You can take traghetto, which is a gondola-ferry service used to get from one side of the Grand Canal to the other. We're going in about 3 weeks and I'd love to do a morning one. If you absolutely want to be sure you have a gondola at a specific place and time, you'll have to book in advance. Venice is one of the most popular destinations in Italy, and crowds are difficult to avoid. Very very romantic experience! @Jurga, aww thank you for that information, what time would you say is the preferred or best time to take a ride. Thank you for this write-up. If you are in family, it could be interesting to get the guided tour, with a guide on board giving live commentaries. Furthermore, not many tourists take gondolas in the morning. Check out my travel guides, London 2-Day Itinerary: 25+ Epic Things To Do In London In 2 Days, Weekend In San Francisco: How To Spend 2 Days In San Francisco. The pictures on this page may not exactly represent the itinerary of the gondola ride. For that, youll either have to take a water taxi, a vaporetto (public water bus), or walk. We were the first clients of the day and our gondolier was super enthusiastic and very friendly, but without overdoing it (if you know what I mean). We offer a rowing course based in the Cannaregio district, suitable for adults and children! It will be calculated proportionally. Its like visiting New York and not going to the Statue of Liberty or going to Paris and not visiting the top of the Eiffel Tower. This gondola ride by night was beyond our expectations, we were very satisfied! The customary boat stands at points along the Grand Canal that are absent of bridges and acts as a ferry to cross the water. A 2-WEEK ITALY ITINERARY WRITTEN BY AN ITALIAN, The 15 most Instagrammable places in Rome, Island hopping in the Maddalena Arcipelago, Sardinia, Hiking the Sentiero Azzurro in Cinque Terre. And otherwise, any of the side streets near the Grand Canal, or between San Marco square and Grand Canal. ), you can just round up the bill, and for the gondola - I'd say let it depend on how enjoyable the ride/ gondolier was. Being the famous tourist destination it is, accommodation in Venice can get very expensive. Im Jurga, a traveler with a camera, a mom of three boys, and the founder of Full Suitcase, one of the world's leading family travel blogs. Click here to discover our offer ! We had a wonderful quiet and relaxing time. TIP: Make sure to ask a gondolier which route they take. Venice, like a few other cities, was flourishing with music, especially Opera and worldwide reknowned artists, like Monteverdi and Vivaldi! Chat with an Italy travel expert by filling out a Trip Request or call us on 1-888-265-9707. In general, it's not the best idea to stand up or walk around the boat during the trip. Gondolas can hold up to six people. Now, if you cant afford this ride, you have one last option : the traghetto. Not cheap, but if you are looking for something truly special Detail of luxury gondola in Venice, Italy. But if I were you, I'd double-check how the situation is in a few weeks from now, or ask your hotel to let you know how this new reservation system will work. In this blog I share all my favourite travel stories and tips, to help you make the most out of your own trips! There used to be about 10,000 but the number has dropped to around 500 today. There is no doubt this experience will provide you with great memories and sensations, thats why we always advise visitors to give it a try ! San Marco 4538, 30124 Venice, Italy, Tel. Otherwise, if it's busy, you might have to wait or look for another one. Its the cheapest way to ride a gondola in Venice! My friends and I will be visiting Venice on 31st July, may I know if the gondola still fits 6 passengers or is 5 the maximum? Strange. You can always ask the gondolier where they go exactly before you board. The ticket includes the right to book in advance: you save time and avoid long negotiations on the spot. Looking for the best gondola ride in Venice? So for the best gondola ride in Venice, I recommend choosing a route that includes some smaller canals as well as a part of the Grand Canal southwest of Rialto Bridge. Ready to visit Italys Veneto capital? On this blog, I share our family's travel experiences from all over the world, coupled with lots of practical information and useful tips for your trips. | READ MORE: A 2-WEEK ITALY ITINERARY WRITTEN BY AN ITALIAN |, Our gondola ride took us close to Rialto Bridge. Already in the 13th century, Venice started to ban horses in the busiest parts of the city. Some parts of Venice are more relaxing than others, around the Grand Canal and Piazza San Marco it can get quite busy with all the other boats so its up to you whether you want to see the main sights, but risk a bit of boat traffic, or if youd rather be away from the chaos in smaller side canals. The oar isnt attached to the gondola, its used both for power and direction. excluded Saturday, Sunday and holiday days. This determines where you should start. This cultural heritage is very much alive today, and during your trip you will have the occasion to see it for yourself ! We even saw gondolas with young kids in a stroller in them. As for where to take one, there are just so many options. Yes, its expensive, touristy, and all those things. Find out! We cant stress it enough : book in advance ! So, these are our top tips for a gondola ride in Venice. If you are looking to add a romantic note to your tour, dont look further ! There is no shade on the gondolas, so youll be in full sun all the time. Let us know if you cant make up your mind, we are kind of specialists on the matter ! To avoid the rain and wallow in the warm sunlight as you glide across the glimmering waterways, you should plan your trip for between September and November as autumn's gentle temperatures and fewer downpours contribute to the likelihood of enjoying a perfect gondola ride. Have a great trip! So its much quieter on the canals and gondoliers are more relaxed and friendlier. And, as clich as it sounds, no trip to Venice would be complete without a gondola ride. Private Gondola ride in Venice: a memorable experience! Gondola prices in Venice are based per boat and not per person, with the maximum number of passengers on a gondola being six. polizza assicurativa Europ Assistance .9379885, Little guide : Gondola ride Venice Italy, Venice night gondola ride : a romantic evening. Youll have an entire gondola to yourself. This is the fixed price you pay for a private gondola ride and not per person. For just a few euros more, you can get a tour of Venice in music. It felt more spontaneous and more authentic. For a more romantic experience, go in the evening, but beware that it costs more and you are likely to get a shorter and less personalized ride because the demand is high. Find out! (authorization no. 0397834027 - R.E.A. So on a quiet day, your gondolier might cover their standard route in 20-25 minutes, whereas if its busier, it might take longer. AUSTRALIA. I hope that this will help you have a better experience and truly enjoy your gondola tour. Lets get started ! You can share a gondola with other people and split the cost. Gretas Travels is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. If you ask them theyll tell you a bit of sightseeing stories of the places you see during your gondola ride. Whereas if you take a gondola with someone who is in a bad mood or spending his time on a smartphone, it might ruin the whole experience. TIP: If you want to know more about Venetian gondolas and have the time, you may want to consider this tour/workshop that brings you to an authentic Venetian gondola maker. There is no one best gondola ride in Venice. Gondola rides in Venice can be pretty pricey. Once again, I don't think there's a bad option. Is it also customary to tip at the end of the ride? We loved it! Ferry on the Grand Canal in Venice, Italy. Cinque Terre accommodation guide: where to stay for every budget. However dont expect them to sing, Ive only seen that happen in movies. We recommend you book all your activities in advance when you organize your trip, and we are not just talking about the gondola ride ! Please make a new search! A friendly chap willing to talk to you and tell something about the sights along the way will make your ride so much more pleasant. If you are in the city earlier, see if you can find a happy and awake gondolier to take you for a morning ride. Gondolas are one of the most iconic and traditional Venetian experiences, so its just normal that you would want to go for a gondola ride while in Venice. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Have a great trip! Gondolas at night on a canal in Venice, Italy. Hi Johnathan, normally, the maximum number of passengers in the gondola is 6, but I see that most private tours don't allow booking more than 5 people per boat, and some only 4. Traditional gondola ride through the canals in Venice, Italy. If you are wondering whether you can take a gondola in Venice with kids, yes, absolutely! Italy has played an important role in the history of music. I dont think that you can have a really bad gondola ride anywhere in Venice. Click here to book your private gondola cruise in Venice! Join us as we discover the world one beautiful adventure at a time! Learn how your comment data is processed. 2. For just 2.5 EUR, you can cross the Grand Canal in a real Venetial gondola. If you are looking for something extra special, this could be it. So if youre hoping for a romantic gondola ride at sunset, be prepared to pay more. Hi Tracey, I really don't think you can go wrong with any route - it depends on your preference of which area you'd like to explore. As were staying in lido and going over to Venice for the day I believe the transport starts very early in the morning? Youll enjoy your gondola ride at night stress-free, with a journey that lasts longer compared to the standard 30-minute tours. More info:Disclosure. di VE n 354694 Its very hard to negotiate the price of a standard gondola ride. Some of the smaller canals dont even have pedestrian sidewalks so doing a gondola cruise is the only way to reach them. Our experience: On our most recent trip to Venice, we took a gondola ride with our three boys (age 9, 9, 11) and I thought they might find it too boring. Personally, I think you should do a gondola ride in Venice. Not that early, but early enough for it not to be too busy or too hot. Book one of our personalized Italy Tours and Vacations to relax and immerse yourself in the beauty of Venice reflected in a private gondola ride on routes showcasing the grandeur of marble palaces, venerated cathedrals, waterside cafes, and decorated bridges, or learn more with our Italy Travel Guide. On the other hand, if you want to see St. Marks Square and the Doges Palace from the water and sail under the famous Bridge of Sighs, you should take a gondola ride starting near St. Marks Square. If a complete gondola tour of the canals is not your preference, you can also try the traditional Venetian method for crossing the canals, known as a traghetto. Even the size, shape, and color of an official Venetian gondola used for work is fixed. If you want to go massively off the beaten canals (see what I did there?) Operating Offices: Agenzia viaggi "VIVO EXPERIENCE" n.2466/2017, prot. There are three ways to get a cheaper gondola ride in Venice: 1. At the same time, you dont want to take a gondola that only tours the busy Grand Canal or the waters close to St. Marks Square and skips smaller and quieter canals. Are you on Pinterest? No idea yet what it will look like and they said it will be easier to book for those who actually stay in Venice. However youve also heard theyre expensive and touristy, so youre wondering, is it really worth it? Make sure to do it in advance, before you get on the boat, and dont count on it. For example during our gondola ride we cruised past Casanovas house but we would have never known if our gondolier hadnt told us. 2016 - Greta's Travels. Get Top Travel Specialists to Help Plan Your Trip. While the fairytale ambiance of Venice remains, attempting a gondola ride alongside the heavy traffic of the canals is guaranteed to limit the romantic allure and private charms of this iconic tourist experience. For example, gondoliers have their own standing places and the routes they take. So talk to the gondoliers before you get on the boat, get the feel how friendly they are, and dont be afraid to walk away and find somebody else if they look and sound overly arrogant. Our route included some very quiet canals, but also a small part of the Grand Canal. Alternatively, you can also choose to take a Venetian gondola ride in the early evening, at sunset, or even in the dark. Looking for romantic date ideas? The special boat with all its decorations, the singing gondolier, the centuries-old palazzos on the water Our kids truly enjoyed the gondola ride in Venice! Yes, agondolaride inVeniceis absolutelyworth it! More info about how much it costs below. Check our gondola ride tickets for a shared tour. While its true that gondola rides are expensive and very touristy, I still think theyre a great experience and unique to Venice. Have a great trip! Its very narrow and powered by the gondolier, a man that stands at the back of the gondola and uses a long rowing oar to move the boat. Gondolas allow you to see Venice from a completely different angle; many of the canals we cruised through didnt even have a pedestrian walking area so you would never be able to visit them on foot. In 2017 I left my life as a management consultant and started chasing waterfalls, sunsets and views around the world. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. It's pretty likely that this post contains affiliate links. However, you cant compare this experience with a regular gondola ride. At the end of the day, we only regret the chances we didnt take, dont we?! No tour availability for this date. The duration of your Venetian gondola ride will highly depend on how busy it is on the canals. However, we ask you to present yourself at the boarding point to find out if the tour takes place or learn about any alternative options for the service you purchased. Our experience: Weve been to Venice several times and have taken a gondola ride twice. Book your private Venice gondola tour here! Say if a friend and I went and wanted to take pictures of each other in the fancy chair and then switch spots mid-ride, would that be permitted? If you are travelling on budget but dont want to give up on the gondola ride, heres a great solution! We recommend going for a gondola ride in the morning. If this should happen, you will be informed as soon as possible and, according to the type of service you booked, you will have the possibility to choose between postponing the service on the first date available or receiving a total refund of the price paid, if the cancellation policy of the service itself allows a refund. Venice Gondola ride tickets online: 30 minutes at an unbeatable price! It contains a lot of articles and destination guides from our many trips to various parts of Italy. 3. Check out my Italy essentials packing guide to make sure yoduo! In this guide Ive included everything you need to know about doing a gondola ride in Venice, including average price, where to book, what to expect and more. Have a great trip! there might be an extra cost. PS When looking for tour options, I stumbled upon this: gondola ride + photo shoot. Just let us know what you are thinking about : itinerary, music, drinks and we will make it happen ! For example, already in the early 17th century, it was decided that all Venetian work gondolas should be black. And even gondola ride times and prices are uniform everywhere in Venice. Before you read on, have you got everything you need for your Italy trip? Ideally, you find 2-4 other people to share a ride with. +39 041 8877441 For centuries, black gondolas have been the unmistakable symbol of Venice. And you only know how it was when you are done. Discover the canals of Venice with dim light and admire the picturesque architecture from a different perspective ! The rowing lesson will last 90 minutes, during which you can make your own way through the city by water!. Those special gondolas, like water taxis, take you from one side of the Grand Canal to the other. We passed under numerous bridges, down narrow canals included and the beautiful Canal Grande, perfect for taking beautiful photos! We are pretty sure that you will not regret it ! The gondolas' history as Venice's primary mode of transportation dates back to the 7th century, and they have since grown exponentially in global popularity. Today, legendary gondoliers use single oars to gently row tourists sitting comfortably in stylishly painted and upholstered gondolas along the web of canals that connect the city's dazzling Venetian districts. However if you like planning your trips ahead and want to know you have your gondola ride booked and confirmed, you can book your gondola tour online. We recommend waiting to take a gondola until youre quite close to the Grand Canal, but not directly at it. Hi Taylor, I think it will really depend on the gondolier and on the situation. Below, you can find an overview with some frequently asked questions and our answers. In this article, we share our top tips for a better Venice gondola experience. You might want to do your gondola cruise early in the morning or at sunset instead (this is also the best time for photos)! Have you been on a gondola ride before? Hi were going to Venice on Tuesday 2nd august to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary staying in lido de jesolo If you want to be right on the Grand Canal, you'll find gondolas next to Rialto Bridge. While it is not cheap and it can feel a bit touristy, its a real bucket-list experience that you really have to do when visitingVenice. 2019 Vivo SRL, P.Iva 04383730274 - All Rights Reserved 2052/2012, Tte--tte in Venice: gondola ride & candlelit dinner. It has evolved over hundreds of years and is strictly regulated. Oars and forcola Venice : Visit a workshop ! Travelers flock to Venice to indulge in the time-honored tradition of cruising the famous canals, and our complete guide to planning a gondola ride in Venice will help you to get the most from this essential Venetian experience. We offer the most exclusive private gondola cruises in Venice! AUSTRALIA. READ ALSO: Top Places to See & Things to Do in Venice. Venice gondola tours that you can pre-book online are usually more expensive than the official rates. It remains a truly special experience and Id absolutely do it again next time we are in Venice. acts of nature, strikes, exceptional closures,serious unexpected events or health problems experienced by the person in charge with the service after which it is really impossible to find a substitute) the service you booked might be cancelled. Youll have a gondola all to yourself, which you can share with whoever you want: someone special, your friends or family, up to a maximum of five people. This private night gondola ride in Venice lasts 40 minutes, a little longer than the standard gondola rides, and lets you discover the magical atmosphere of Venice by night, with the silence of its streets and the play of the reflections of lights on the water surface. Many people want to do gondola rides close to Piazza San Marco or on the Grand Canal as they think that will have the best views, however in my opinion there is a more tranquil beauty to doing a gondola ride in the quite back canals.