Accessibility
Website and tour accessibility
What we do to make the website usable by everyone, and how we plan private tours in Venice, Italy to suit your mobility needs.
In short
Are VeniceAround's website and private tours accessible?
The accessibility of the VeniceAround.it website takes the WCAG 2.1 AA guidelines as its reference, with adequate contrast, alternative text, keyboard navigation and reduced motion. As for the tours, Venice has no cars, many bridges with steps and boats to board, so Daniela checks each site and each boat case by case and adapts the route. You can report problems to daniela@venicearound.it.
This translation is provided for convenience; in case of discrepancy the Italian version prevails.
The website
Our commitment to an accessible website
We want VeniceAround.it to be usable by everyone, including people who use screen readers, a keyboard only, magnification or contrast settings. We take the international WCAG 2.1 guidelines, level AA, as our reference.
In designing the website we have paid particular attention to:
- contrast between text and background suitable for reading, including in sections with a dark background;
- alternative text describing the subject of every photograph, with the name of the place;
- keyboard navigation of links, buttons and form fields;
- reduced motion: if you have turned on the option to reduce animations in your operating system, the website respects it;
- an orderly heading structure, with a single main heading per page and section contents on long pages;
- an inquiry form protected against spam without CAPTCHAs or visual puzzles.
Checks
Compliance status and known limitations
The website has not yet undergone a formal third-party compliance audit. [TO BE COMPLETED: date and method of any accessibility audit, once carried out.] Based on our own checks, the known limitations are:
- the external services that links and videos lead to (Google Maps, WhatsApp, ToursByLocals, YouTube, Vimeo) have a level of accessibility that does not depend on us;
- some historical or detail photographs may have descriptions that could be improved: let us know and we will add to them;
- content is updated over time and may contain errors introduced by changes.
For any content you are unable to use, we can provide the same information in another form, for example by email or over the phone.
Reports
How to report an accessibility problem
If you have difficulty using the website, write to us at daniela@venicearound.it or call +39 338 4103735, also on WhatsApp, telling us the page, what you were trying to do and, if you wish, the device and assistive technologies you use. We reply within 30 days and, where possible, fix the problem. If you are not satisfied with our reply, you can follow the complaints procedure.
The tours
Accessibility of Venice and the sites visited
Venice, its lagoon islands and the cities of the Veneto present very different conditions, which is why every tour is planned case by case:
- the historic center of Venice is explored on foot: there are no cars, many bridges have steps, and some streets (calli) are narrow and crowded at peak times;
- boats, both public waterbuses (vaporetti) and private boats or water taxis run by licensed operators, are boarded from floating landings, which requires some care; conditions vary with the boat, the landing and the water level;
- acqua alta (high water) can occasionally flood low-lying areas such as Piazza San Marco and change the route on the day;
- churches, palaces and museums often have stairs, thresholds and historic floors, and access arrangements differ from site to site;
- day trips in the Veneto are made by train or with a third-party car with driver, and each destination has its own conditions.
Access conditions, available aids and the rules for companions depend on the organizations managing the sites and the transport operators, and may change. Daniela checks them with these organizations at the time of your inquiry and adapts the itinerary, timings and breaks, although she cannot guarantee the accessibility of spaces or boats managed by others.
With your guide
How we plan the tour with you
In 2016 Daniela completed a course on accompanying guests with disabilities. In your inquiry you can describe your needs in practical terms (for example "avoid bridges with many steps", "we need frequent breaks", "we use a wheelchair"), without giving any diagnosis: we only need to know what is required to plan the day well. The field is optional and the information is handled as described in the privacy policy.
Practical questions about pace, routes and getting around are also covered on the how tailor-made tours and quotes work page and in the Venice travel tips.
Transparency
Other legal and practical information
For questions about this page, write to daniela@venicearound.it or visit the contact page. Practical information about private tours, quotes and tickets is on the how tailor-made tours and quotes work page.
