A gondola ride in Venice
It is the thing everyone does and it is still worth doing. In the narrow side canals, away from the traffic, a gondola glides between the walls of the palaces in a silence broken only by the gondolier's call at the corners.
- What it is
- On the water
- Time to allow
- 30 to 45 minutes
- Cost
- A shared or private ride
- Best time
- In the late afternoon, in the quiet side canals
Venice this week
Why a gondola ride is worth it
The gondola has been the boat of Venice since the Middle Ages: long, flat-bottomed and asymmetric, so that one man rowing on one side can drive it straight. A law of the sixteenth century made them all black.
The gondoliers are licensed by the city, and a ride of about half an hour follows routes through the back canals and, often, along a stretch of the Grand Canal.
What to see
The back canals
The narrow rii, where the gondola passes under small bridges and past water doors.
The Grand Canal
A stretch of the Grand Canal, among the vaporetti and the palaces.
The traghetto
A plain gondola that ferries people across the Grand Canal at a few points, for a couple of euros, standing up as the Venetians do.
How to do it well
- Agree the price and the length of the ride before you get in. The city sets an official rate.
- A shared ride costs much less than a private one.
- Ask for the quiet canals rather than the busiest stretch.
Where it is
Address
Gondola stations all over the city, the largest by St Mark's and the Rialto
Nearest station
San Marco Vallaresso, on the vaporetto, beside the gondolas of the Bacino Orseolo
Museums and sights nearby
- St Mark's Campanile200 m
- Teatro La Fenice200 m
- St Mark's Basilica300 m
- Doge's Palace300 m
Distances are in a straight line.
Tickets and tours: A gondola ride
A gondola ride: common questions
- How long is a gondola ride in Venice?
- About thirty minutes, unless you agree a longer one.
- Why are gondolas black?
- A law of the sixteenth century, meant to curb display among the rich, required them to be black.
- How much time do you need for a gondola ride?
- Allow 30 to 45 minutes. That is this site's estimate for an unhurried visit.
Things to do near a gondola ride
The nearest of this site's best things to do in the city. Distances are in a straight line.
- 4Ride up St Mark's Campanile for the view over the lagoon200 m awayMonument, 30 to 45 minutes, ticket with a time
- 12Visit La Fenice, Venice's opera house200 m awayShow, 45 to 60 minutes, ticket for the visit, or for a performance
- 2Stand under the golden domes of St Mark's Basilica300 m awayChurch, 45 to 90 minutes, ticket with a time, sold by the basilica
- 1Walk through the Doge's Palace and over the Bridge of Sighs300 m awayMuseum, 2 to 3 hours, ticket
Artists to see near a gondola ride
The museums nearest to here, and the most famous artists on show in each.
Doge's Palace, 300 m away
Peggy Guggenheim Collection, 500 m away
Where to eat near a gondola ride
The nearest of the famous tables this site lists in Venice. Distances are in a straight line.
- Caffè Florian3.8Café, St Mark's Square150 m away
- Harry's Bar3.6Bar and restaurant, Calle Vallaresso150 m away
- Gran Caffè Quadri3.7Café and restaurant, St Mark's Square150 m away
- Antico Martini4.1Restaurant, Campo San Fantin200 m away
Hotels near a gondola ride
The five-star hotels closest to it, of those this site lists in Venice. Distances are in a straight line.
- The St. Regis Venice4.6Five-star hotel, Grand Canal200 m away
- The Gritti Palace4.6Five-star hotel, Grand Canal300 m away
- Danieli, Venezia, A Four Seasons Hotel4.5Five-star hotel, Riva degli Schiavoni450 m away
- Aman Venice4.8Five-star hotel, Grand Canal500 m away