Day trips in Venice
A holiday in Venice can be made even more special by adding a day in kayak.
Venice is a city of canals, and it should be experienced from the water in a boat. The difference in experience is staggering. There’s not crowd of tourists around. The main sights of the city can be enjoyed in peace. The palaces on Canal Grande can be studied close up. Canals inaccessible to pedestrians can be explored. Venice almost becomes another city.
Day trips in kayak doesn’t have to be only Venice. All of Murano, Burano, Torcello, Mazzorba, Madonna del Monte, San Francesco in Deserto, San Giacomo in Palude, Sant’Erasmo, Lazzaretto Nuovo, Vignole and Certosa north of Venice, and Giudecca, San Servolo, San Lazzaro degli Armeni, Lazzaretto Vecchio, La Grazia, Santo Spirito, San Clemente, Sacca Sessola and Poveglia south of Venice are within paddling distance from Venice Kayak’s base on the Lido di Venezia.
All Venice Kayak trips start at the camp site at San Nicolò on the Lido di Venezia. Click here for instructions on how to find us.
A day trip with Venice Kayak is a full day’s paddling. We normally meet at 10 AM in the camp site, so we’re ready in our kayaks before 11 AM. We’ll paddle through the day, in a relaxed pace with a good lunch break and pauses as needed. Lunch is either sandwiches or we’ll eat in a café or bar along the way. We typically start turning back at 3-4 PM with the intent of being back on the Lido around 5 PM and in any case before sunset.
Most paddling trips in the city are around 15-20km, but the tours in the lagoon can be up to 25km.
The route is agreed with you before we start, based on your wishes, desires and skills and on external factors such as traffic, weather and tide. A planned route isn’t immutable, and if necessary we’ll change or adjust it along the way.
Groups can be up to 6 persons. Larger groups can be arranged, but must be agreed upon well in advance, as we have to hire an assistant guide with larger groups.
Required skills
We expect our guests to have basic paddling and rescue skills, to feel safe close to water and to know how to swim.
If you haven’t paddled a sea kayak before, but still want to try, we’ll start with a short tour in the lagoon, before we enter the canals of the city.
Practical information
Venice Kayak supplies kayaks, paddles, spraydeck, life vest (PFD), paddling jackets and drybags for change of clothes and valuables. The price also includes maps, use of toilets and showers at the camp site, and insurance (civil responsibility and accidents).
All tours are guided by experienced Italian speaking kayak coaches.
Guests should bring sports clothes and shoes suitable for paddling, a change of clothes for afterwards, and protective items for outdoor activities, such as sunscreen, a hat and sun glasses. Water and snacks can be bought on the camp site.
Don’t bring cameras that aren’t waterproof. It only takes a few drops of salt water to ruin a camera or other electronics. Venice Kayak has one or more waterproof cameras suitable for taking pictures while kayaking. Bring a USB key or a memory card with you for the photos.
