Venice Full-Day Guided Tour from Lake Garda

Lake Garda and the road to Venice

Lake Garda is the largest lake in Italy, framed by mountains in the north and gentle olive-covered hills in the south. Its lakeside towns, such as Garda, Malcesine, Limone and Riva, are perfect bases for a holiday, but Venice lies around 150 kilometres to the east. Travellers often ask how to get from Lake Garda to Venice in a day: by train it means buses, changes and a long walk on arrival, which is why a Venice day trip from Lake Garda by coach is so popular.

The coach collects passengers along the eastern shore and crosses the Veneto plain on the motorway, past Verona and Padua, in roughly two and a half hours. On the way your tour guide introduces the history of the Venetian Republic, which once ruled these lands up to Lake Garda itself, so you arrive with the background to appreciate what you will see.

Across the lagoon to St Mark's Square

Venice is built on a cluster of small islands in a shallow lagoon, linked by bridges and canals, and arriving by water is the most memorable way to see it. The coach parks at the edge of the lagoon and a boat reserved for the group takes you across, with the domes and bell towers of the city rising ahead. You land near St Mark's Square, the only place in Venice called a piazza, framed by long arcades on three sides.

St Mark's Square has been the ceremonial heart of Venice for a thousand years. At one end rises St Mark's Basilica, covered inside with gold mosaics and crowned by five domes; beside it stands the brick bell tower, the Campanile, nearly 99 metres tall. Visit St Mark's Square in the morning when it is calmer, and look up at the clock tower where two bronze figures strike the hours.

The Doge's Palace and the Bridge of Sighs

Next to the basilica stands the Doge's Palace, the pink and white Gothic residence of the rulers of the Venetian Republic and the seat of its government, courts and prisons. Its lacy arcades along the waterfront are among the most photographed facades in Europe. Inside, grand council halls are decorated with huge paintings celebrating the power of Venice, though entrance fees are not included in this tour.

Behind the palace, the white limestone Bridge of Sighs crosses a narrow canal to the old prisons. Legend says prisoners sighed at their last view of the lagoon through its small windows. Your city guide brings the group to the Ponte della Paglia, the best viewpoint over the bridge, and explains the stories of the Republic. Please note that the city guide and headphones are not available on Wednesdays.

The Rialto Bridge and the Grand Canal

The Grand Canal winds through Venice in a great S-shape for almost four kilometres, lined with palaces built by merchant families over six centuries. The Rialto Bridge, its oldest crossing, was completed in stone in 1591 and is still lined with small shops. Around it the Rialto Market has sold fish and produce since the Middle Ages, and the narrow streets lead through the busiest part of the city.

During your free time in Venice you can follow the yellow signs from St Mark's Square to the Rialto in about fifteen minutes, take a gondola ride along the smaller canals, or simply get lost in the quiet lanes and squares. Is Venice worth a day trip? Absolutely: even a few hours give you the magic of the canals. Make sure you are back at the meeting point on time for the boat.