A fun group activity shared by friends and family members in Venice are gondola rides. These rides can also serve as romantic voyages morning, noon or night. Long rides and short ones are all common and popular options, even where the trip takes you to such places as along the Grand Canal or to out of the way locations. In the end, it comes down to the fact that when it comes to a gondola ride, your options are pretty limitless.



A gondola ride can be caught at several different locations. Letting your hotel work out the details is a popular and easy way to catch a ride because they'll find bargains for you or they may even include a gondola ride in your package. When traveling is required to get to your embarking point, the hotel can many times arrange this for you too.

The best places to board a gondola are at main tourist attractions such as Tronchetto, the Piazzale Roma and the Doge's Palace located in the Piazza San Marco. Gondola ride locations are hard to spot in the city as it is simply a giant tourist melting pot.

Pedestrian crossing in the secondary canals are good places to catch rides, as men offering the rides line the streets here. When handing out money, exercise caution due to con artists, although most men here are strictly making a living.

The Grand Canal's 2 mile stretch covers some of Venice's spectacular sights such as the Campanile, the Basilica di San Marco and others. Prices here tend to be a bit higher than those a little more out of the way, so this is something to keep in mind before seeking a ride.

Ranging from $120 for a 40 minute ride to $220 for an hour ride, these prices are mandated by the city. Most vendors simply ignore these rates and charge there own, offering the opportunity to find lower prices when possible. However most times vendors will have a starting price of more than the city's rates.

It is normal and expected to bargain for gondola ride rates; however it's important to remember the basic principle of supply and demand. Because there are more tourists than there are available gondolas, the demand is high. Sharing a gondola with up to 6 other people is a good way to save money.

The cost being too high for you while on vacation doesn't mean fun can't be had. Instead of trying to hassle a vendor for lower prices, consider engaging in the multiple different things to do in Venice that will work with your budget.

For those that do choose to take a gondola ride, the trip is quite fun. There is a romantic aspect that is there, but is mixed because of the thousands of eyes crowding the bridges and streets to watch you row by. Ignoring them and focusing on the scenery is a hard thing to do.