Your Gondola Recommendations

[BeachBum1007]

Hello all!

 

I have been researching information on gondola rides in Venice, but I haven't seem to come across too much information on locations. I understand that they're "everywhere" and the cost for 30-40 min for up to 6 people before dark is around 80E. However, where should we go?

 

We are seeking back-street canals off of the main canal and touristy areas. We hope for it to be more romantic and quiet in a quaint area. I've read a recommendation for the Frari Church area, but I was wondering if anybody else has had this experience or recommends another location?

 

How easy is it to find these gondoliers outside of the main areas?

 

Thanks in advance for your help! :)

[p_mori7]

We wandered out behind Piazza San Marco, ate a little restaurant we picked at random (they are everywhere), then wandered some more, and found a spot where there were only 5 gondolas waiting. The next gondolier up was great, spoke good French, had even worked in Quebec one summer for the Cirque du Soleil as a private gondolier. Gave us a great little tour, even sang a little bit as the sun was setting. Cost was 100 euro, and I gave him a tip on top of that. There were only 2 of us in the gondola, and it was a good hour.

[msmeltz]

The gondolas are everywhere....they won't serenade unless you give them more money....the water is dark and dirty looking.....and it looks much better in pictures than in real life. Think it over.

[buchhalm]

Ahhhh, don't listen to the party poopers who whine about prices, dark water etc.

If you are in Venice for the first time or once in a lifetime, just bigger the cost and do it.

Most girls love it.

You will find gondola stations near the important landmarks, such as Rialto, St. Mark"s, the train station etc.

Prices are steep, but fixed. As people mention, singing potentially costs extra, but sometimes the Gondoliere is in a good mood and might sing for free...

You don't have to do a round trip either. That is starting and finishing at the same point. You can be dropped off pretty much anywhere where the gondola is permitted to go.

The water in the canals is certainly not the cleanest (I would not go for a swim in it...) but not filthy or overly on the nose.

Perhaps consider a gondola ride in the late afternoon. Then you will be stared at by far fewer people and are less likely to be stuck in a cruise-ship-tourist-package-price-gondola-ride traffic jam, and your Euros will take you further along the canals.

[agabbymama]

Well, after two trips to Venice, I have to say, I found nothing romantic about the gondola rides. As others have posted, the small back canals are not clean and they do smell. The gondolas go bumper to bumper down those small canals, sometimes bumping into each other and sometimes even the walls of the canal. Our gondolier did not say ONE WORD the whole trip and did not even crack a smile when we started singing "Amore".

 

I understand a first trip to Venice, you might want to do the gondola ride, but don't get it built up in your mind that it's going to be just the two of you in a gondola, so romantic:eek: NOT!

[mapleleaves]

Just wander around and you'll stumble upon the right place for your gondola ride. Don't worry about it ! Info on pricing, etc:

http://europeforvisitors.com/venice/articles/gallivanting_by_gondola.htm

[PORT ROYAL]

Hello all!

 

I have been researching information on gondola rides in Venice, but I haven't seem to come across too much information on locations. I understand that they're "everywhere" and the cost for 30-40 min for up to 6 people before dark is around 80E. However, where should we go?

 

We are seeking back-street canals off of the main canal and touristy areas. We hope for it to be more romantic and quiet in a quaint area. I've read a recommendation for the Frari Church area, but I was wondering if anybody else has had this experience or recommends another location?

 

How easy is it to find these gondoliers outside of the main areas?

 

Thanks in advance for your help! :)

 

How about something new/different - The first and only femail Gondola

person - Honest and cares about clients - value for money - something to tell your friends about

www.hotelsansamuele.com/VENICE/venicegondola.htm

[maryann ns]

I had read that the prices are fixed, but I met people who were able to negotiate. We went on a side canal near the Rialto bridge where there were just two gondolas. It is one of those experiences you will regret not doing. The time just before sunset was perfect. The back canals were quiet and you could get a feel for what it must have been like in centuries past.

[CCJack]

By all means do the Gondola Ride, most people only go to Venice once and you should take in the experience.

 

Our Gondola Ride went in both the Grand Canal and the smaller canals, and I did enjoy the smaller canals better, but I am sure you can just ask your gondolier and I am sure they will stay in the small canals if you want.

 

Yes ours did bump in to the buildings occasionally, but part of the fun in my opinion... We never saw any crowded canals with gondolas except near San Marco. I would avoid that area as much as possible, the rest of Venice is much less crowded.

 

I would not listen to the nay-sayers (or travel with them either.) Your experience is what you make of it. The water is what I would expect for a 1500 year old city that at times has had a population of over 100,000. I probably would not drink it, but we noticed no smell from the water during our stay in Venice.

[rebeccalouiseagain]

Negotiate the price before you get in. I didn't want to spend 100 Euros and ended up doing a 20 minute ride (80 Euros) which was plenty. It's a novelty. I've done it twice with two sons. My older son was more interested than the younger one. I like going through the little canals but not the Grand Canal.

 

You can find them anywhere... Piazzale Roma, San Marco, The Rialto and all kinds of alleys in between.

[moopig]

Wow--I didnt realize they were so pricy! Does anyone share gondolas to save money? My neice and I will be ending our cruise in Venice and I know my neice will want to do this but not sure how much money we will have left after our 9 night cruise :D

[mapleleaves]

Wow--I didnt realize they were so pricy! Does anyone share gondolas to save money? My neice and I will be ending our cruise in Venice and I know my neice will want to do this but not sure how much money we will have left after our 9 night cruise :D

 

Try a traghetto instead. It's like a hollowed out gondola and is used to cross the Grand Canal where there is no bridge. It was .50E when we went 2 yrs ago. It was a fun experience.

http://europeforvisitors.com/venice/articles/traghetto.htm

[Cornishpastyman1]

At 2.00 in this

are a few seconds showing a gondola for 2 in a back alley and gneral scenes taken from a bridge. It is expensive but I wish I had done it (the footage from canal level was given to me by a friend :()

[Jacs]

We took a gondola from a place on the grand canal, opposite the fish market area. It was next to our hotel. They took us down the back canals and it was very quiet. Some of it was lovely, other parts just residential areas with people clothes hanging out the window. It was nice to see the "real" Venice though. The best past was going out into the grand canal at sunset and seeig it set in front of us, very beautiful. Here are a couple of pics I took

 

The back canals

 

Sunset over the Grand canal

[moopig]

Try a traghetto instead. It's like a hollowed out gondola and is used to cross the Grand Canal where there is no bridge. It was .50E when we went 2 yrs ago. It was a fun experience.

http://europeforvisitors.com/venice/articles/traghetto.htm

 

What a great and economical alternative!!!! Thank you so much for posting this!

[agabbymama]

By all means do the Gondola Ride, most people only go to Venice once and you should take in the experience.

 

Our Gondola Ride went in both the Grand Canal and the smaller canals, and I did enjoy the smaller canals better, but I am sure you can just ask your gondolier and I am sure they will stay in the small canals if you want.

 

Yes ours did bump in to the buildings occasionally, but part of the fun in my opinion... We never saw any crowded canals with gondolas except near San Marco. I would avoid that area as much as possible, the rest of Venice is much less crowded.

 

I would not listen to the nay-sayers (or travel with them either.) Your experience is what you make of it. The water is what I would expect for a 1500 year old city that at times has had a population of over 100,000. I probably would not drink it, but we noticed no smell from the water during our stay in Venice.

 

Have you visited Amsterdam? Their canals do not stink, they are flushed out each night. I was told Venice doesn't flush their canals. Different time of year could make a difference too in the debris that is left in the back canals.

 

I'm not a naysayer, just a realist.

[cruisemom42]

Have you visited Amsterdam? Their canals do not stink, they are flushed out each night. I was told Venice doesn't flush their canals. Different time of year could make a difference too in the debris that is left in the back canals.

 

 

The canals of Venice and the canals of Amsterdam are totally different!

 

Venice is built in the middle in a tidal lagoon; the sea tide washes in and out every day.

 

Amsterdam's canals are more or less below sea level; locks keep the water from the North Sea from entering except when they are opened 3-4 times weekly (depending on the season) to help flush the canals.

 

So I guess you could say that Venice's canals are flushed twice daily, with the rising and falling tides, as opposed to only a few times weekly in Amsterdam.....

[maryann ns]

Yes you can share a gondola and that is what we did. We found a couple negotiating and we decided to team up. However it does take away some of the romance if you are with your significant other.

[agabbymama]

The canals of Venice and the canals of Amsterdam are totally different!

 

Venice is built in the middle in a tidal lagoon; the sea tide washes in and out every day.

 

Amsterdam's canals are more or less below sea level; locks keep the water from the North Sea from entering except when they are opened 3-4 times weekly (depending on the season) to help flush the canals.

 

So I guess you could say that Venice's canals are flushed twice daily, with the rising and falling tides, as opposed to only a few times weekly in Amsterdam.....

 

You would think so, but I saw much more paper, plastic debris in the canals of Venice, than in Amsterdam. Maybe the Dutch just work harder to clean it up.

[Colorado Kat]

Wow--I didnt realize they were so pricy! Does anyone share gondolas to save money? My neice and I will be ending our cruise in Venice and I know my neice will want to do this but not sure how much money we will have left after our 9 night cruise :D

 

Check your roll call. I am travelling with my daughter, so romance doesn't enter into it. Well, I do love her - I'm taking her on a cruise.

 

Anyway, we're looking to team up with others from our roll call to share the costs, pre-cruise.

[Tazngaz]

We are also going to Venice in May & want to do a gondola ride so I've been very interested to read all the replies. Are the prices quoted per gondola or per person? There will be 4 of us, can a gondola fit in 4 people? I'm sure that whatever price is charged ,it has to be cheaper than the cruise excursion :rolleyes:

[agabbymama]

We are also going to Venice in May & want to do a gondola ride so I've been very interested to read all the replies. Are the prices quoted per gondola or per person? There will be 4 of us, can a gondola fit in 4 people? I'm sure that whatever price is charged ,it has to be cheaper than the cruise excursion :rolleyes:

 

Yes, the price is per gondola. And the gondolas will fit 6 people. With 4 of you, the 80/100 EURO cost will be a little more palatable.

 

Have a great trip!

[Cardex]

DH and I will be in Venice in May also and we are looking at doing a Gondola ride. We are looking at the Viator "Venice Night tour and gondola ride" It is $67.32US per person. Has anyone done this?

[BeachBum1007]

Thank you all for the posts and pictures! Regardless of the nay-sayers, we are definitely doing a gondola ride; that was never in question! I would kick myself if I didn't at least experience it on my first trip to Venice!

 

We have a family of 6, so the price isn't ridiculous for all of us. It also means we weren't expecting any romance either :p

 

I think we'll save our ride until at least our second day there so we can figure out our ideal location after we've walked around a bit. Definitely want to do the smaller canals though!

 

Thanks again for all of your help! :) If anybody else still has a location recommendation, I'd love to hear it!

[agabbymama]

DH and I will be in Venice in May also and we are looking at doing a Gondola ride. We are looking at the Viator "Venice Night tour and gondola ride" It is $67.32US per person. Has anyone done this?

 

I did do a Walking tour that ended with a gondola ride, also thru viator dot com. My friend wanted to ride a gondola, so we though the tour & gondola ride was the best deal for our $$, instead of just the gondola ride alone.