Gondela ride

Michelle, do you actually have the Rick Steves Italy book? I ask because it includes information on things such as gondola pricing, things to do in Piazza San Marco (and whether tickets are needed) and where you find glass blowing demos. (Hint: It's not in Venice.) He also talks about the "other boats" that get you around Venice. If you don't have that book, you really should get it because he addresses all these sorts of questions that every first time traveler to Italy would ask and he even answers questions that it's not going to occur to you to ask (such as what's the deal with public restrooms in Venice). I'm guessing you don't have that book or you would have known the answer to at least some of your other questions - what's closed in Rome on Sundays (See the "Daily Reminder" section in the Rome chapter.), how much is a cab from FCO to the Vatican, how much is the train from Rome to Bari, and more. I bet you would find it very empowering to have that book and be able to answer these questions on your own by reading someone who has been writing guidebooks for decades as opposed to random responses by a bunch of strangers on a bulletin board, some of whom can get quite snippy, as you've seen. It might help address a lot of the fears you've expressed about traveling to Italy. Italy is great, if you've done your research. Happy travels and good luck.

While in Venice - I went on an evening walking tour of Venice with an English speaking college student....his tour was excellent!! Part of the tour was a Gondola Ride.....so for the one booking, we got a great walking tour
around central Venice (with lots of history) and a lovely Gondola ride. I booked with viator.com (also used them in Milan and Rome) They have day and evening tours and I hope something fits your time schedule.

I have the "Rome Pocket Guild" and the "Europe Through the Back Door".. I read as much as I can.. I will get the Italy book when I get through the books I have, also the Greece Book and will want to find what Rick has written on Croatia. AS I am going there to.. I watch a lot of public TV and love RICK STEVES specials. I also have his Italy video with 6 episodes to. It is a learning process. I booked one of his recommended hotels he featured on TV a few years back. The snippy people do not bother me. I ignored them, then I put a few I their place and they went away. I guess you just have to stand up to a bully. There are without question some very nice people here, that are willing to politely and with compassion share their personal experience one to one..
Love the insider info from other people.. That makes this a truly great site and worth asking. Anybody that wants to tell me more of Venice on this thread please do so.. Michelle

Michelle-I haven't been yet (but leave this week!) but I have read to expect 80 euros for a day gondola ride and 100 euros for 7 p.m. or later-in general. Rick states the standard ride is 40 minutes or so. But, he does advise clarifying both length and price before boarding and picking a gondolier that you like and paying at the end.

Just take the local version - the vaporetto - to save money. Unless you need the tourist experience, you can take local boats which are a fraction of the price. They'll be more crowded but so what.

And the 80 or 100 euro is per gondola that holds up to six people. If you find like minded people, you can share the cost.