Private Venice Art Tour: The Colours of the Floating City

3.5 hours
Venice, Italy

About this activity

Discover the unique art of Renaissance Venice and come face to face with some of the greatest masterpieces every painted in company of an expert private guide on this walking tour.

Highlights

  • Marvel at Leonardo's greatest masterpieces in the Accademia Gallery
  • Get off the beaten track and discover lesser-known artistic delights
  • Come face-to-face with some of the greatest masterpieces ever painted
  • Explore the backstreets and canals of the lively Dorsoduro neighbourhood
  • Discover the vibrant world of Venetian art, from Titian to Tintoretto

Full description

You probably know Venice, the spectacular floating world of canals and islands, as a city of water. But that’s not its only claim to fame: the city known as La Serenissima is also one of the world’s greatest cities of art. From Bellini to Titian, Tintoretto to Veronese, Venice’s remarkable art scene is rivalled only by Florence for its influence on the development of Renaissance culture. And it’s everywhere – in Venice the story of art is an indelible part of city life, woven into the urban fabric in the shape of countless palaces and churches, meeting halls and museums. Inspired by the stunningly vibrant environment all around them, Venetian painters were beguiled by the unpredictable charms of colour, and our Venice Art Tour is the perfect introduction to the unique expressiveness of Venetian art. Join us to come face-to-face with some of the greatest masterpieces ever painted, and in the company of one of our expert guides learn how art has shaped the city in unforgettable locations often overlooked by tour itineraries. The magnificent Accademia is one of the world’s premier art galleries, home to Leonardo’s Vitruvian Man amongst other highlights by all the biggest names in Venetian art. In the Basilica dei Frari we’ll wander around Venice’s most spectacular church, adorned with masterpieces by Titian, Bellini, Donatello and others. Finally, discover why the Scuola di San Rocco is known as Tintoretto’s Sistine Chapel for good reason – over the course of 20 years the master adorned the Scuola with 60 massive paintings that showcase the genius of Venetian art like nowhere else. And that’s not all: this special itinerary weaves through the narrow streets and canals of one of Venice’s most charming districts, Dorsoduro. Along the route we’ll come across a wonderful array of hidden churches and palaces, like the spectacular Ca’ Rezzonico perched on the waters of the Grand Canal. The brilliant colours of this vibrant Venetian landscape seem to be lifted straight from the amazing paintings we’ll encounter on this tour. In Venice, life imitates art - experience it for yourself! Classic sights included in our itinerary: The Accademia Gallery The Scuola di San Rocco The Basilica dei Frari

Included / Excluded

  • All fees and taxes
  • Skip-the-lines access to the Accademia
  • Expert, English-speaking private guide
  • Headsets (for groups of 6 or more)
  • Transportation to and from the meeting and end points
  • Food and beverages
  • Gratuities (optional)

Meeting point

Start Location

Gallerie dell'Accademia, Calle della Carità, Venice, Metropolitan City of Venice, Italy

Gallerie dell'Accademia, Calle della Carità, 1050, 30123 Venezia VE, Italy

Important information

Know before you book

  • As this is a walking tour with some uneven pathways and stairs, comfortable walking shoes and a bottle of water are strongly recommended.
  • Please advise if any travelers have mobility concerns so that we can best accommodate you.

Know before you go

  • You will meet your guide in front of the entrance to the Galleria dell'Accademia, Campo della Carita, 1050, Venice. They will have a Through Eternity sign or flag.
  • Please ensure you arrive 10 minutes early and at the right meeting point as we cannot wait for late arrivals.
  • If you are unable to find your guide by 10 minutes before the starting time, please call our office at +1 800-267-7581.
  • As this is a walking tour with some uneven pathways and stairs, comfortable walking shoes and a bottle of water are strongly recommended.
  • Please advise if any travelers have mobility concerns so that we can best accommodate you.
  • The ages of any children joining the tour are required. Upon booking, please email the ages of all children traveling with you to office@througheternity.com.
  • All churches have a dress code that requires visitors to keep their shoulders and knees covered. You may risk refused entry should you not comply with the dress code.

Cancellation policy

Free cancellation up to 15 days before the activity starts

15 or more days before the tour day: 90% of the cost will be refunded, minus ticket costs; Between 8 and 14 days before the tour day: 50% of the cost will be refunded, minus ticket costs; 7 days or less: no refund.

Reviews

Google
K B
Jul 2026
4.0

Good tour, covers the main highlights of the Vatican. Knowledgeable tour guide.

Google
Michael Hartung
Jul 2026
5.0

We absolutely loved our tour of the Uffizi! Our guide, Ilaria, really brought the museum to life for us. With her depth of knowledge, she gave us so much insight, background, and fascinating facts about the art, the artists and the history of not only the museum, but of Florence as a whole. We wholeheartedly recommend this tour. Our experience of the Uffizi would not have been as wonderful without Ilaria and Through Eternity!

Google
Sean Baylor
Jul 2026
3.0

We used Through Eternity for guided tours of the Vatican and the Colosseum/Roman forum. The day before our Colosseum tour, we were notified that they were canceling the tour due to “circumstances outside of their control”. They did offer a 30% off discount from the price we paid for the tour package which seemed really low considering it was essentially the price of the Colosseum tickets that we ended up having to buy separately.