Taking a gondola ride in Venice

A gondola ride is the one Venetian tourist trap everyone falls into willingly

Ente Gondola
tel. +39-041-528-5075
www.gondolavenezia.it

Tours from Viator.com:
• Venice Gondola Ride and Serenade
• Venice Gondola Ride and Serenade with Dinner
• Venice Walking Tour and Gondola Ride

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TOURS FROM OUR TRUSTED PARTNERS that include Venice

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Not just Italy...
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» THE VENICE BOOKSHELF

A gondolier in the Grand Canal in front of Santa Maria della Salute.Long, sleek, black, slightly crooked, looking like a cross between a canoe and a coffin, the single oar worked by a professional gondoliere.

That's the Venetian gondola, the primary form of transportation in Venice from the 12th century until speedboats roared into the canals in the late 20th. And touristy or not, your visit to Venice isn't complete until you take one of these time-honored water taxis for a spin.

Venetian Gondolas 101
• Take a gondola ride
• Learn to drive a gondola
• Visit a gondola boatyard
• The cheapskate's gondola ride

Technically the gondola is a mode of transportation, and technically you might find a gondolier willing to ferry you from point A to point B, but in practice these most famous of Venetian boats operate as supremely overpriced tourist mini-cruises, not as a viable means of public transportation. I know you'll take ride in one anyway, but it won't be to get anywhere. (There are gondola-like boats that do serve as public transport; they're called traghetti, detailed below).

How much does a gondola ride cost?

The official rates if you're using a gondola as a taxi are €80 ($104) for up to 6 people for a 40-minute ride; additional 20 minute increments cost €40 ($52). As soon as the clock strikes 7pm, the price jacks up to €100 ($130) for 40 minutes, €50 ($65) each additional 20 minutes.

However, if you come across any gondoliere that actually sticks even remotely by those official rates, get his name and write me about it, because a reasonably priced gondola ride is a Venetian rarity I've just got to see.

How long does a gondola ride last?

The average gondola ride lasts 40 minutes. Make absolutely sure you agree upon the price and the duration of the trip before you step into the boat, write it down, and go by your watch (strangely, the gondoliers' often run fast).

Venice's gondolas and gondoliers are regulated by the Ente Gondola (tel. +39-041-528-5075; www.gondolavenezia.it), so call if you have any questions or complaints.

Bacino Orseolo — The gondola parking lot

The gondolas at the Bacino San Orseolo in front of the Best Western Hotel Cavaletto.By the way, if you want to see the biggest gondola parking lot in Venice, it's surprisingly easy to find but surprisingly often missed—odd, since it lies just north of the northwest corner of Piazza San Marco, cupped in the curving yellow walls of the Best Western Hotel Cavalletto (making for some sweet views from the hotel's red-awninged windows).

This magic spot is called the Bacino Orseolo, a small basin—really just a wide spot in the canal—where dozens of boats bouncing gently in the water. Gondoliers park their here rides in the evenings and then stand around in their striped shirts, swapping war stories.

Traghetto: The cheapskate's gondola

Want a rowboat ride in Venice without forking over more than $100? Head down any street named Calle del Traghetto leading toward the Grand Canal (marked by a yellow sign with the black gondola symbol) and hop aboard a traghetto (ferry skiff).

These oversized gondolas rowed by two gondolieri cross the Grand Canal at eight intermediate points not covered by the Grand Canal's four bridges. The fare is a bargain €0.50 (60¢), which you hand to the gondolier when boarding. You then ride standing up.

It only lasts five or six minutes, but it's a thoroughly Venetian way of getting around—and way cheaper than a tourist gondola.

Be a gondolier for the day — Gondola rowing lessons

Gondolieri in Venice.Ever wanted to take the stick and learn how to steer a gondola around the canals of Venice? Several tour services teach you do just that: spend the afternoon taking gondola driving lessons. (Or at least Venetian-style rowing lessons.)

The easiest to use is Row Venice (tel. +39-345-241-5266, www.rowvenice.com), which will teach you the Voga Veneta, the traditional Venetian rowing style, in an open, canoe-like boat called a sandolo (think of it as the gondola's less stylish cousin). Lessons last two hours and cost €50 (or €40 per person for two).

If only a full-fledged gondola will do, ArtViva tours (tel. +39-055-264-5033; www.italy.artviva.com) offers a two-hour "Learn to be a Gondolier" tour for €80 (min. 1 person, max. 4; tours at 9am, 11am, 2pm, and 4pm Mon–Sat).

You can also try contacting the local canoeing club Canottieri Giudecca (tel. 041-528-7409, www.canottierigiudecca.com), which claims to offer lessons for just €6 per hour.

If you are curious how gondolas are made, Casanova/Oltrex (tel. +39-041-524-2828 , www.oltrex.it) offers a two-hour tour that visits a working squero (gondola workshop). Their office and meeting point is a cubby-hole office in the base of the Hotel Daniele on Riva degli Schiavoni, just off Piazza San Marco.

Tips

Planning your day: Gondola rides last 40 minutes, unless you pay for overtime.
You can get a cheaper ride by sharing the boat with other tourists. Just book via our partners Viator.com either the 35-minute Venice Gondola Ride and Serenade ($59.14), the strangely popular Venice Gondola Ride and Serenade with Dinner ($115.57), or the best deal: a Venice Walking Tour and Gondola Ride ($53.07)
Remember: evening rides are more romantic, but cost a premium. Cheapskates will want to take their gondola spin before 7pm.
All gondoliers will want to row you in a big circle back to where you boarded. If you want to end up elsewhere, insist upon it—firmly but politely.

Getting around in Venice
Squero di San Trovaso (gondola workshop)

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This material was last updated February 2011. All information was accurate at the time.

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