Picture this: the golden hues of sunset reflecting off Venice's tranquil waters, the air tinged with the whisper of romance, and city's silhouettes mirrored in its shimmering canals. The only thing missing? Stepping onto a gondola to immerse fully in the quintessence of Venetian charm and elegance.
Steered by skilled gondolier, whose rowing oar moves in harmony with the waters as they occasionally hum melodies, the Gondola is a traditional, flat-bottomed rowing boat. While its asymmetrical structure might seem unbalanced, it has been perfectly designed to navigate Venice's labyrinthine waterways.
Embarking on a gondola ride is not merely about sightseeing; it's about experiencing the city as it was meant to be seen—from its serene canals — and connecting to its living history as the gondola glides beneath the city's ancient bridges and past majestic palazzos.
As you drift along the waterways, you'll witness daily life unfolding along the picturesque shores, providing a glimpse into the heart and soul of this city. Plus, many of Venice's most picturesque canals are only accessible by gondola, allowing you to discover the city's hidden beauty away from the bustling crowds.
Venice can be a very crowded city, especially during peak tourist season. A gondola ride can be a great way to escape the crowds and enjoy some peace and quiet. As you glide through the canals, you can take in waterfront views of the city's top landmarks, discovering the city's charm from a special standpoint.
It's no secret that Venice exudes an undeniable aura of romance, and the experience of being serenaded by your gondolier while drifting through Venice's serene waterways at sunset amplifies this enchanting atmosphere.
Did you know that once upon a time, Venice's canals were teeming with gondolas? Now, with less than 450 of them around, they are part of a grand tradition that's endured for a millennium. The gondoliers, with their rich stories and colorful anecdotes, offer insights into Venetian life that you won't find in any guidebook.
Most gondolas navigate the routes around the St. Marks Square, although some may choose to dip in and out of internal canals to escape canal traffic. In case of the latter, you might stand a chance to catch sight of hidden gems, like the famous Bridge of Sighs. Note that these routes are fluid and not predetermined, so the route a gondola may be following today might not be the same as the one it follows the next day. Route variations are also subject to changes in water levels and weather conditions.
Most of these experiences begin around St. Marks Square, although the Rialto Bridge and the Grand Canal are popular boarding points as well.
Here are some popular stations around St. Marks Square.
When planning your unforgettable Venice gondola ride, one of the first decisions you'll face is whether to book your experience online in advance or take a chance with on-site booking once you arrive.
Booking on-site allows you to walk up to the station when you have time and choose a ride, which works well for spontaneous travelers who don't believe in planning every detail. But it also means that you will have to deal with the risk of unavailability and long lines, especially during peak seasons.
Booking a gondola ride online is slightly more expensive. However, there are several upsides to booking online:
The Doge's Palace, a masterpiece of Venetian Gothic architecture, stands proudly at the heart of Venice. Once the seat of Venetian power, it exudes opulence and grandeur, housing lavish halls, magnificent artworks, and the haunting Bridge of Sighs.
St. Mark's Basilica, an architectural marvel on Venice's Piazza San Marco, mesmerizes with its intricate mosaics and opulent domes. A symbol of Venetian wealth and devotion, it remains a breathtaking testament to Byzantine artistry.
The Peggy Guggenheim Museum in Venice showcases a remarkable collection of modern art, housed within the picturesque Palazzo Venier dei Leoni along the Grand Canal. It features works by Picasso, Pollock, and Dalí, offering a captivating journey through 20th-century art movements.
The Teatro La Fenice, meaning "The Phoenix" in Italian, is a legendary Venetian opera house that has risen from the ashes of fire twice, showcasing world-class opera, ballet, and classical music performances.
Venice's lifeblood, the Grand Canal, a winding S-shaped waterway, cuts through the heart of the city, lined with majestic palaces and serving as the main thoroughfare for gondolas and vaporettos.
Venice's oldest bridge, the Rialto Bridge, stands proudly over the Grand Canal, showcasing its iconic single-arch design and bustling marketplace, where history and commerce meet.
Spanning the Grand Canal near its southern end, the Accademia Bridge offers stunning views and a simple charm, being the only wooden bridge among Venice's four grand crossings.
Cloaked in white limestone and shrouded in legend, the Bridge of Sighs connects the Doge's Palace to the prison, offering a final, wistful glimpse of Venice through its barred windows.
Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo, also known as the "Snail Palace," boasts a unique spiral staircase scaling its exterior facade, offering breathtaking views of Venice's rooftops and a delightful climb.
Ca' Rezzonico, a magnificent Venetian palace overlooking the Grand Canal, invites visitors to explore its opulent interiors and extensive art collection. As a museum of 18th-century Venice, it offers a glimpse into the lavish lifestyle of the city's aristocracy during the golden age of the Republic.
The classic gondola ride starts at €30. However, prices can vary according to the ticket type. Costs can go up if you choose a private ride, combo tours, etc.
The best option is to purchase your tour online. This way, you have multiple options to choose from like shared vs private, combo tours, etc. and you don’t have to wait in long queues for a ticket. However, you can also book on-site if you want a spontaneous experience. Note that on-site booking might mean longer wait times, not finding a ride at the time of your convenience, etc.
You can choose between shared or private rides. In the former, you will be seated randomly and might have to wait for the gondola to fill up before the ride begins. In the latter, you can book out the whole gondola for you and your family/group even if the whole gondola isn't full. You can also opt for a gondola ride with serenade if you're seeking live entertainment on board. If you want to explore more of Venice, book combo tours that will give you the benefit of taking both a gondola ride and visiting top landmarks in the city.
In a shared ride, the gondola will also be occupied by other people besides you and your group. The gondolier may seat you randomly, meaning you might be split from your group if your gondolier so decides. The shared ride is cheaper, starting at €30. A private ride, in contrast, is one where the entire gondola is reserved for you and your group. This means that even if the gondola isn't full to capacity i.e. doesn't have 5 passengers, the ride will still happen. Private rides start from €135 onwards.
All your gondola rides can be boarded from around St. Mark's Basilica. This spot is close to the city centre and easily accessible. However, you can board your ride from a variety of gondola stations, including the Rialto Bridge, the Jewish Ghetto and San Marco districts.
A gondola ride typically lasts for about 30 minutes, although this duration may come down if there is lots of traffic in the canals. If you're seeking a longer tour, negotiate with the gondolier at the outset, although you may have to pay more.
While the gondola ride per se isn't a guided experience, you can upgrade your ticket for live commentary on board. You can also book combo tickets to nearby attractions like Doge's Palace and St. Marks Basilica. You can avail guided tours to these attractions.
You can cancel your tickets up to 24 hours in advance to get back a full refund. Rides may also be canceled in the event of bad weather or a gondolier strike.
No, not all Venice gondola rides include live music. You’ll have to book a serenade ride if you are seeking this experience.
Children under the age of two can ride for free, while all others pay full price.
Most tours allow you to witness St. Mark’s Basilica, the Doge’s Palace, St. Marks’ Bell Tower, Rialto Bridge, Bridge of Sighs and Mozart House among others.
Unfortunately, none of these experiences are wheelchair friendly.
Early mornings and late afternoons are the best times to take a ride. A sunset ride is also highly recommended, even though it can get quite crowded.
The gondola ride was memorable. It took about 30 minutes. We did a mini walking tour beforehand and learned some interesting Venice facts. There was also a virtual experience attraction after the gondola ride that we had to miss.
Traditional gondola with a 20 min ride around the smaller canals of Venice. An audio commentary could have made it more enjoyable.
Very good experience from the moment we were welcomed until the end of the tour. Everything very organized and with a very attentive staff.
Easy to make a reservation on line. Detailed directions on where to meet, to include pictures of the exact location. Great experience.
We didn't have an audio tour. The on-site organization was not up to scratch (we changed the boarding location twice).
The description said that the experience would last 50 minutes but it lasted maybe 20 max. The line to get on the gondola was very long and so we didn't actually get on one until 2:25 (was supposed to be 2) and then it was done by 2:45. It's fine if it's only 20 minutes, but then you should advertise it as such
The ride was said to be with live commentary in Spanish but it was not and it lasted less than 50 minutes...still good because the gondola ride is unique but I would not repeat here.
While we booked an English speaking your. We were grouped with a spanish/English guide. I felt that the English translation was brief and rush through not providing all of the same information. The audio speakers were very crackled and we were unable to hear fully.
Planning was good and fast. They all set off at the same time and that's why the gondolas were jammed. This meant you couldn't travel as far. It was still a nice experience, but a start with individual gondolas from the city center would be better
The ticketing experience was very easy, fast and reliable. The gondola ride was really amazing and the boat man was friendly and welcoming. Would definitely do it again 😁
we booked a tour with personal comments but the guide said absolutly nothing. The boad tour was ok and we knew that it would be a busy time of the day but that the guide did not explain anything was not what we expected.
Tour guide very nice and helpful, time frame was different than expected, at the beginning we had doubts whether we were in the right group as we walked past two gondola boarding points without getting on. The ride was entertaining and nice, but it was very crowded, so we had to stand in line and wait a lot in the gondola. We were only given the audio guide when we asked for it. This was when we boarded the gondola, so the download was not quite complete and not all points could be heard. The virtual journey into the Venetian past with VR glasses was very positive, it wasn't booked separately but was very nice and was also offered afterwards. Overall, the gondola ride is to be recommended, it is somehow part of a visit to Venice.
This experience was wonderful, beyond my expectations
Cool one time experience. Felt very touristy.
The hospitality of the gondoliers and their interest in offering us an excellent gondola ride.
Topissime, especially with the guide who was very human, smiling, just adorable 🥰
The guide was kind, attentive, and joyful.
Magnificent ride through the canals. Godoluer pilots by the millimeter and whistles beautifully.
Everything went well. We were taken to the Gondola at the appointed time. A great experience!
We really enjoyed it, it was great! It's worth it
Beautiful gondola ride! Very enjoyable.
We loved it just as we expected.
Loved it awedome so good so good love it so awesome will do it again
Emma was fantastic. Such a lovely bubbly positive person. You are lucky to have her. Thank you Emma
Had to share with 3 other people, not very long but for the price $39 ,worth it
Discover Venice's enchanting waterways on a traditional gondola with the flexibility to choose a ride that suits you best.
Inclusions
50-min shared gondola ride in Venice
Gondola and seat assigned by the gondolier
Special route under the Bridge of Sighs (if selected)
Seating guaranteed in the same gondola (if selected)
Live commentary in English and Italian (if selected)
Digital app audio commentary in Spanish, German, Japanese, Russian, Chinese, French & Hindi (if selected)
Exclusions
Ride was good but not 50 minutes as advertised. Max about 30 minutes.
In principle, it was good. But unfortunately much shorter than expected. More like a 20-minute drive.
Ride was much cheaper directly at the venue. We had to climb over two other gondolas with a 3 year old on our arm while the direct dock was empty. Next time directly booking at the gondola to look for a good driver.
We were disappointed by the gondola tour, apart from the fact that we only spent 20 minutes on the water, the tour was very short and the gondolier did the bare minimum. Although I'd recommend doing it, as it's something to be done under different conditions. Too bad for a ticket bought at full price without negotiation for 50 minutes ....
The gondolier was on the phone the whole time of the ride, we were stopped many minutes, and the ride was a rectangle of a few hundred meters around the block.
Góndola ride was something I was waiting for in Venice, it was beautiful, but the most disappointing part that instead for 30 mins for which I paid big money, we got just 20 mins. Maybe the gondoliers there just doing in that way to take more client during the day, but for me is not acceptable, if in description of experience saying 30 mins, should be full 30 mins, and I'm not saying that we had to wait another hour, as when we came at our time 5pm, they said the closest time they could get us is at 6pm, even that I booked that time months in advance
The gondoliero was not pleasant at all
The gondola ride lasted just 20 minutes.
Unfortunately, the gondola ride was only 30 minutes instead of 50 minutes as booked. Due to the rain, the seats in the gondola were soaking wet and were not wiped dry like in the other boats. As the departure had to be very quick, we sat on the wet seats and our clothes were soaked through to our underwear!!!!!
An intimate experience with your chosen crew! Peacefully unravel the meandering canals of Venice on a private gondola.
Inclusions
30-minute gondola ride in Venice
Private group of up to 5 guests per gondola
We were the most lucky person's because we were on the gondola with the musicians. It was an amazing experience. I'm sure the other people on the gondola infront and back of us had a great experience too, but it can't compare to our experience. The virtual reality headset was a great start into the tour and the guided tour to the boat was a great use of our time. I was not expecting this great service, I thought we will get a mediocre serenad and that's it. I was wrong. It fealt like a human and not a tourist who's money can be milked. Huge thanks to the team. Maybe one point for change: it was confusing where the meeting point will be. I booked on the Headout map and first we went to the Calle larga de l'Ascension instead of St.Mark’s Square. Thanks to the whole team, it was great!
The gondola ride was 15 minutes and it just took a lap around a single canal, not around multiple canals. I t was advertised as 50 minutes
The meeting point wasn't even the one on the ticket. Then we spent a lot of time waiting for someone, which was very unpleasant Apart from that, the tour only lasted 30 minutes, not 50.
I wanted a gondola ride for my group of 4 with serenade in our gondola and wrote several times to Headout to make sure of it. This experience is with groups of 5 people per gondola and group of several gondolas. The singer rides in the center gondola with the lucky people who get to ride with him. In our case our gondolier put us last in the group and you could hardly hear him. I also took a ride on the Grand Canal which is not like that, they cross it to the other side to join all the gondolas and face each other to enter the 1st alley and do not do a tour or explanation of the buildings of the Grand Canal. It also includes a virtual 3D experience of old Venice in English and a small explanation also in English from your guide until you reach the gondola and although all the guides speak Spanish and half of the group we were Spanish speakers did not feel like speaking in both languages. I do not recommend it at all. A gondola there costs 90€ per group of 5 people.
This is a really rubbish attempt at what could be a brilliant experience in Venice. You CANNOT hear the music. The goldalas make a long train behind and if you're near the back? Tough luck. Any whispers you might of heard can't be because the drivers are shouting to each other. Not romantic, not a serenade and just a money grabbing organisation. The experience was over in 15 minutes and was both underwhelming and unpleasent.
Stupid tour, makes no sense to spend this much for this crappy experience.
Musians were outstanding. Great experience
Singer was great. Ride smooth. Your team helped me get out of Gondola. I use a cane. Really appreciate that
Unfortunately, the gondoliers were quite unfriendly. For the price of €150, we thought we had booked a gondola with a singer. However, it is a group of gondolas and there is a singer on one of the gondolas. It is mass processing. At the end, a gondolier got cheeky because my husband wasn't quick enough with the tip. Then there was nothing. Tip: better during the day and without a singer - book directly on site! It's much cheaper and certainly no worse!
There was nothing to love about the experience. When we arrived at the meeting point there was someone who told us the 6:30 pm ride was cancelled because of rainy weather. I called the local tour partner number to tell them and ask for a refund and their office was closed. I also tried to call the toll free number at head out and the call was answered by what sounded like a fax machine. Please refund my cancellation amount to my American Express card ending with 11002. We had to leave Venice this morning to return to America.
The Gondolas where beautiful. The gondola guys where amazing , fun , and handsome. The music and the singer was just mesmerizing. It was the perfect Venice experience, and the Best thing we did at Venice you guys made our trip to Venice the focus of our experience. Thank you.
Fantastic experience , fantastic staff , friendly and helpful romantic and refined music , elegant to be able to surprise your woman , price . if you book online you find very affordable prices ☺️ thanks again to all the staf .
Very complimentary and the experience for me and my husband was wonderful we loved it very much it was private and the serenade .. we really lived it was the package I booked. I was a little afraid because of the bad comments I had read but I think that everyone lives their experience differently....
Highly recommended. The whole ride was very pleasant.
Everythingooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
We were expecting to enjoy the serenade by us; but the singer was doing it in another gondole, accompanying other three gondoles. We were the last.
We actually booked for a private gondole but unfortunately there were another couple with us thats too bad. It was our anniversary and we didn't want to share that special moment.
Gondola ride with serenade was absolutely amazing! We were the lucky couple to stay in the same boat with the serenade, it was one of the best experience in my life, we felt like we were in honeymoon! However, the other people that bought the same ticket at same hour, stayed in separated boats, they heared the serenade songs but they were not so lucky to have serenade in their boat. This was unfair to them. I think the ticket price should be different, because the experience is different.
Lovers in tune, have a pitch-perfect romance on this harmonious gondola cruise through the floating city of Venice.
Inclusions
30-minute gondola ride in Venice
Live singer aboard one of the gondolas
Gondola and seat assigned by the gondolier
The guide was dificult to keep up with and quite difficult to understand. The guide had no interest in assisting us with the next part of our booking - the Gondola ride. THe booking dstated that we had a 2.5 hour experience. It actually turned out to be about one hour in the Basicila follwed by a 3.5 hour gap before a 20 minute gondola ride. Nowhere were we informed that this gap existed - I had to ring hte service number to speak to a representative who informed me tha thte gondola ride was taking place miud afternoon. This required us to rearrange our plans for our group of 10 people for hte remainder of the day.
First of all, it should be mentioned that you have to be covered up to enter the basilica when accompanied by a guide (because the other tourists didn't get any comments despite their shorts). That would avoid having to buy a scarf at the activity stand, and the guide wasn't very pleasant - I think there are different ways of putting it! Then it should also be mentioned that the activity lasts about 2h but not to follow! I had an appointment at 10:00 a.m. I thought I'd finish at 12:00 p.m. as registered... But no because the gondola tour (which doesn't even last 30 min) is at 3 or 5 pm !!! I think the whole thing is a rip-off, and if I had any advice to give, it would be to do things yourself, because it's not worth it at all... A gondola ride costs 90 euros in Venice for 1 to 5 people and entrance to the basilica 15 euros. You can take audio guides at the entrance...
our guide speaks English but it was so hard for our party of 7 to understand him, he speaks so fast and his accent is strong, we were not able to ubderstand most if what he was saying. the head phones they provided are not the best either. for the price we paid, would be nice if we get our money's worth but did not.
I had to call customer service because it was not clear the meeting point and the area was overcrowded, with the guide Bianca everything was great and the lady was charming and very well explained. The gondola ride we had to cancel it because of the inclement weather and the storm.
It was great! We managed to visit st marks. Then we went (on another booking) to the dodge palace and at 15:00 we did the gondola which was also great. Keep in mind, this does not have access to the The Pala d'Oro, you have to pay an extra 5 euros per person for that. Still got what I came for.
Take a guided tour of one of the most famous landmarks in Venice & enjoy a gondola ride after.
Inclusions
Exclusions
Amazing, we liked our captain and how highly experienced he was
How well the guide has done with very pleasant explanations and you can tell she knows the city very well and a great gondola ride.
The tour itself was great as was a the gondola ride! Both the guide and the gondolier were very pleasant. Our issue was with the male staff member at your meeting point. Admittedly, we were late for the tour as we had trouble navigating from our cruise ship to the meeting point. When I asked him where we could meet them, he very reluctantly gave me an address for my google maps and sent us on our way WITHOUT THE HEADSET. His complete attitude from the first moment was rude and condescending.
Marco, our waking tour guide was amazing. His dry wit made the tour super enjoyable. We also enjoyed the gondola ride, we had great weather for it!
A very informative tour away from the main attractions.
Ticketing and walking tour was good. Gondola ride was so-so.
It was a great experience and very informativ
The tour guide never showed up & we were very disappointed. We waited for over an hour & asked 10 different people if that was the correct location & we confirmed we were at the correct address & no guide showed. I would appreciate a refund since we were left abandoned waiting for someone to show up. Very unprofessional! We are very disappointed & I spent good money on a tour that didn't happen. Show
The walking tour was very interesting, but the gondola tour was terrible, the gondolier didn't even say hello during the ride.
The city tour was excellent! Unfortunately the gondola ride was disappointing, the gondolier was very unfriendly and obviously didn't feel like it.
The meeting point wasn't specific. The maps gave us two different locations, so we kept going back and forth trying to find the group. At one point, we were at the right spot 5 minutes before the tour started, but I guess the group left early. The tour guide should’ve had a flag or worn specific clothing. My friend and I are still waiting for a refund.
The city tour was competent and very informative, entertaining and fun. The technology worked well and the guide was easy to understand. The pace of the tour was appropriate. The subsequent gondola ride was somewhat shortened and not the route as advertised but quite okay.
Awesome experience!!!..........
Enjoy some of Venice's best sights on foot and by boat, from St. Mark's Square to Rialto Bridge and Fenice Theater.
Inclusions
2-hour walking tour of Venice
Expert English, Italian, Spanish, German or French-speaking guide
30-minute shared gondola ride
We had a ton of trouble finding the office to meet our guide. Google maps wasn't working well and we just kept going in circles around St Mark's Square. We asked military, regular police, and other shop owners for help but ended up finding the office 30 minutes after our tour departed for the Basilica. Thankfully, we were able to catch up to our party in the Basilica. For whatever reason, when going through the Doge Palace, those of us who were going on the gondola ride, had to leave the group and return on our own later to see the rest of the tour. The timing seemed to be too tight. The guide was great, but the timing was just off for the whole day. When we went on the gondola, the gondolier spent the whole time yelling at the other gondoliers and joking with them. It was like a bad Disneyland ride. We were one gondola after another just making a circle back to the meeting point. I think the only thing that was pointed out to us was where Mozart had stayed.
Really enjoyed the tour and liked our tour Guido Gloria
The well-organized tour allows you to visit the main attractions of Venice in one day. Very knowledgeable tour guides. Recommended!
The audio downloads are a nice compliment to the tour.
We had the chance to See many venues and sightseeing. In my opinion the islands need some more time to discover them adequately
Giovana was the loveliest guide you could wish for. Her excitement, despite having likely done hundreds of these tours, was contagious. She paid great attention to detail while also ensuring that every person in the group felt included. The equipment quality was excellent, with clear audio throughout the tour. Giovana provided just the right balance of historical context and insights into current life and events. We loved every moment. Our gondolier was also praiseworthy. Despite being a young man, he was knowledgeable without being overbearing. Although we can’t recall his name, the boat was called ‘Luca,’ and he was stepping in for his father. A delightful experience with a charming young man.
The guide was excellent and everything was great until the end. When we went on our gondola ride we did not go by the bridge of sigh and the gondolier was on his phone the whole time. Not only was it bad enough that he was on the phone, he had it on speaker so we could hear the woman he was talking too. Missing out on the bridge and the phone ruined the entire experience.
The Tour Guy was the company we should have booked with - avoid Headout (a broker). The website on mobile when I booked put the wrong date - the Crowdsite glitch also happened and the site booked the tour time+day AFTER it already happened! HEADOUT REFUSED TO CHANGE IT! Luckily THE TOUR GUY CHANGED IT. AVOID HEADOUT. As for the tour, Venice is such a unique, magical place. Our guide was a lovely local Venetian, a professor-like lady and had tons of information - she was kind and very considerate. She gave us the basics of all we needed to know. I think we might have preferred a guide with more stories and less facts and who was a little more fluent in English - it was often hard to understand everything. Also, try avoid Italy in the summer, the heat is unbearable and we underestimated this. Bring lots of water and a fan or spray mist bottle. Crazy heat! Climate change not doing places like Rome and Venice any favours! The overall experience was the best it could've been, it was good.
Very good tour by Anba-Chiara in the Pallazzo and the church. Don't forget to cover your arms, even up to your knees! Two groups on the boat to Murano and Burano with competent guides Kristina and S..., unfortunately I have forgotten their names. Of course, they also suggested things to buy, but were not pushy. In Burano we had expected more in terms of craftsmanship. It would be nice if offers were combined with workshops. Otherwise a very good offer.
Explore the best of Venice as you skip the lines to St. Mark's Basilica and Doge's Palace.
Inclusions
Full/half-day tour of Venice (as per option selected)
Guided tour of St. Mark's Basilica with skip-the-line entry
Guided tour of Doge's Palace with skip-the-line entry
Expert English-speaking guide
30-minute shared gondola ride
Round-trip transfers to/from Murano & Burano Islands (optional)
Glass-blowing demonstration (optional)
Lace-making demonstration (optional)
Half-day tour
Full-day tour
St. Mark's Basilica
Doge's Palace
Venice Gondola Ride
You can cancel these tickets up to 24 hours before the experience begins and get a full refund.
You can cancel these tickets up to 24 hours before the experience begins and get a full refund.
You can cancel these tickets up to 24 hours before the experience begins and get a full refund.
You can cancel these tickets up to 24 hours before the experience begins and get a full refund.
You can cancel these tickets up to 48 hours before the experience begins and get a full refund.
