Any suggestions about where is the best deal for a Gondola ride & tour of the Grand Canal....any info will be greatly appreciated....We will be not staying right in the Centre of Venice but will be coming over from the Hotel Ducale in Favaro....
Posted by
Adelaide, SA, Australia
977 posts
A Google search 'Gondolas Venice' will give you all the information you need.
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area
5697 posts
We did the vaporetto ride (at about E7 each) with RS "Grand Canal" audiotour. And then watched other tourists pay E100+ for singing gondoliers.
Posted by
Elk Grove, CA, USA
6898 posts
I believe that there are about 500 gondolas in Venice. Most are along the Grand Canal and in the small canals and waterways off of the Grand Canal. I am not aware of a tour of the Grand Canal in a gondola if that is what you are looking for. Mostly, its a 45-minute boat ride through buildings in the small canals. I do see them going up and down the Grand Canal (not crossing the canal) but I don't know where they begin or end their journeys or if they are part of any tour. The Rialto bridge area has tons of gondolas tied up and ready for passengers. Other places, such as areas near St. Marks does as well. Here's a link to a picture of what you will see in several areas in and near the Grand Canal. This picture was taken just to the east of San Marco plaza. http://gyazo.com/f3eac43b811dc3241f23546df98d38bd If it's really a tour of the Grand Canal you want, get on the front end of the No #1 vaporetto. It runs from the Piazzale Roma to Lido. You'll see the entire Grand Canal and then some.
Posted by
Longmont, CO, USA
527 posts
You don't want to do the Grand Canal with all the traffic and wakes. Take the back canals in the evening (no, singing gondoliers are not the norm) it is very beautiful and romantic. It will cost you around 100 Euro, but you know you only live once as far as we know so I felt it was well worth the money for the memories. We took our Jack Russell along as well and he loved it! Cheapskates and non-romantics can have the Vaporetto (oh oh here comes the flamers). In the end it is a personal choice, but really, do not do a ride in a gondola with the Grand Canal as your only route.
Posted by
Elk Grove, CA, USA
6898 posts
Just so you know that the gondolas are on the Grand Canal, here's a link to another picture. I don't think these are traghettos. Yes, it does rain in Venice. This rain didn't last long. It was really nice. http://gyazo.com/4ff1df5a71d97a056c7633fbda2ba282
Posted by
2541 posts
A gondola ride in the evening is very romantic. For most, it falls into the must do category...and yes it's overpriced in my opinion. Having done it a couple of times, the last visit to Venice we did as Laura B suggests absent the audio guide and shared a bottle of Prosecco.
Posted by
Knoxville, TN, USA
7209 posts
I just posted this in a separate thread, but I would have only put it here had I seen this thread first. http://www.thelocal.de/national/20130818-51453.html