Venice is a beautiful and diverse city with lots of things to see and do. There are lots of hidden gems that you don’t know about. A guided tour would help you discover and enjoy the city to the fullest.
The city has lots of obvious things to see and sites to visit. These include the Grand Canal, Rialto Bridge, Saint Mark Square, and Saint Mark’s Basilica. But there is so much more to Venice: the city is a beautiful labyrinth of canals, alleys, and bridges. There is something to explore and experience around every corner. It would be best if you had a guide to truly experience Venice.
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1. Venice is too big to explore on your own
Venice is too big, too complex, and too crowded to navigate on your own. Without a guide, you will most likely get lost. Although this isn’t necessarily a bad thing in Venice, you will not be able to make the fullest out of your limited time in the Italian city.
You will want to visit Venice’s main sites and experience the ‘real Venice’ during your stay. Most tourists only go to those places that everybody visits: Saint Mark’s Square, Rialto Bridge, and a visit to Doge’s Palace. But the true magic of Venice is away from the crowds: in the small alleys and the city’s quieter areas.
2. An Italian History expert will guide you
You may want to understand why something is built in a certain way. Or, you want to know the meaning of symbols in Venice streets. For example, do you know why the Venetian flag has a lion with wings? The chance of you figuring that out yourself is close to zero, and you don’t want to be studying Wikipedia on your visit to the city.
When you explore Venice as part of an organized tour, you always travel with an Italian specialist. While not all tour guides are full-blown historians, we have encountered knowledgeable guides who could answer all our questions.
3. You will see more of Venice on a guided tour
Yes! You will see more of Venice when you book a guided tour. With a guided tour, you will visit Venice’s main sites. But a guided tour will also help you explore the less obvious places of Venice. There are many different tours that you can book in Venice. One of our favorites is the Venice food tour, where you explore the city through its rich and famous kitchen.
4. Avoid Crowds by booking a guided tour
Guides will help you navigate the streets of Venice. Most guides will know what streets and what bridges are busier than others. They will try to move around the city faster by avoiding the largest crowds. Tour groups often have special access to museums, churches, and other sites. With a guided tour, you are very likely to automatically skip the line in Venice.
5. Support Venice’s economy by booking a guided tour
While doing a tour on your own might be cheaper, you must realize that a tour guide is sitting at home with no income. Booking a tour offers you a better experience in Venice. At the same time, it brings much-needed income to the family of tour guides, attractions you will visit, and those working at the local travel agency.