How to Choose a Gondola Ride in Venice

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If there’s one thing I strongly suggest you do in Venice at least once, it’s take a gondola ride. I know it’s touristy and expensive but it’s still completely worth it.

One thing to note, however, is that nobody tells you when you start researching gondola rides in Venice that it’s better NOT to book one online ahead of time. Seriously.

Why, you ask? Simple. Why book online when you can avoid the overpriced “skip-the-line romantic gondola package with accordion player” nonsense and head straight to St. Mark’s Square instead. That’s where you’ll find some of the best gondoliers in the city, and more importantly, you can actually talk to them about the experience you want. We learned about this tip from our Airbnb host and it’s absolutely the way to go.

We walked over to St Mark’s Square (directions) and sure enough, there were a ton of gondoliers hanging around near the canals. I simply approached one and asked what types or rides he offered and he pulled out a map and we decided on what we wanted right there, no ripoff packages, no timed departures, he just asked if we wanted to go now and off we went.

A lot of the pre-booked online tours funnel you into the Grand Canal for most of the ride, which sounds great in theory until you realize the Grand Canal is basically Venetian rush hour. Water taxis are speeding by, vaporetto boats (think floating bus) are throwing waves everywhere, tourists are shouting from bridges and suddenly your romantic gondola ride feels more like trying to canoe through downtown traffic (how’s that for a Canadian analogy, eh?).

The real magic of Venice happens in the smaller canals, instead of bouncing around in choppy water while motorboats roar past you, you end up gliding slowly through peaceful little waterways where laundry hangs overhead, tiny bridges arch across the canals and you can actually hear the gondolier singing or chatting with nearby boat operators.

This is the Venice I had pictured when I thought of gondola rides in Venice. Funny enough, one of the things I enjoyed the most was listening to the back and forth chatter between the gondoliers (no idea what they were saying but it was in Italian so it was cool to listen to!) and I was fascinated by how incredibly skilled they are in navigating their long boats around corners, under bridges and past other boats (using just one oar and pushing off of buildings with their feet).

It was very cool to see the Bridge of Sighs from the water. I also learned that it’s called this because it is the bridge that criminals crossed on their way to prison and the name came from their sighs as they took their last look at freedom before entering the jail.

And if you’re traveling with family or friends, you can often share a gondola and split the cost, which makes it feel a lot more reasonable.

A few quick tips before you go:

• Aim for early morning or evening rides for the quietest canals and softer light.
• Avoid the hottest middle-of-the-day hours if you’re visiting in summer.
• Bring cash, the gondoliers will appreciate it and you can’t guarantee they’ll be piloting their boats with credit card terminals in hand.
• Don’t be afraid to politely ask for smaller canals or a more romantic route.
• The farther you get from the busiest tourist crowds, the more magical the ride becomes.

Venice is one of those places that somehow feels even more beautiful from the water. Our 40 minute ride through the smaller canals was informative and beautiful.

I even chatted with the gondolier and learned that he owns his own boat and that there are over 600 gondoliers and that was the limit for the city of Venice. They have to pass 4 tests to become gondoliers and be allowed to operate and new gondoliers can only begin working when another retires. Fascinating stuff!

The gondolier explained where Casanova was held and his history, pointed out where Marco Polo lived and more. It was a fabulous experience and for four people, it cost us $160 total. It was easily the most fun we’ve had in Venice and I can’t wait to come back and go a different route.

Tomorrow – Florence awaits!