Along the Grand Canal in Venice, Italy

What can be said about the Grand Canal in words? The colorful buildings and aqua green waters are much better captured in photos. Rich and noble families spent their wealth on decorating the back of their palazzos or palaces. A lot of these touches are maintained to this day, giving you a picturesque view as you cruise down the canal. Docks and piers extend into the canal from some of these palaces. Many palaces today are repurposed as museums, hotels, restaurants, etc. Few still serve as private residences.

In its heyday, the canal served as a passageway for merchants and travelers. It still functions as a main artery for boats and passengers to reach the other side of Venice from the train station. As you take a boat ride along the canal, soak in the sights. It's amazing how fast and agile the gondolas are, even in the face of massive vaporettos (water taxis).

The pictures featured are of the ride through the Grand Canal, past the train station and onto the other side of island. It's a circular route.

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Travel
Various vaporetto stops. Some popular stops are Giglio, Academia, Ca' Rezzonico, Rialto, Ca D'Oro.

Providing coordinates for St. Mark's Square and stops are within walking distance.
Coordinates: 45.4342° N, 12.3385° E

Cost & Admission
Cost of your vaporetto ticket, depending on what you purchase. I purchased a Venezia Unica City Pass. There are different packages depending on your interests and length of stay. 

Food
Food all along the way. If you have a pass, you can hop on and hop off. Stops are short along the way and very walkable.

Activities
Boat ride, enjoying the views. Possibly some walking.

Tips
I love riding the vaporettos. To get to other islands like Murano and Burano, you will need to go via vaporetto. My tip is to spring for the unlimited pass for the duration of your trip. There's no other city like Venice where your primary mode of transportation is walking or taking a boat. These boats also give you unique vantage points and allow you to experience Venice in a different way. The journey through the Grand Canal is beautiful. Go in both directions as you'll get a different experience seeing the buildings from both views.