting Venice most tourist don't see and visit. Yours sincerely, Monica
via Viator
A trip of a lifetime
The tour guide was very knowledgeable and spoke wonderful English. She took us to all the main attractions and then some, thank you
via Viator
Good to know
- Duration
- 2 hours
- Free cancellation
- Up to 24h before
- Minimum age to book
- All ages
- Availability
- Bookable today
- Booked in 30 days
- 49
- Verdict
- Solid Choice
Why this scores 64
The Outty Ranking is a weighted composite. Here is how this experience performed on each component.
Private Venice Canal Cruise: 2-Hour Grand Canal and Secret Canals: questions travelers ask
Practical detail on this experience, plus the wider planning questions for Venice.
How much does Private Venice Canal Cruise: 2-Hour Grand Canal and Secret Canals cost?
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Prices start at $130 per person. The final price depends on the date, the time slot and the number of travelers, and peak weekends in Venice usually price higher than midweek mornings. Live pricing and remaining availability are confirmed on the booking screen before you pay.
How long does Private Venice Canal Cruise: 2-Hour Grand Canal and Secret Canals take?
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Plan for about 2 hours from start to finish, not counting travel to the meeting point. Most travelers leave another 30 minutes on either side so the rest of the day in Venice is not rushed.
Is Private Venice Canal Cruise: 2-Hour Grand Canal and Secret Canals worth it?
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It holds an Outty Ranking of 64 out of 100, which we label "Solid Choice". That score blends traveler sentiment (4.5/5 across 139 reviews), the depth of that review evidence, recent booking momentum, value for money against comparable last minute in Venice, and how flexible the cancellation terms are.
Can I cancel or reschedule Private Venice Canal Cruise: 2-Hour Grand Canal and Secret Canals?
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Yes. Cancel free up to 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. Inside that window the booking is non-refundable, and no-shows are not refunded.
Is Private Venice Canal Cruise: 2-Hour Grand Canal and Secret Canals suitable for kids and families?
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Yes, all ages are welcome. Families should still weigh the 2-hour running time, and strollers are easier on the earlier, quieter departures.
How far in advance should I book Private Venice Canal Cruise: 2-Hour Grand Canal and Secret Canals?
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Around 49 people booked this in the last 30 days, so popular slots go early. Two to three weeks ahead is comfortable in shoulder season, while summer weekends and holidays in Venice can sell out a month out. Same-day spots do open up when other travelers cancel, so it is worth checking if you are already in town.
What should I bring or wear?
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Bring photo ID, your booking confirmation on your phone, a refillable water bottle and comfortable shoes. Dress for the weather in Venice and add a light layer if any part of the 2-hour experience runs outdoors or after sunset.
Where does Private Venice Canal Cruise: 2-Hour Grand Canal and Secret Canals start and how do I get there?
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The exact meeting point and directions are on your voucher once you book, and they sit in central Venice within reach of public transport. Arrive 15 minutes early: late arrivals are treated as no-shows by most operators.
What are the best things to do in Venice?
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On Outty we rank every Venice experience on the same 0 to 100 scale, and alongside this one the highest scorers right now include Pasta and Tiramisu Cooking Class with Wine in Venice, Eating Venice Small Group Food & Drinks Tour, Venice Bacaro Food Tour: Eat and Drink like a Venetian. The city page groups everything into most popular, highest reviewed, last minute and family-friendly so you can build a day around what actually delivers.
When is the best time to visit Venice?
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Booking patterns follow the same curve: prices and queues climb in peak weeks, while shoulder season gives you better availability on the top-ranked experiences and more room to change plans.
How many days do you need in Venice?
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Three full days covers the headline sights without sprinting. A workable rhythm is one anchor experience each morning, such as this one, an unhurried afternoon in a single neighborhood, then a food or nightlife booking in the evening. Five days lets you add a day trip outside the city.
Do I book through Outty or through the operator?
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Outty ranks and explains the experiences, then hands you to Viator to complete the booking with the operator directly. The price is the same as booking on Viator yourself, and Outty earns an affiliate commission on the referral, which is how the rankings stay free to read.
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