Gondola Rides in Venice

Can not imagine you would need a reservation- we went two times in the mid summer and gondolas were lined up waiting for customers to approach them. we did do day time rides though, so if you wanted an evening it may be a different story

No need to book in advance. You'll see them lined up and waiting to serve. Part of the fun is choosing the one you prefer. The different options such as a singer, what areas of Venice you prefer, length of trip are all negotiable. You can get anything you wish depending on how much you will pay.

Is there an approximate range of what the rides cost and is it higher at night? How much can you negotiate pricing with the gondoliers or company reps? We will be in Venice the last week of September and I have no idea what to expect to pay!

Thanks,
Terry

No reservations needed...they will be waiting for you. I would recommend avoiding the gondola operators around the Grand Canal and the lagoon (higher prices and choppy water) in lieu of selecting one somewhere along the many back canals around the city. If you wait until later in the afternoon-early evening, you should be able to haggle for a better price. I believe after dark/night prices are highest. A couple of years ago, we found a guy on a very quiet canal after dinner and negotiated 15 Euros off of the first price he quoted. Being completely honest, I thought the whole thing was a bit of a letdown: touristy, sort of cheesy, and kind of a rip-off (but I was expecting this). I will say that it was a nice quiet way to spend an evening. Perhaps the highlight of the ride was floating quite close to the homes of Marco Polo and Vivaldi…or at least that’s what our gondola operator told us :). I chalked the experience up to one of those things you have to do because that’s what you do when in Venice.

I seem to recall that the average starting price quoted was around 80 Euros per boat (not person) for something like 45 minutes.

Thanks so much for all the help. We'll just wait until we get there.

Ciao!

We fully planned on taking a gondola ride when we were in Venice, however...

the lines of gondolas filled with tourists reminded us of Disneyland - Please keep your hands and feed securely inside the boat at all times. It was a real turn-off. We decided to save the 80 euros ($115!!!) and do something fun - which we did by way of a water taxi to the airport. Zipping around the canals of Venice a la James Bond was so so much fun and we all loved it. And it cost less (arranged via our hotel)!!!

Have a great time. Venice is awesome :-)

We were in Venice last Sept/Oct and took a gondola ride. We wanted to go at night, in quiet narrow canals, but didn't necessarily want singing. We just walked along until we found one and explained what we wanted. It must have been 10 pm, at the end of our day. It was wonderful! We went into very dark narrow canals, under bridges where locals were walking home. Our gondolier even gave us some history and showed us where he lived. Couldn't have been better. We did pay a lot, didn't even negotiate the price even though we knew we could and should have. Husband didn't worry about it and just said lets go. At the end of our ride there were several other gondoliers nearby and they would talk a bit to each other. It was really fun! At the end of the ride when we were going back and around other gondoliers ours yelled out, "Bongi, bongi, bongi" We assumed it meant "got a sucker, paid full price"! Even though..it was well worth it!

A couple of thoughts for you Martha. We did this about a year ago. Quite a supply of Gondolas to choose from so you probably can find who you want. It's great fun looking at the different ones and choosing who you think is the right guy for you.

1. I agree with the gentleman who stated an an average price of around 80 Euro/45 min. Of course that will be variable by time / place.

2. If you are trying to save money try to get towards back canals.

3. I think one thing that no one discusses is be aware of the difference between negotiating a fair price versus a cheap price. It may reflect in terms of the experience/service you get in return. One thing to keep in try is if you come armed with some facts/knowledge negotiate for more of a tour instead of less Euro.

My wife and I were in Venice last September and avoided the gondola rides. They were overpriced and seemed kind of silly - singers who couldn't sing, gondolas bobbing up and down in the grand canal in between Vapporetti and water taxi boats, people staring at you as you drift through the canals, one gondalier was even texting and talking on his phone while navigating through a canal.

We enjoyed just riding up and down the Grand Canal in the evening. If you get a seat at the front of the boat, you can have a nice cruise at a fraction of the price. Use your Euros better someplace else.

Hi All,

I would just like to ask a follow on question. Can you bring a bottle of Prosecco or other wine on a gondola ride.
My wife and I will try a nightime ride in a quiet area.

Wayne (and all),
Yes, you can bring a bottle of wine in the gondola. Our gondolier 2 weeks ago was fine with it. We also learned that it is perfectly legal to have your drink while on the streets, contrary to most places in the U.S.

I agree with posts above. Gondola ride on the Grand Canal not as romantic- water too choppy, and lots of vaporetti and other boats taking away from the experience. We chose a night ride because, as said above, looked too "Disney-ride" in the dayitme.

Thanks Maria, we were in Venice 10 years ago and we skipped the gondola ride then. This time for better or worse we will do it.

Where would be the "best" location to get a gondola ride on one of the back canals for a reasonable price? We definitely don't want to ride on the grand canal!

We were in Venice in the beginning of July for our honeymoon and took a gondola ride after dark. It was 100 euro for 45 minutes. We took a bottle of wine and it was a wonderful experience. Expensive yes, but we knew it would be. It was better than the canal side dinner we had on a different night (at a Rick recommended location). I guess it just depends on your priorities.