Full-Day Experience

The Quiet Side of Venice: a Private Boat Day through the Lagoon Hidden Islands

The Lagoon Journey

We experienced this day ourselves and loved it! Here is what it was actually like:

We were picked up at 11am in the centre of Venice, in a traditional wooden boat. It was a beautiful day, the sun was out, and the boat had a sun-deck so that already put us in a great mood before we'd even left the dock. Already a fantastic start!

THE PICKUP

Our first stop was Murano island, and specifically a glassblowing workshop.

Watching a master shape molten glass with nothing but breath and a steel rod is a hypnotic spectacle, but it was the context that truly left an impression: Fifty years ago, this island had 200 factories; today, only 40 remain. Standing in the heat of the workshop, you can feel the pride and the weight of preserving this craft.

This particular factory is one of the most respected on the island. They've had a collaboration with the Peggy Guggenheim Collection since the 1960s, and beyond their own traditional pieces, they lend their craftsmanship to artists from around the world who come to present at the Biennale. They showed us their museum at the end, including a preview of what will be exhibited this upcoming year!

MURANO  

After the workshop, we had a short walk around Murano and lunch at Acquastanca: a tiny restaurant that had a small but really excellent menu which we would highly recommend. That said, there are other good options if you want something different; we can suggest alternatives.

LUNCH

We hopped back on the boat and headed to Torcello. To go there, you pass in front of Mazzorbo and Venissa, a winery on its own island with vineyards right at the water's edge. Once you arrive to Torcello, you enter through its narrow interior canals which are super quiet and calming.

We arrived in front of Locanda Cipriani, an iconic hotel set to reopen in May 2026 after a long restoration. From there, we visited the Basilica of Santa Maria Assunta, which houses some of the finest Byzantine mosaics in existence and somehow still feels undervisited. Then, we went up the Campanile. The view from the top, with Venice in the distance and the whole lagoon stretching out below was so beautiful and peaceful.

TORCELLO

The last stop was probably the most unusual one of the day: a small island occupied entirely by a Franciscan monastery. A handful of monks live there year-round, tending the gardens and maintaining a pledge of silence that you can genuinely feel when you arrive. Whether you're religious or not, there's a very special energy that can be felt here: a sense that the rest of the world is very far away…

On the way back, we passed Sant'Erasmo. This island is the lagoon's kitchen garden, a flat agricultural island where Venetians have grown their vegetables for centuries.

Then back into the city, arriving with just enough time to relax a little before the evening. The perfect landing.

THE ISLAND OF SILENCE

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Book Your Experience

Where: Venice, Italy (pick-up in Piazza San Marco)

When: Upon host availability

Cost: 1,287€ per day (includes tax and payment fee)

Capacity: From 1 to 10 people

Language: English, Italian & private guides in different languages available too

Dates: Available all year long

What’s Included:

  • Pickup and drop off from Venice

  • Classic Venetian boat full day tour

  • Local Boat driver

  • Prosecco, water and potato chips

  • Murano glass factory visit and demonstration

We'll confirm availability and connect you directly with the hosts.

Cancellation Policy: This hosts cancellation policy allows you to cancel up to 10 days before the experience.

"Most visitors never leave Venice. This day took us to a quieter, more local side we didn't even know existed.”

  • Murano Torcello private boat tour
  • A man with glasses and a plaid shirt working on glassblowing in a workshop, shaping a glowing orange molten piece with a tool.
  • A close-up of a colorful, swirled glass object on a metal rod in a workshop setting.
  • An art installation featuring tall, colorful glass sculptures inside an industrial warehouse with large windows, exposed brick walls, and a metal sculpture of a humanoid figure hanging from the ceiling.
  • The storefront of Osteria Acquastanca, a restaurant, with a beige awning displaying its name. There is a table with shoes and a tablecloth outside, and an older woman standing near clothing on the right. The building has a red exterior with visible pipes and a door on the left.
  • A black plate with sliced prosciutto and a ball of fresh mozzarella cheese, accompanied by a spoon and a fork, on a wooden table.
  • Person relaxing on a boat with black shoes and dark pants, view of water and sky, with other boats in the distance and shoreline
  • A river flows through a grassy area towards a small village with a tall church steeple in the background, under a clear blue sky.
  • Colorful buildings in Italy, green and yellow, with windows and a door with a striped curtain, along a canal walkway.
  • A canal with greenish water, lined with trees and plants, featuring a peach-colored house with chimneys on the right side and several boats docked along the water's edge. The sky is clear and blue.
  • A charming outdoor courtyard with stone and brick paving, potted plants, and an entry gate with ornate ironwork. The building has green shutters, beige walls, and outdoor lanterns, with a yellow awning providing shade.
  • A scenic view of a river surrounded by lush greenery, with a small boat on the water near a riverside house, and marshlands fading into the distance under a clear blue sky.
  • A historical brick church with a rounded dome, arched windows, and a tall bell tower, surrounded by trees and a gravel pathway on a sunny day.
  • An old brick wall beside water, with steps leading to a church with a tall steeple and a cross on top, under a clear blue sky.

Our Approach

Our passion-focused experiences offer intimate cultural immersion in exciting destinations, all personally verified by us.

  • It's about peace of mind. Instead of gambling on a random tour operator, you get our Seal of Approval.

    We have physically been to every location and experienced the activity ourselves. We only recommend our favourites.

  • No, and that is exactly why we love it. These are organised by local experts, not a corporate office.

    Our exclusive access enables you to have extraordinary, one-of-a-kind experiences you couldn’t access on your own.

  • We believe the true experts are the people who live and breathe the destination.

    By connecting you directly with local hosts and tastemakers, we shift the power away from large agencies and back into the hands of the community. You deal directly with the people shaping their culture, ensuring they remain the primary narrators and beneficiaries of their own stories.