Surprise in Venice

A sunset gondola ride after a dinner at one of the nicer restaurants?

Gondola ride with singing ?? We haven't done it, but watched ( and listened) as another couple rode by.

Dinner here: http://www.thegrittipalace.com/club-del-doge-restaurant-venice

Evening cichetti rowing lesson with RowVenice. Easy gondola rowing lesson. You’ll stop at a few canalside bars for wine and snacks and even row on the Grand Canal. An unforgettable experience! We did it for our 43rd anniversary and loved it.

Everything sounds awesome, thank you!
Do you know if the Gondola ride with singing or evening cichetti rowing lesson with RowVenice can be booked in advance? If so, do you know how I would go about doing that? I would love to have all set before we arrive in Italy.

hey gina
we did the singing gondola last september with luca. ([email protected]) emailed him and he was great with answering back. pick day and time, before 7pm 80euros/30 min after 7pm 100euros/35 min. it's per boat and fixed price (make sure price) we met him at the jewish ghetto piazza and had a great time (packed a bottle of prosecco and plastic glasses in my bag) CELEBRATE your anniversary. he is on you tube put in search lucky luca gondolier. we stayed on smaller canals, did cross the grand canal which can be really busy with all kinds of boats, so was nice on smaller ones.
the cicchetti tour by alessandro (schezzini.it) he is on you tube (bar tour by alessandro)
check it out. he also does a tour to burano, it's on his website. hope this helps you and have a great time roaming around.
aloha

That was very helpful, Thank you!

I like alan’s suggestion of a romantic dinner on the roof terrace at Gritti Palace, with a beautiful view over the water. Or maybe lunch at Locanda Cipriani on Torcello (they transport you by private water taxi). Read reviews here:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g187870-d1087437-Reviews-Locanda_Cipriani_Restaurant-Venice_Veneto.html

Or dinner at Cip’s Club at the Cipriani hotel across the Giudecca canal.

We have loved Venice ever since our first visit in 2003, and have returned twice for long periods of time, like a full month. I have to say that a gondola ride does not look the least bit romantic to me. As you float down the side canals and under bridges you are not alone. In fact, lots of people will be staring at you, especially if you have a singing gondolier. The people we have seen in gondolas often look incredibly self-conscious and not exactly happy.

Just a different view, but one you might consider in case it might fit you as well.

Hi Gina, You mention that this is also for your husband's 60th birthday. As a guy, may I just throw out a few ideas that might be interesting to a guy (note, I have done none of these, but I would love it if my wife arranged for any of them). Tickets to a Venezia FC soccer match. Rent a private boat or sailboat to see the lagoon. Pub crawl or food tour. A round of golf at Circolo Golf Venice (on Lido, I wish I knew about this when I went to Venice in May!!). All of these things can be found online. Italy is awesome, so whatever you choose, it'll be great!!!

Thanks for the great ideas!
Lola, love your point of view!
caldbunch, I did think of the Soccer Match because our son will be with us too and they love soccer! Unfortunately, nothing is available at that time.

The people we have seen in gondolas often look incredibly self-conscious and not exactly happy.

From my own perspective - a guy, who often is pretty shy in public, and generally prefers to stay out of the spotlight...

My wife and I did the singing gondola thing when we were in Venice. We both LOVED it.

I'll admit, at first, I approached the whole thing with reluctance and skepticism. And yes, I did initially feel a bit self-conscious and weird. But it only took a moment of self-reflection to get over that.

Yes, it's expensive (later: "That was well worth it, the best money we spent on this trip!"). Yes, it's totally cheesy and about as grotesquely touristy as anything could ever be. At first I had to work hard to stifle my natural cynicism and keep from rolling my eyes as our Gondolier belted out "O Solo Mio".

Then I gazed across the gondola, into my dear wife's dewey eyes and I saw her smile. I smiled back and sighed. I didn't care at all how cheesy any of this was. Our gondolier paused between songs, saw us eyeing each other, then shouted out loudly for all the world to hear: "Everyone is happy in the gondola!!!!"

I looked around. I had to admit: the guy was right.

Our gondolier pushed off and started singing again. It was sunset. The sky was blazing, all reds and purples, candles and torches were twinkling on every gondola and all along the canals. It was magical. There were dozens of gondolas all around us in the Grand Canal. Some with starry-eyed couples, young and old, some with large, extended families crammed in. People of every ethnicity and culture, from all around the world. Every single one of them, from grandmas to babes in arms, every one was grinning from ear to ear. For a moment, it seemed all the world was smiling, in harmony, all blissfully, unabashedly, completely and utterly happy. I had never seen anything like it before. It was beautiful, a moment I'll never forget.

If there's ever a time and place to lose the cynicism and get over feeling self-conscious and weird...this is the time and place. You won't regret it.

What a lovely post, David. Thank you for sharing your wonderful experience.

hey david
thanks for the great story and a momento you and your honey can look back on. yes it's cheesy and touristy but we are tourists. we had a fabulous time and cheers with our prosecco with 3 "seniors" and one daughter, who've never been to europe. our gondolier sang an italian song. we have a video of us all smiling.
another thing to look at is watertaxisvenice.com or venicelink.com do private tours along the canal or probably whatever you want. we asked one driver and he said anythins is possible, so just stop and ask the captain and it may be worth it gina
aloha

Seeing Venice from the water is a must do. But, I feel differently about the “singing gondolier”. And that scrum that it involves in the Grand Canal. We instead asked our gondolier to take us away from the traffic into the smaller canals at sunset. We were practically alone. The only sounds were the swish of the oar, and him shouting as he rounded a corner. Was one of the most romantic times of our lives.

My husband and I greatly enjoyed a taking a topa tour in Venice, booked through http://www.vivivenezia.org. A topa is a cute little Venetian workers' motorboat. We motored quietly around the back canals, far from the crowds of gondola tours, and Gianluca told us about what we were seeing in excellent English. Gianluca says it's an hour and a half tour, but we were out for 2 hours.

We are both the kind of people who would just wouldn't have a good time on a 1/2 hour gondola ride, jostling along next to dozens of others, everybody making videos the whole time, being expected to kiss, plus the singing of Neapolitan songs in Venice is a bit odd, so the peaceful, personal, conversational topa tour was perfect for us. You know your husband best.

Possibly it was on the expensive side of reasonable for what it was, like many unique experiences (such as a ride in a hot air balloon). I am pretty sure that Gianluca told us in advance what the tour would cost. Read the tripadvisor reviews on this tour --- very, very positive. My husband also took two 90 minute (standing-up) rowing lessons in a gondola-like boat from Row Venice, and enjoyed that immensely. I got to ride along. Likewise positive reviews.

You'll have a wonderful time whatever you choose to do! I just thought I'd mention this one other option and why we liked it so much.

I love all of the responses and ideas!!
Can never get enough opinions and you are all being very helpful.
Thank you everyone!

The topa tour with Gianluca could be set up as a surprise.
Wait by bridge, admiring canal.
Gianluca shows up.
“Here’s our ride, darling one.”
Embark.

Advice - pay cash.

Just saw your question about whether you could book Row Venice in advance. YES, YES, not only can you book Row Venice in advance, you must book them in advance, as it’s not like regular gondola rides where gondoliers hang out at stations and you approach and book a ride. They must book a teacher for your lesson and ensure that one of their gondolas is free. Just google Row Venice for information.

Thank you everyone!

I was reluctant to do the gondola ride as well, but very glad we did. It is what everyone knows about Venice. Not doing it would be like visiting San Francisco your first and only time and not riding the cable car because its kitschy. Its a centuries old tradition you should participate in.

We were in a small group so our gondola was full. We paid for another gondola with a singer and accordion player. Yes it cost money but was worth it. We got cheers from crowds and people singing along, at every bridge along the way. The best part was when we entered the Grand Canal, and went by all the brightly lit up waterfront restaurants, lights reflecting on the water. We did it after dark, which helps reduce the self-consciousness, and there was much less traffic on the canals.

All that was arranged in advance. I don't recall how much the optional singer & musician cost.