Venice Gondola ride

[Got2Cruise]

We will be in Venice and we want to hire a Gondola for just the two of us. Would like to hear your experiences, tips or advice. Our hotel is not far from San Marco

[Hlitner]

We have oft posted on this subject. Getting a Gondola is not a problem and the ball is in your court (so to speak). You simply go to any of many gondola docking areas (your hotel can tell you where to go or there is one near St Marks Square (just walk to the canal and turn right) and negotiate a deal with a gondolier. They do have fixed prices (which vary depending on time of the day) but you can still try to negotiate. Expect to pay about 90 Euros for your own gondola. We always suggest that folks stop at a shop that sells wine, buy a nice Italian red, have the cork pulled, ask for 2 plastic wine cups, and sip away while on your gondola. Keep in mind that the highest prices are usually about sundown, but this is also the nicest time to be gliding through the back canals.

 

Hank

[mapleleaves]

wander around for a bit in order to determine WHERE you want to take the gondola ride .... perhaps you'd prefer a trip on the busy Grand Canal where you will see famous sights, or, maybe a quiet back canal in a residential area.

Lots of useful info in this article:

 

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

 

And consider a traghetto, also in that article.

[aquilegia]

Expect to pay about 90 Euros for your own gondola.

 

The 2015 official gondola rates are 80 euros for 30 minutes up to 7pm, and 100 euros for 35 minutes after 7pm.

[Hlitner]

The 2015 official gondola rates are 80 euros for 30 minutes up to 7pm, and 100 euros for 35 minutes after 7pm.

 

You are talking about Italy :) where "official rates" are often more of a guideline than reality. And in Venice the reality is supply and demand. If business is good and the weather good the prices tend to inflate. If business is slow one can often negotiate better terms. We usually do not hassle them too much about the price but rather push for a longer ride. Sometimes I will bargain for a lower price (which is not usually successful) and then cave-in on the price but suggest 45 minutes. One should remember you have nothing to lose by politely bargaining. The last time we did this the gondolier would not agree to any deal so we just smiled, said Grazzi and chao and walked. The gondolier actually came after us and quickly agreed to 50 minutes for 5 extra Euros. So we agreed and I offered him a glass of wine (we had a bottle. To my surprise he quickly responded in perfect English, "I do not drink and drive!" Too funny.

 

Hank

Edited May 10, 2015 by Hlitner

[Got2Cruise]

Thanks for having the patience to post.

[hubofhockey]

You are talking about Italy :) where "official rates" are often more of a guideline than reality. And in Venice the reality is supply and demand. If business is good and the weather good the prices tend to inflate. If business is slow one can often negotiate better terms. We usually do not hassle them too much about the price but rather push for a longer ride. Sometimes I will bargain for a lower price (which is not usually successful) and then cave-in on the price but suggest 45 minutes. One should remember you have nothing to lose by politely bargaining. The last time we did this the gondolier would not agree to any deal so we just smiled, said Grazzi and chao and walked. The gondolier actually came after us and quickly agreed to 50 minutes for 5 extra Euros. So we agreed and I offered him a glass of wine (we had a bottle. To my surprise he quickly responded in perfect English, "I do not drink and drive!" Too funny.

 

Hank

 

 

Yup, one guy quoted me prices with singing and without.

 

Back of Orseolo area near shopping is a great spot for the back canals. Just line up.

Edited May 10, 2015 by hubofhockey

[lisiamc]

Yup, one guy quoted me prices with singing and without.

 

I think I'd happily pay more for the non-singing gondolier! :D

[Hlitner]

I think I'd happily pay more for the non-singing gondolier! :D

 

ROFL. I resemble that remark. What I think is really awful are the cruise line gondola excursions with singing. They charge top dollar, then cram 4-6 in each gondola...go together in a flotilla of gondolas with one gondola having a real singer. Nothing real romantic gliding through the canals in a traffic jam of gondolas with your new best friends ).

 

Hank

[Got2Cruise]

ROFL. I resemble that remark. What I think is really awful are the cruise line gondola excursions with singing. They charge top dollar, then cram 4-6 in each gondola...go together in a flotilla of gondolas with one gondola having a real singer. Nothing real romantic gliding through the canals in a traffic jam of gondolas with your new best friends ).

 

 

 

Hank

 

 

Yes we don't want to share. That defeats the purpose. I know it is a tourist trap. I don't care. Lol. This said from the born and bread NYC gal who never went to the Statute of Liberty and the Empire State Building only once and that was only to go with daughters Girl Scout troop lol

[chipmaster]

Yes we don't want to share. That defeats the purpose. I know it is a tourist trap. I don't care. Lol. This said from the born and bread NYC gal who never went to the Statute of Liberty and the Empire State Building only once and that was only to go with daughters Girl Scout troop lol

 

Gondola's are everywhere, as long as you know the "official" rate hard not to just pick one where you want to take a ride and go with it. Totally avoid the prepaid group one's thru the cruise line. We saw a few of those floating flotilla of gondolas and were so happy we just hired a random one.

[sunnygidget]

Quote:

Originally Posted by hubofhockey View Post

Yup, one guy quoted me prices with singing and without.

 

Same for us, we said we'd pay the lesser price of no singing, he said "I sing for you anyway, no charge" He was great. That's why we looked around a bit and picked this guy, he was having fun.

[her majesty]

Would they consider a family of seven on one gondola?

[lisiamc]

Gondolas hold six people, so if one of the seven is a baby and can travel in someone's arms or on their lap, then you might be ok. If it's seven adults, then I think you're going to need two gondolas.