Boat Tours in Venice — 15 That Justify the Detour

1.Boat Trip: Glimpse of Murano, Torcello & Burano Islands

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 15,699 reviews · 4.5 - 5.5 hours · from $29Our pick

Cruise from near Saint Mark’s Square or Santa Lucia Station to Murano, Torcello, and Burano. Watch a glass-blowing demonstration, visit a lace shop, and explore each island independently for about 45 minutes. A multilingual host provides commentary onboard, but the tour moves quickly and does not include a meal or Torcello Cathedral admission.

“The place was a bit hard to find initially and we missed our scheduled tour. However they promptly put us in the next group without any hassle. The guide was amazing and the overall experience was great. Excellent way to explore the islands in limited time.”

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2.Burano, Torcello & Murano Boat Tour w/Glassblowing

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 10,245 reviews · 6 hours · from $28Best value

Spend six hours touring Venice’s lagoon by panoramic motorboat, stopping at Murano for a glassblowing demonstration, Burano for colorful canals and lunch, and Torcello for historic sights. A multilingual host shares information on board, while you explore each island independently. Expect about an hour at each stop and limited time for shopping.

“the guide was very clear and nice and the boat ride also”

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3.Murano and Burano Boat Tour with Glass Factory Visit

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 9,527 reviews · from $34

Cruise from San Marco or Venice’s train station to Murano and Burano. Watch a short glass-blowing demonstration, learn how Murano glass is made, then stroll Burano’s canal-side streets and colorful homes. A multilingual guide handles the timing while you explore independently. The boat has a panoramic terrace and returns to your starting point.

“Super organized and efficient BUT better speaker quality because difficult to hear the guide! Highly reccommend!”

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4.Murano & Burano Islands Guided Small-Group Tour by Private Boat

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 7,580 reviews · 5 hours (approx.) · from $36

Cruise from central Venice to Murano and Burano by private water taxi with a local English-speaking guide. Watch glassblowing, see lace-making when available, browse artisan work, and explore Burano’s colorful canals. Guides such as Silvia, Serena, Frankie, and Alice are praised for their stories and local tips.

“Elena was great! Taught us a ton and made us feel so welcome. Murano Glass Factory Tour was informative. Burano is a fun and beautiful town.”

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5.Murano & Burano Panoramic Boat Tour w/ Glassblowing

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 6,212 reviews · 4 - 4.5 hours · from $29

Leave from St. Mark’s area for a 4 to 4.5-hour boat trip to Murano and Burano. Watch a glass master work, browse Murano glass with a 10% discount, then stroll Burano’s colorful lanes. Guides provide explanations in English, Spanish, French, Italian, and German, though island visits are self-guided.

“The time at each island was a bit short but over all it was amazing. I really like Burano more than I did Murano because it seemed to have more culture, shops, restaurants and community. It was great to see local families and kids playing, not to mention the beautiful colorful homes. Murano was amazing to watch the glass blowing and the detail it takes to be a glass blower. But the city life seemed to lack. Overall this was an amazing experience.”

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6.From Venice: Murano & Burano Guided Tour by Private Boat

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 4,170 reviews · from $61

Travel by boat from Venice to Murano and Burano with an English-speaking guide. Watch a glassmaker shape molten glass, see lace made by hand, and enjoy free time for photos, shopping, cookies, and island walks. Guides such as Elena, Anna, and Manu are praised for lively local stories and useful advice.

“Christina was a wonderful guide for this tour to Murano and Murano. She provided interesting information and also had great suggestions for our group. This was the best tour of our visit to Venice. 5 stars”

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7.Private 3 hrs Venice Tour: St Mark’s, Walking tour & Boat tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 3,372 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $480

This Venice tour pairs a guided walk through St. Mark’s Square, St. Mark’s Basilica, and Castello with a one-hour Grand Canal boat ride. English-speaking guides such as Cristina Pigozzo, Adriana, and Francesco have led guests through the city’s churches, palaces, and back canals. Expect a break between the two parts, a group of up to 16, and smaller boats holding about 8 or 9 people.

“our guide Christina, knew everything about her city and was really enthusiastic giving us all the information Also the boat tour was great However the price was rather high”

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8.Private Gondola Cruise for up to 5 Passengers

★★★★★★★★★★3.7 · 3,106 reviews

Book a private gondola for up to five people and glide through Venice for about 30 minutes. The route combines the Grand Canal with smaller waterways, offering views of Gothic palaces and old bridges by day or after dark. There is no included commentary or serenade, so you pay for the private ride and the views, not a guided tour.

“A little bit expensive but i did it for the expr, I don’t if i will pay the same price again for 30 minutes”

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9.From Venice: Murano and Burano Half-Day Island Tour by Boat

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 2,489 reviews · 3 - 9.5 hours · from $34

Travel by boat from Venice to Murano and Burano with an English- or Spanish-speaking guide. Watch a glassblowing demonstration, see traditional lacework, and enjoy free time among Burano’s colorful houses. Guides such as Flavia, Claudia, Silvia, and Nicole are often praised for clear explanations and helpful local tips.

“The activity overall was exceptional, mostly thanks to our Tour Guide Claudia! You could tell that Claudia really loves her job, she is very knowledgeable and her effervescence and enthusiasm really brings you along for the ride! The glass blowing demonstration was quite good but I note that, depending on where you were standing, there would be parts of the demonstration that a person may miss out on seeing. Burano is a really lovely town, I would’ve loved to have had more time to spend there!”

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10.Catamaran Sunset Jazz Cruise with Aperitivo

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 1,206 reviews · 1.5 hours · from $94

Spend 90 minutes on a roomy catamaran with host Andreas and his friendly crew, sailing from Riva dei Sette Martiri across San Marco Bay, the Giudecca Canal, and toward Lido. Enjoy live saxophone jazz, one included drink, Venetian cicchetti, and sunset views. Extra drinks are available, with cash often needed.

“Lovely music with live sax. amazing views. We enjoyed the snacks and drinks. Would have likes a little more food, and a lot less rain! but clearly they cannot control the weather”

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11.Padua to Venice Boat Cruise of the Brenta Riviera

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 418 reviews · from $157

Spend a full day cruising from Padua’s Portello Stairway to Venice San Marco aboard the Burchiello. You’ll tour Villa Pisani, Villa Widmann, and Palladio’s Villa Foscari, with multilingual commentary from guides such as Laura. Lunch is not included, and you must arrange your own return to Padua.

“The content is very nice. Guide very knowledgeable of subject and different languages.”

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12.Boat Tour at Devil’s Saddle: 4 Swim Stops, Snorkeling & Prosecco

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 263 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $60Top rated

Spend about three hours cruising from Cagliari’s Molo Dogana to Cala Bernat, Calamosca, Cala Fighera, Sella del Diavolo, and nearby bays. You’ll get snorkeling gear, water, a glass of Prosecco, and an English or Italian-speaking skipper such as Giovanni, Alessandro, Matteo, or Pietro. Expect swimming, coastal views, music, and weather-based route changes.

“It was great, Alessandro knows the best stops. When we went snorkeling, we saw many fishes. The water is so clear! It's a great feeling riding the waves with good music and the jokes of the skipper. You have enough time and many ocassions to swim. For the prosecco i give an extra point ;)”

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13.Punta Sabbioni: Murano, Burano & Torcello Guided Boat Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 236 reviews · 7 hours · from $35

Spend seven hours cruising from Punta Sabbioni to Murano, Burano, and Torcello with a live guide in English, German, or Italian. Watch Murano glassblowing, stroll Burano’s colorful streets, and see Venetian-Byzantine mosaics in Torcello’s cathedral. Murano gets only about an hour, while Burano receives two hours.

“A wonderful trip overall. Would have loved an extra half hour in Murano- a lot of time spent picking up passengers in Venice (we went from Punto Sabbione). Great guide, beautiful locations. Glass demonstration was great but one young staff member who was at door between stairs and exit shop was really rude- she physically shoved my teenage daughter to get her to go the right way and was really sharp when I asked a question (also condescendingly corrected my Italian pronunciation). I should have said something to her at the time but I was taken aback. Otherwise great!”

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14.From Punta Sabbioni: Murano and Burano Islands Boat Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 225 reviews · 5 hours · from $29

From Punta Sabbioni, sail first toward Venice and then to Murano and Burano with an Italian, English, or German-speaking guide onboard. Watch a live glassmaking demonstration, stroll Murano for about an hour, and explore Burano for 75 minutes. The tour costs $29, allows pets, and returns around 5:00 PM.

“Nem mondták, hogy Velencében köt ki először a hajó, ezért többen azt hittük, hogy rossz hajón vagyunk. Muránóban kevés volt az idő szétnézni. De összességében jó volt.”

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15.Catamaran tour stops bathing and snorkeling toast with prosecco

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 214 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $73

Spend about three hours on the water with Alma Sailing Charter, touring Cagliari’s coast with guides such as Alma and Patrick. You’ll see historic sites from the sea, stop near Sella del Diavolo for swimming and snorkeling, use supplied floats and masks, and finish with a Prosecco toast. The group is limited to 12 people.

“Great day on the water. Very accommodating with transport to the marina. Interesting facts were shared during our tour and everything was as advertised. Not sure how the picture perfect day was arranged but it was picture perfect. Thank you so much.”

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