If you’re planning a trip to The Floating City a gondola ride might be on your list of things-to do, but how much is a gondola ride in Venice and is it worth the money?
A gondola ride in Venice is a unique bucket-list experience but many people either think of it as too touristy or too expensive to include as part of their itinerary. I’ve taken a ride on a gondola twice now and both times I thoroughly enjoyed it. To me it’s totally worth it as part of the Venice experience.
On my first trip to Venice I visited with friends around Easter time and we were traveling on a budget. I’d heard all sorts of stories about how expensive gondola rides were and I didn’t feel it was worth breaking the bank. It’s the kind of thing I figured I’d reserve for a romantic holiday with a partner, and it wasn’t one of those holidays. I didn’t quite imagine my first gondola ride to be with two Aussie friends I met backpacking in Europe. As it transpired, that was what happened.
When we arrived at Camping Fusina hostel, we met a group of backpackers who said they negotiated €60 for 20 minutes. They split it between 5 of them, so it was €12 each. Impressed that it didn’t cost hundreds of euros, we realized that maybe it was actually something we could afford to do. And since it’s definitely one of the best things to do in Venice I soon came around to the idea.
When you get to a city like Venice, you start to think “I might only be here once. I’d regret it if I didn’t”. I’m very much of the attitude that you should seize the opportunity while you can. Plus when you step off the ferry in Venice and you see those gondolas gliding down the Canal Grande, you can’t help but want to go on one.
Our gondolier was very friendly and told us a lot of information about the sights we were seeing. He took us down some small, quiet canals and Venice is seriously a different world from the water.
At this time of year, fighting our way through tourists on the streets was stressful, noisy and hectic. Gliding down the water was quiet, peaceful and calm.
For this reason it was so worth taking a gondola ride to relax and catch a moment of tranquility. It is funny to watch the gondoliers ‘kick off’ from the wall and shout to each other in Italian as they pass by other gondolas.
Our gondola then emerged from the quiet canals onto the busy Canal Grande, with the Rialto bridge behind us. The gondolier pointed out several famous buildings for us, including the building that featured in the end of the James Bond movie Casino Royale.
A few years later I ended up returning to Venice with a boyfriend and we did a gondola ride again. This time it was a little more romantic and we also picked up some wine and plastic cups so we could enjoy the gondola ride with a drink in hand. If I ever return to Venice I’d probably still do another gondola ride – it’s incredibly relaxing and you get a totally different view of Venice from the water.
So, How Much Does a Gondola Ride in Venice Cost?
‘Official guide price’: 80 euros for 40 minutes
What we paid: 90 euros for 30 minutes
The ‘official’ fares are listed on the official website for gondoliers www.gondolavenezia.it
According to the website, a 40-minute gondola ride should cost €80 for a maximum of 6 people (5 passengers plus the gondolier). For each additional 20 minutes it costs €40 on top of that. Evening gondola rides after 7pm cost €100 for 40 minutes and €50 for every additional 20 minutes.
The reality is that gondoliers will try to charge you a lot more than this. The three factors you need to think about when choosing your gondola are 1) the length of time you want your ride to last 2) the sights you want to see 3) the price you want to pay.
Make sure you are aware of exactly what you’re getting for you money. If you want your gondolier to play the accordion or sing songs, you’ll have to pay more.
Negotiating a Gondola: My Experience
You can find gondolas all over the city, but initially me and my friends went to the main gondola pier on the river next to Piazza San Marco and asked how much it would be. Being the most expensive part of the city- a complete trap for tourists- they quoted us prices all well over €100 even for the shortest rides. Quite high compared to what we had heard and compared to the ‘official’ prices. We tried negotiating down, but they were happy to let us walk away.
So on we moved to one of the small canals off the main drag. We were trying to haggle on the price, but the next gondolier was very insistent on the prices and wouldn’t budge very much. I forget the prices now, but we were trying to negotiate on 20 minute or 30 minute rides. 20 minutes just covered some of the small canals, whilst 30 minutes covered the Grand Canal and the Rialto Bridge.
In the end we did the whole ‘pretend to walk away’ technique and he said he’d do a gondola ride for €90 for 30 minutes, including the Rialto bridge and the main sights.
Now in retrospect, I know we paid more than the ‘official price’, but this was the best deal we could get after talking to 3 or 4 different gondoliers. Venice was so busy, it was getting late in the afternoon and it’s so easy to get lost that we didn’t feel like walking around any longer.
At the end of the day, we were comfortable paying it and the boat was one of the nicer ones with flowers and very well maintained. As a rule of thumb, if you’re comfortable with the price, do it, if you’re not, then walk away. That was €30 per person between three of us in peak season in the middle of Easter holidays when Venice was rammed with tourists.
Tips for Taking a Gondola Ride in Venice
Bring wine/snacks
If you want to make the gondola experience a little more special, buy some prosecco or wine and some plastic cups to take with you on the ride. This way you can enjoy the scenery with a drink in hand and toast to your time in Venice!
Know where the gondola piers are
One of the most popular places to find gondolas is on the Grand Canal by Piazza San Marco (St. Mark’s Square), or on the other side of the square on the Bacino Orseolo. You can also find gondolas near the Rialto Bridge and close to the Bridge of Sighs.
However, this is where the gondoliers charge the most money. If you can, I’d recommend trying to find gondolas along some of the smaller canals south of the Rialto Bridge.
Approach a few different gondoliers
You don’t have to go with the first gondola you see, so if you’re not happy with the price you can walk away and approach another gondolier to see if they’ll give you a better deal.
Be prepared to negotiate
As I mentioned earlier, there are official prices but the gondoliers will often quote higher prices so you’ll often need to negotiate down. Prices seem to vary according to the time of year and how busy the city is. In peak season you may have trouble negotiating but you’ll probably have more luck if you walk along the quieter canals, away from the tourist hotspots. Most gondoliers are going to try to charge you around €100 for 30 minutes.
Know what duration you want
The ‘official’ gondola ride durations start at 40 minutes and then the rate increases for each additional 20 minutes. In reality you can negotiate for shorter rides of 20 minutes and 30 minutes, if you don’t want to take a 40 minute ride.
Ask about the route
While you can get 20 minute rides, they won’t take you very far. Ideally you want your gondola to take you down some of the smaller canals as well as part of the Grand Canal. Always ask your gondolier about the route he plans to take you on.
Bring cash
You’ll need cash to pay for your gondola, so make sure you bring enough euros with you. The easiest way to get euros is at an ATM and there are numerous ATMs around Venice. There are also ATMs at Venice Marco Polo Airport and Venice Treviso Airport, if you want to take cash out when you land.
Know the official prices
The official price for a gondola is €80 for a maximum of 6 people, for 40 minutes. Keep this figure in mind when you’re negotiating with the gondoliers.
Remember, you pay for what you get
Prefer a well-kept gondolier decorated with lots of beautiful flowers? Want your gondolier to sing songs? All these things cost a premium, so expect to pay more if you want a nicer gondola experience.
If short on time, book online
If you don’t have much time in Venice and you’d rather not waste time trying to find one, you can book a gondola ride online before you go. This way you have a set time for your gondola experience, plus you can pay by card in your home currency instead of paying in cash when you get there.
I often use GetYourGuide for booking tours. If you’re traveling solo you can save money on a gondola ride by booking a shared gondola tour, like this one. Or you can book a private gondola that will take you along the Canal Grande.
FAQs About Gondola Rides in Venice, Answered
Yes I think they’re totally worth it. It’s a must-do experience and very relaxing, even though it may be considered a ‘touristy’ activity. It gives you a totally different perspective to see Venice from the water. Plus, you get to rest your feet for a bit!
If you enjoyed your gondola ride in Venice and the service was good then you can tip about 10%. It’s not compulsory but it’s obviously appreciated. If you’re traveling in a group and there’s a few of you I would say definitely tip. However, if you’re being charged a lot more than the ‘official’ gondolier prices then I wouldn’t feel the need to tip.
You don’t really need to pre-book a gondola ride as there are lots of them and you’ll usually come across them all over Venice. However, if you’re short on time and you need to take your gondola ride at a specific time, then you may want to pre-book one online. The great thing about booking online in advance is that you can also pay by card in your home currency and you don’t have to do any negotiating. Get Your Guide allows you to book both shared gondola rides and private gondolas.
No, you can’t pay with card. You’ll need to make you have some euros in cash. You can take money out from the ATM or exchange money.
Planning Your Trip to Venice
If you’re wondering what to do in Venice besides taking a gondola ride, I’ve put together this 2 day Venice itinerary, which covers all the major Venice sights as well as the islands of Burano and Murano.
Getting to Venice
You can get to Venice easily by air or train.
Plane
The main airport in Venice is Marco Polo International Airport but there’s also a secondary airport called Venice Treviso Airport that’s popular with budget airlines. Make sure you check which airport you’re flying into and out of.
I always use Google Flights, Kayak and Skyscanner to compare prices. Paid email newsletters like Scott’s Cheap Flights and Jack’s Flight Club are also great if you have flexible dates and want flight deals sent to your inbox.
If landing at Venice Marco Polo airport, you have a few public transportation options for getting into Venice. There are two types of buses that will take you to Piazzale Roma; there’s the local bus which has several stops and takes around 30-45 minutes, or the ATVO bus which makes only two stops and takes around 20 minutes. Alternatively you can take the Alilaguna water buses (vaporettos) that connect the airport with Piazza San Marco.
In addition to public transportation there are regular taxis (these will not be able to take you all the way to your hotel if you’re staying in the heart of Venice) and private water taxis (expensive but much more convenient).You can also book Venice airport transfers online in advance so you can agree the prices upfront.
Approximate costs of getting from Venice Marco Polo to Venice:
- ATVO Bus and local bus – €8
- Alilaguna water buses – €15
- Water taxi – €100-€150
- Regular taxi – €50
Train
The best way to travel within Italy is by train, so if you’re coming from cities such as Milan, Rome or Florence, you’ll arrive at Venezia Santa Lucia railway station. Train tickets can be booked online on a number of websites including Italiarail, Trenitalia, Rail Europe and Omio.
Accommodation in Venice
As a side note, hotels in Venice can get super pricey during the summer months, costing hundreds a night. Even hostels can be rather expensive and they get fully booked. Make sure you book in advance if you plan to travel during peak periods as the hotels are small and get booked up.
I like to book my hotels far in advance with Booking.com – many of the hotels offer free cancellations so you can always cancel if you change your mind at a later date.
Always check where the hotel you’re planning to book is located. Some of the cheaper Venice hotels are located on the mainland and are far away from central Venice. If you do plan to stay on the mainland, stay in Mestre or Marghera so you can easily get into the city within 10-15 minutes.
If you don’t want to spend an arm and a leg, consider booking a vacation rental with sites like Airbnb or Hundredrooms. You’ll usually pay less on accommodation and you’ll also be able to cook at home, meaning you’ll save money on eating out.
A Final Word…
I felt it was definitely the highlight of my visit to Venice and a gondola ride isn’t just reserved for romantic dates. Since the canals are Venice’s roads, you’ll be sharing them with other boats and gondolas. But it’s so worth it to rest your weary feet and see Venice from a different perspective, to the quiet sound of the paddle hitting the water.
More Italy posts:
- How to Get to Positano from Rome
- Food in Rome: 16 Best Foods to Try in Rome
- One Day in Milan Itinerary
- 2 Days in Venice: Perfect Weekend in Venice Itinerary
Before spending a decent amount on something, I usually ask myself “Is this a singular experience?” The times I’ve answer yes and spent the money, I’ve rarely been disappointed. I certainly wasn’t in my gondola experiences.
You’re right Erik, if it’s a one-off and something special, then I don’t mind paying the money so much.
Wow, after this I am surprised because we got a gondola ride on the main pier for 75 euros [15 each for our group] for a ride at sunset. We were offered 60 euros earlier in the day. Maybe it depends on the season? This was in April. Great article!
It was in May for me and Easter time when a couple of cruise ships had docked… I know people have got cheaper, but for some reason that day we couldn’t get any of them down on the price!
We were on an European package tour and stopped over in Venice. Venice being very well know for its singing gondoliers etc etc and gondola canal rides was a long awaited visit.
In the course of our travel, six of us packed into one gondola at at price of 120 Euros for an hour the standard price for an hours ride for six persons. Guess what.
The gondolier was sort of an abusive old man shouting out only in Italian when I boarded the gondola as if I, the only male in the group, was an intruder. All the other passengers were females. The gondolier spoke no English at all and was silent throughout the entire hour ride, did not say a single word about the canals we went through, parts of the canals had a terrible stench. Later we learnt that the gondoliers do give brief comments in the course of the tour. We heard the word Marco Polo from one of the passing gondoliers. Apparently, Marco Pola stopped over at this point of the canals. Seemed that a lot of gondolas go through the same canal passage.
The town center was very busy at the Rialto bridge. Everyone seemed to be going there at noon time, it was so crowded and everyone was pushing rudely. Maybe we went at the wrong time -noon in early July.
For something refreshing, go for the boat ride ( not taxi) which costs only seven Euros for a hours ride. You see clean waters, the harbour and waters surrounding Venice which is so refreshing and clean compared to the canals. Also visit the three islands 0cost twenty Euros. Venice has many outlets for reasonably priced leather goods.
If you do need to rest your feet and go for a gondola ride, ask for someone who speaks your language and has some manners. We are money paying customers.
Very detail. It helpful for me when got a gondola ride in vernice. I will attention this. Great articles
Anyone going to Venice either dreamed about having a gondola ride or at least considered trying one. Your article was extremely helpful before my Venice trip. We ended up paying 90 Euros for about 35 minutes.