Giudecca Island: Venice's Artistic Retreat

Explore the artistic district of Giudecca Island in Venice, once an aristocratic retreat and now a trendy hub of art and culture. Discover its history, stunning views, and hidden gems.

Duration: 2 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Venice - The history of Giudecca is intriguing, starting with its name. Contrary to popular belief, it does not derive from former Jewish inhabitants (“Giudei” in Italian), but from the Venetian term “zudega,” meaning “the judged.” This refers to the aristocratic families exiled here in the 9th century. Recently, the spacious abandoned areas have…
What's Included
  • Guided by an expert tour leader
  • Nature and interpretive guide included
What's Not Included
  • Gratuities
  • Water bus ticket to Giudecca island. Tickets will be purchased on board
Additional Information

Explore the fishbone-like shape of Giudecca Island, often referred to as Venice’s unofficial seventh sestiere. Once a retreat for the aristocracy, it later became the city’s industrial hub and is now a vibrant artistic district.
Stroll through the largest and nearest island to Venice, separated by the expansive and deep Giudecca Canal, and enjoy…

Location
Zattere
We will meet in front of the church
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.9
(15 Ratings)
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875klarab
Aug 2, 2024
Great off the beaten path tour - Not my first time in Venice but definitly my first time on the Giudecca island, we took the tour to get orientated and discover more about the history of the place. We loved the tour and Valerio, our tour guide, did a great job and shared with us a lot of knowledwe and interesting facts. My favourite part was the former flour mill transformed into 5 star hotel, crazy! Grazie Valerio!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
787hagenb
Jun 3, 2024
Excellent - Valerio is very competent, friendly and very attentive. We will be happy to use his services in the future
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Odyssey83334
Apr 3, 2024
A beautiful journey into the history and heart of Giudecca - Valerio gave us an unforgettable tour of the Giudecca, showing us the rich history of the island and its hidden treasures with an unsurpassed mix of humor and deep local knowledge. His witty anecdotes entertained us throughout the journey, while his deep understanding of the area illuminated lesser-known aspects. Valerio's passion for storytelling and his genuine enthusiasm made the experience truly memorable. We left the tour not only with a new admiration for the island, but also with a desire to explore more of Venice under Valerio's guidance. Highly recommended to anyone looking for an engaging and enlightening journey into the heart of Venice.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
R4586glpaolom
Apr 2, 2024
Valerio, the guide 2.0: An absolute guarantee! - Thanks to Valerio, I had the opportunity to discover the wonderful Giudecca for the first time. His preparation is evident, but what sets him apart is his communication skills. With him, I explored hidden corners that I would never have imagined, and the time of the visit literally flew by. I highly recommend the experience with Valerio, even if you have already visited Venice in the past: you will discover new perspectives and further enrich your trip.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Rossellam608
Mar 21, 2024
An original tour - Beautiful and original family visit, very knowledgeable guide who was able to involve the children a lot too! Highly recommended
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Francyuly
Mar 20, 2024
An unprecedented tour on a wonderful island waiting to be discovered - I have been to Venice dozens of times, but I had never yet visited the island of Giudecca. The tour organized by Valerio was interesting, fun and engaging. I will certainly take part in his other tours and I recommend him to anyone who wants to discover a new Venice. Thanks Valerio
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Holzap
Jul 26, 2023
Giudecca must be !!! - It was a beautiful tour, informative and much to discover. Interesting places , beautiful palazzi and a parking garage for boats! Valerio gave us two carefree hours and also found shady places. For us, the days on Giudecca were much nicer, you saw a lot, away from the hustle and bustle in Venice at that time. we can definitely recommend the tour to all curious like us. Thanks again, Valerio! Best regards Kerstin & Gerd
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Hendrik56988
Dec 17, 2022
A treasure to discover - An in-depth tour that allows you to discover the hidden and unexpected corners of the island. Valerio guide is a treasure trove of knowledge
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Annaex7462dk
Feb 26, 2022
Recommended! - The tour is interesting and stimulating; Valerio knows his city perfectly and entertains with details that are not those of the usual sightseeing tours. The Giudecca hides many unique corners worth visiting, and the guide knows how to entertain with great kindness, sympathy and preparation.
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Ace6of6clubs
Aug 13, 2023
Real Venice, No Crowds - We paid for a regular tour, but it ended up being a private tour anyway, which was great, because we could ask lots of questions and get answers from our native Venetian guide. He was ready with everything from restaurant recommendations to reminiscences about growing up in Venice, and gave us his card after so we could call or contact him with any questions we had during the rest of our stay. Also recommended we get the ACTV pass that covered the length of our stay, which was super convenient for getting around during the rest of our trip. The tour itself was mostly an outdoor walking tour, though we did go in a church and an artist's studio. The studio was in a cloister turned artist colony. We got to see real Venetian neighbourhoods, with kids having birthday parties, cats roaming, and residents raising ducks. It was a great break from the narrow, crowded streets around St. Mark's that most tourists stick to. Our guide kept saying, this is what Venice was like in the 1950s, and it's more sustainable to have tourism spread out over the city, rather than everyone concentrating on the same three sites. Great slice of life tour. My only suggestion would be, when meeting tour groups, have a small A4 sign with the tour company name printed on it so people can spot the guide more easily. (We ended up calling him even though we were standing very near each other - it's the Zattere ACTV stop, not the Alilaguna one that you meet at.) Would recommend tours like this to anyone staying in Venice on more than just a day-trip.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
From $31
up to 15 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).