On the water · ITALY BOAT TOURS

Italy on the Water: 15 Boat Trips to Book

171 tours  ·  from $14 a head

The Venetian lagoon, the Amalfi coast, Capri and the northern lakes. These 15 compare public-boat routes against guided sailings, with prices, durations and a note on which run in shoulder season.

Boat Trip: Glimpse of Murano, Torcello & Burano Islands - Murano: 30 minutes with the glassmakers
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Boat Trip: Glimpse of Murano, Torcello & Burano Islands

1.Boat Trip: Glimpse of Murano, Torcello & Burano Islands

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 15,699 reviews · 4.5 - 5.5 hours · from $29Our pick

Cruise from Venice to Murano, Torcello, and Burano with multilingual commentary, a glassblowing demonstration, a lace-shop visit, and free time on each island. The tour lasts about 4.5 to 5.5 hours and costs $29. It is a brisk introduction, not a fully guided walking tour, so bring lunch and keep an eye on the return time.

“This tour was great going to the Islands, Torcello could of been left out, not much there really. I liked how you had your own free time to explore the Islands at your own leisure. AAA+++”

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Murano & Burano: Boat Tour with Guide & Glass Factory Visit - Getting to the boat from Venice
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Murano & Burano: Boat Tour with Guide & Glass Factory Visit

2.Murano & Burano: Boat Tour with Guide & Glass Factory Visit

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 10,716 reviews · 4.5 - 7 hours · from $23

Travel by comfortable boat from Venice to Murano and Burano with an onboard guide speaking Italian, English, German, French, and Spanish. Watch a short glassblowing demonstration, browse Murano shops, then walk Burano’s colorful canals. Depending on your booking, the trip lasts 4.5 to 7 hours.

“The boat tour is very pleasant. We had our seats properly. Even though it was super foggy at the beginning of the tour on the boat, when we arrived at Murano, the weather was amazing. A short demonstration of the glass blowing technique and some shopping at Murano. We then went on to go to Burano with plenty of time to visit the colorful village. It was vibrant yet some areas were so peaceful. We went from 10am and stayed a little longer on Burano to have lunch and then left at 16:15 with a beautiful sunset. The whole experience is very nice with smooth transportation. The guide through a…”

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Venice: Burano, Torcello & Murano Boat Tour w/Glassblowing - Meeting at St. Mark’s and boarding the boat
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Venice: Burano, Torcello & Murano Boat Tour w/Glassblowing

3.Burano, Torcello & Murano Boat Tour w/Glassblowing

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 10,245 reviews · 6 hours · from $28

Take a six-hour panoramic boat trip from St. Mark’s to Murano, Burano, and Torcello. You’ll watch a short glassblowing demonstration, browse a Murano factory with a 10% discount, stroll Burano’s colorful lanes, and see Torcello’s ancient sights. A multilingual host gives commentary on board, but island visits are self-guided.

“lovely day. unfortunately it was very hot. the glass blowing was fantastic.”

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From Milan: Como & Bellagio with Private Lake Como Cruise - Starting in Milan and reaching Como
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From Milan: Como & Bellagio with Private Lake Como Cruise

4.Como & Bellagio with Private Lake Como Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 9,788 reviews · from $112

Travel from Milan to Como by luxury coach, walk the historic center, visit Villa Olmo’s gardens, and cruise Lake Como by private boat to Bellagio. Guides such as Lina, Franco, Marina, and Andrea are praised for clear commentary and practical help, while the long day gives you time for both sightseeing and free exploration.

“Absolutely amazing trip! We went by bus and the whole experience was beautiful—Lake Como is breathtaking and Bellagio is charming and picturesque. I sadly can’t remember our guide’s name, but the tour itself was fantastic. Highly recommend!”

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Murano & Burano Islands Guided Small-Group Tour by Private Boat - Murano: a short look at serious glassmaking
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Murano & Burano Islands Guided Small-Group Tour by Private Boat

5.Murano & Burano Islands Guided Small-Group Tour by Private Boat

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 7,580 reviews · 5 hours (approx.) · from $36

Travel from central Venice to Murano and Burano by private water taxi with a guide such as Silvia, Serena, Frankie, or Elena. Watch glassblowing, see handmade lace, browse colorful canals, and return by boat. Groups are limited to 22, though demonstrations are brief and much of the island time is independent.

“Great guided tour. Sylvia was very informative and had a lot of stories to tell about the other islands surrounding Murano and Bruano. The glass making was very interesting to watch and seeing all the products in the shop that was made were all very beautifully crafted. Bruano was gorgeous with all the colourful houses and we got some very yummy Gelato from there. Highly recommend doing this tour!”

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From Milan: Como, Lugano and Bellagio Exclusive Boat Cruise - Meeting the coach in Milan
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From Milan: Como, Lugano and Bellagio Exclusive Boat Cruise

6.Como, Lugano and Bellagio Exclusive Boat Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 6,635 reviews · 11 hours · from $95Top rated

Travel from Milan to Como, Bellagio, and Lugano on an 11-hour day trip with a bilingual guide, private coach, Wi-Fi, and an exclusive Lake Como boat ride. You get guided walks plus free time for lunch, shopping, lakeside views, and Swiss chocolate. Bring your original passport or ID for the border crossing.

“An well designed day trip without any confusion. Covered all the places mentioned in the trip details! We never felt lost as Mr Alex the tour guide was always there so as the voice box, helping us to catch up with the group even we couldn’t keep a track with the group for some medical reason. The history of the area was described with interesting choice of words in English & Italian! Every attraction was covered comfortably! A must visit if you are in Milan. The tour requires substantial amount of walking but no climbing. We could cover most of the places even our kid had leg injury.”

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From Milan: Como Private Boat, Bellagio and Lugano Day Trip - Meeting at Milano Centrale and setting off
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From Milan: Como Private Boat, Bellagio and Lugano Day Trip

7.Como Private Boat, Bellagio and Lugano Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 6,271 reviews · 11 hours · from $78

Spend 11 hours visiting Como, Bellagio, Lake Como, and Lugano from Milan. Your English-speaking guide, such as Luca, Amalia, or Marina, handles the timing, history, and meeting points while you enjoy coach transport, a private boat cruise, Como Cathedral, lakeside views, and free time for food and shopping.

“Would not recommend Sunday trips because the shops are generally closed. Otherwise this was an excellent trip with our guide Barbara. She was knowledgeable and friendly.”

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Venice: Murano & Burano Panoramic Boat Tour w/ Glassblowing - Finding the yellow desk near St. Mark’s
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Venice: Murano & Burano Panoramic Boat Tour w/ Glassblowing

8.Murano & Burano Panoramic Boat Tour w/ Glassblowing

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 6,212 reviews · 4 - 4.5 hours · from $29

Leave Venice’s St. Mark’s area by comfortable panoramic boat for a half-day visit to Murano and Burano. Watch a glass master work, browse the factory gallery with 10% off, then enjoy more than an hour among Burano’s painted houses, lace shops, cafés, and canals. Multilingual guides, including Francesca and Eva on some departures, provide information en route.

“great value! relaxing boat ride with beautiful views to murano, where you sit and watch a glass blower make a couple of items with commentary in 🇬🇧🇮🇹🇫🇷🇩🇪🇪🇸. then you get free time to walk around the gift shop, which is really cool because there are all kinds of glass souvenirs, it's kinda like a gallery tbh! then another ride to burano, where you get 1h+ free time to walk around a beautiful town. a fair few tourists but not too many. lots of restaurants, lace shops, market stalls, bridges. then a relaxing boat ride home. i felt that we were given a good amount of time, it wasn't rushed. if…”

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Murano & Burano Guided Tour by Private Boat with Glassmaking - Meeting the boat near Riva degli Schiavoni
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Murano & Burano Guided Tour by Private Boat with Glassmaking

9.Murano & Burano Guided Tour by Private Boat with Glassmaking

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 5,658 reviews · 5 hours · from $35

See Murano glass made before your eyes, then visit Burano for traditional lace work and candy-colored houses. Guides such as Serena, Elena, Monica, and Frankie bring Venetian history to life during the boat rides. You get about 100 minutes on Murano and 90 minutes on Burano, with time to shop, eat, and wander.

“Elly was a fantastic guide and was super charming and knowledgeable. Allora!”

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From Milan: Lake Como Cruise, St. Moritz & Bernina Red Train - Leaving Milan for Lake Como
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From Milan: Lake Como Cruise, St. Moritz & Bernina Red Train

10.Lake Como Cruise, St. Moritz & Bernina Red Train

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 5,648 reviews · 13 hours · from $159

Spend 13 hours moving from Lake Como’s villas and villages to St. Moritz and the Swiss Alps. You’ll cruise by private boat, ride a comfortable coach over the Maloja Pass, and take the second-class Bernina Red Train toward Tirano or another scheduled stop. Guides such as Carolina, Sabrina, Lina, and Andrea lead tours in English or Spanish.

“The views were amaizing! Our guide, Maurizio, was very nice, joyfull, he knew a lot of jokes so he made our trip very pleasant. However, the less pleasant part was that the shops in Swiss were (most of them) closed....we couldn't buy even a souvenir...it is hard to understand why in a touristic city (St. Moritz) shops do not allign with the train schedule (so all the tourist can came and buy a souvenir). In Como I had the best coffee ever!!! So, if you go, you must try CafeDelPress!!! It is amaizing, nice and cozy, with the tipical Italian vibe.”

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From Naples: Boat Tour of Amalfi, Positano and Ravello - Sorrento from the Gulf of Naples
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From Naples: Boat Tour of Amalfi, Positano and Ravello

11.Boat Tour of Amalfi, Positano and Ravello

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 5,034 reviews · 8 - 10 hours · from $99

Join guides such as Gaetano, Lucia, or Anastasia for an 8 to 10-hour coastal outing from Naples. Cruise past Sorrento, the Baths of Queen Giovanna, Punta Campanella, and the Sirenuses, then explore Amalfi and Positano. Choose the Ravello option for Villa Rufolo and broad Gulf of Salerno views. Pickup, boat transport, and a tour leader are included.

“Gaetano was fully informed with us about every visited city and gave us lot of tips in every place. He was very kind and funny, it was a perfect trip to explore the Amalfi Coast.”

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From Sardinia: La Maddalena Archipelago Full-Day Boat Tour - Boarding at Palau or La Maddalena
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From Sardinia: La Maddalena Archipelago Full-Day Boat Tour

12.La Maddalena Archipelago Full-Day Boat Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 4,980 reviews · 6 - 7 hours · from $59

Spend 6 to 7 hours aboard a comfortable boat with multilingual guide Claudia and the crew of Maggiorleggerotour. Swim near Budelli, relax on Santa Maria and Spargi, view Spiaggia Rosa from the water, then explore La Maddalena. Food and drinks are available onboard, or bring a packed lunch.

“we saw so many beautiful beaches, swam 3-4 times and still were able to spend a hour in Maddalena. Our guide was so gifted! 4 languages?!? We brought our own snacks but food and drink were available. Such a great easy way to see the incredible area of Palau and the surrounding archipelago!!”

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Capri: Island Boat Trip with Grottos - Marina Grande to the Faraglioni
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Capri: Island Boat Trip with Grottos

13.Island Boat Trip with Grottos

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 4,923 reviews · 1 - 2 hours · from $28

From Marina Grande, circle Capri by boat with an English or Italian-speaking crew. See the Faraglioni, Casa Malaparte, White and Green Grottos, Punta Carena Lighthouse, and the Baths of Tiberius. Add the Blue Grotto for €18 on site, but expect waits of up to two hours.

“Amazing tour of the island, best part was swimming, water was so refreshing on a hot day. Crew was informative, captain navigated boat into small grottos so we could see everything up close. Highly recommend this tour!”

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Milan: Navigli Canal Boat Cruise - From Alzaia Naviglio Grande to the case di Ringhiera
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Milan: Navigli Canal Boat Cruise

14.Navigli Canal Boat Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★3.3 · 4,502 reviews · 50 min · from $25

Spend 50 minutes on a small electric boat along Milan’s Naviglio Grande. An Italian and English-speaking host helps with boarding, while a QR-code audio guide covers the canal’s landmarks in five languages. You’ll pass working-class houses, San Cristoforo, Vicolo dei Lavandai, Darsena, and Leonardo da Vinci’s Conchetta.

“Really nice boat trip, it was very short but sweet trip a perfect activity to do when you have a little time, after a meal our or on a hot day want a little cruise along the canal it’s really beautiful.”

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Stresa: 3 Borromean Islands Hop-On Hop-Off Boat Tour - Starting at Stresa Piazza Marconi
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Stresa: 3 Borromean Islands Hop-On Hop-Off Boat Tour

15.Stresa: 3 Borromean Islands Hop-On Hop-Off Boat Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 4,122 reviews · 1 day · from $14Best value

Cruise from Stresa to Isola Madre, Isola dei Pescatori, and Isola Bella on a flexible one-day boat pass. You get free time on each island, multilingual crew, and recorded commentary, but palace and garden tickets, food, and a €0.50 cash landing fee per island cost extra.

“Nice trip to all 3 Borromean Islands, with hassle free experience. No long time waiting for boats and easy to find what to do and where to go.”

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New in Italy Boat Tours

★ 5.0Procida: Boat Tour with Swimming Stops and Underwater PhotosFrom $53322 reviews
★ 4.8Portovenere: Isola Palmaria, Tino, and Tinetto Boat TourFrom $47308 reviews
★ 4.9PortoS.Paolo: Half Day Traditional Boat Tour Tavolara MolaraFrom $100413 reviews
★ 4.9Porto San Paolo: Half Day Boat Tour to Tavolara and MolaraFrom $94285 reviews
★ 4.7From Rome: Ponza Island Day Trip with Boat ExcursionFrom $191278 reviews
★ 4.8Polignano Sea Caves: Boat Tour with Snorkeling & AperitifFrom $38310 reviews
★ 4.8Polignano’s coast and caves: a boat tour with drinks, swimming, music, and funFrom $41263 reviews
★ 4.7Polignano a Mare: Boat Cruise to Scenic Caves with ProseccoFrom $46550 reviews
★ 4.9Polignano a Mare Boat Tour with Prosecco and TaralliFrom $41334 reviews
★ 4.8Polignano a Mare: Boat Tour with Prosecco and SnacksFrom $41282 reviews
★ 4.6Peschiera: Half-Day Lake Garda Cruise with LunchFrom $74652 reviews
★ 4.9Palermo: Mondello, Capo Gallo Reserve Boat Tour, and SnackFrom $106694 reviews
★ 4.8Palermo: Boat Tour With Aperitif Snorkeling And Cave TourFrom $100381 reviews
★ 4.7Palau: La Maddalena Archipelago Boat Tour with 4 StopsFrom $661,470 reviews
★ 4.6From Palau: La Maddalena Full-Day Archipelago Catamaran TourFrom $113921 reviews

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