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Venice: Grand Canal Gondola Ride with App Commentary
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A gondola ride through the canals of Venice is probably the world’s top tourist attraction. A symbol of the city and an icon of romance, the gondola is the best known and most photographed traditional boat: its black silhouette with glittering gold and red velvet details is an image of unparalleled charm.
Seeing the gondolas lined up in the stands waiting for tourists to board or watching them glide placidly along the waters of the canals is already a powerful emotion. But it is only by climbing aboard that you can fully experience the unique magic of the Venetian gondola.
Don’t be scared off by the price: it’s true, it’s not exactly cheap, but it’s also not exaggerated when you think of the value of the experience.
The gondolas used today for sightseeing tours (called ‘gondole da nolo’ to differentiate them from the ‘gondole traghetto’ or ‘da parata’ used for crossing the Grand Canal) were once the means of transport of wealthy families. They were used to get around comfortably but also to flaunt their wealth; the rest of the population used them only on very special occasions, such as weddings.
The gondola thus originated as a luxury means of transport and could be compared to a Porsche, a Ferrari or a vintage car: does it still surprise you that a gondola ride is not cheap?
While it is undoubtedly worth spending the money for a gondola ride, it is also unfortunately true that Venice is a city of many shenanigans and the gondola ride is no exception. It happens not infrequently that tourists are disappointed by what they thought would be the most romantic experience of their lives.
But don’t let it spoil your holiday too: just be informed and know what to expect so you don’t run into disappointment and have that memorable experience you long for.
To begin with, it is good to know what the minimum prices are for a gondola ride. We then give you other useful information to let you know in advance how much your dream tour will cost without the risk of nasty surprises on arrival.
The price of a classic gondola ride is between 80 and 100 euros for a private gondola ride (the gondola is only for you, max. 6 people) during the day and lasting 30 minutes. Prices for night tours, on the other hand, start at 100 euros.
If, on the other hand, you settle for a gondola ride shared with other people, the price drops dramatically to around 25 euros per person.
As with all sightseeing tours, therefore, private gondola tours are obviously much more expensive than group gondola tours. The advantage of the former, however, is having the gondola all to yourself, which adds charm and romance to the experience.
Another factor that affects the price is the duration of the tour. A gondola ride typically lasts 30 minutes, but it is possible to book tours of 45 minutes or even an hour. It is possible – but not guaranteed – to ask for the tour to be lengthened during the tour, in which case you pay about 40 euros more for each additional 20 minutes during daytime hours, 50 at night.
Minimum prices are set by the Ente Gondola, the organisation that aims to preserve this traditional form of water transport and protect the professional figure of the gondolier, so there is not much room for negotiation. A gondolier willing to haggle over the price should set off alarm bells: he may not have a licence to carry out the profession.
In the case of a private tour the price is per gondola and does not change according to the number of people; for shared tours the price is per person. On a private tour, the maximum number of people allowed on a gondola is six; on shared tours, up to 25 people are allowed.
The most expensive gondola tours are the private gondola tours at night, but they are also the most exciting experience of all. When darkness falls it is indeed the best time to fully experience the romantic atmosphere of the city: many tourists visit Venice on a day trip and leave before dinner, so you can enjoy your gondola tour with fewer people, fewer boats and less noise.
However, it is essential to know that night fares start very early: they are in effect from 7pm until 8am. Quite a few tourists take a gondola ride at sunset thinking they will pay the same price as in the morning or afternoon only to find that they have to pay several dozen euros more.
When booking a gondola ride, pay attention to the difference between private and shared/group tours. In the former case, only people in your group will be able to get on the gondola, whether you are just a couple or with your family/group of friends, while in the latter case several people who have booked separately will get on the gondola.
Sometimes the descriptions of online tours are deliberately ambiguous and do not make it clear whether the tour is of one type or another.
Usually it is easy to tell from the price (less than 80 euro = shared tour), but if you are in doubt, it is better to ask for information before booking. It would be really annoying to book a romantic tour thinking it is just you and your better half and then upon arrival find out you have to do it with two other couples!
To make your choice easier, we have separated the tours that can be booked online by type.
Of all the gondola tours in Venice you can take, the one below is the best-selling as well as one of the cheapest.
The following are also big sellers, choose the one you prefer.
For a little more money, however, you can take part in a private gondola ride for the ultimate in comfort and experience.
You can enhance the charm of a simple gondola ride with additional services: the most classic and desired is the serenade, but a photo shoot is also very nice.
But above all, it is also possible to book a package that includes the gondola ride and a visit to other attractions such as a visit to the Doge’s Palace or a Murano glassworks.
Needless to deny it, a gondola ride is not a cheap attraction and yet its charm is such that it would be a real shame to go to Venice and not treat yourself to one. It would be like going to Paris and not seeing the Eiffel Tower! Since the price is medium-high, it is better to know in advance exactly what tour you are going to do and to take your time choosing the tour that best suits your needs.
The best way to avoid the shenanigans so many tourists complain about is therefore to book the gondola tour before departure. It is not indispensable, but it is strongly recommended for several reasons.
For a start, consider that Venice is one of the most touristy cities in the world and the gondola ride is one of the top attractions that everyone wants to do. This not infrequently leads to very long queues of tourists waiting at the stazi, the gondola berths.
Waiting for a gondola to free itself can be tiring, especially on very hot days (it is very difficult if not impossible to get out of the sun near the stazi) or cold days (the humidity increases the feeling of coldness considerably). Booking online allows you to avoid this hassle and to arrive at the meeting point at the tour departure time, without wasting time.
Another good reason to book a gondola tour online is the possibility to calmly evaluate different types of tours and prices, without the pressure of a gondolier who wants to push you to take the tour with him. Online reviews can help you choose the most suitable tour for you.
Once you have booked the tour you are interested in, you can count on a written confirmation stating exactly the services included and the conditions. This is no small thing: having the tour characteristics in black and white avoids the unpleasant experience of many tourists who board a gondola chosen at random from those currently available, i.e. taking a shorter tour than they thought or finding themselves paying more because some clauses were not clearly explained.
If for some reason you are not satisfied with the tour, having booked online guarantees that you can count on the assistance of the site you made the booking with, whereas if there is a disagreement on the price between you and the gondolier, you will have to deal with it yourself.
If you have booked your gondola ride online, you will find in the confirmation the address of the meeting point where you should report on the day of the tour.
Would you prefer to try your luck? Here is where you can look for your gondola once in Venice.
The official stations with the most gondolas are in the most touristy areas and are those of San Marco, Bacino Orseolo, Rialto, Ferrovia, Piazzale Roma. These are the starting points with the most gondolas, but also the ones most familiar to tourists.
If you prefer to wait at other stazi hoping to find fewer tourists waiting try Danieli, Dogana, Santa Maria del Giglio, Santa Sofia, San Tomà or Trinità.
Is a gondola ride really out of your budget but you don’t want to give up the view of Venice from the water?
The motorboat or boat tour is the solution for you: less romantic than the gondola but much cheaper, this group tour will let you see the city from the same point of view as a gondola, i.e. from the water and will take you to the most beautiful islands.
The last resort solution for low-cost travellers already exhausted by the costs of a very touristy city like Venice is to take the gondola traghetto or gondola da parata, i.e. a larger gondola that moves from one bank of the Grand Canal to the other allowing you to move more quickly from one area of Venice to another.
Not very romantic, it is however a very authentic experience: the gondola ferry is in fact the means still used by Venetians today to cross the Grand Canal. A trip costs only 50 cents.
City Card allow you to save on public transport and / or on the entrances to the main tourist attractions.
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