Waterways of Venice-Pricing

Venice Gondola Serenade Tour

It sounded like kitsch, but floating down a canal with a baritone and a guitarist in the next gondola turned out to be fun--and maybe even a little magical.

Traghetto

Unless you're near a bridge, the quickest (and cheapest) way across the Grand Canal is by rowboat. You'll ride in a secondhand gondola for the price of a candy bar.

Gondola Rates

There are two important rules to remember about gondola rides in Venice:

If the price bothers you, don't do it.
If the price doesn't bother you, make sure you understood the gondolier correctly.
Fact is, a gondola ride is like a hansom cab ride in New York City: It can be a delightful experience, but only if you're able to forget the price and focus on the scenery.

What a gondola ride costs

The city of Venice sets official rates for gondola rides, which started at €62 for 50 minutes the last time I checked. Additional 25-minute increments are €31. After 8 p.m., the base rate climbs to €77.50. (Up to six people can share a boat without paying a supplement.)

This doesn't mean you'll actually pay 62 euros, or that you'll get a 50-minute ride. Depending on demand, gondoliers may regard the official rates as a polite fiction. Special services, such as singing, can boost the fare even more. This means you should negotiate both the rate and the length of the ride before you get into the boat. Otherwise, your gondola ride may be memorable for reasons that have nothing to do with sightseeing.

If you dislike negotiating, you can leave that chore to your hotel concierge, though he (or she) will obviously need to build a commission into the fee. (In 2007, a reader recently mentioned paying €120 for a one-hour gondola ride from the Hotel Bauer just before Carnevale, but he added that he didn't mind paying it and got great service.) To be fair to Venice's gondoliers, they invest a great deal in their boats: nearly €20,000 for a traditional hand-built wooden gondola with a useful life of about 20 years. They must earn the bulk of their annual income in a few short months. Finally, a goldolier's living costs may be higher than yours, since Venice is an expensive city in one of Italy's wealthiest provinces. Look it at this way: The man who's rowing you up the Grand Canal could probably be earning more money for less work at an industrial plant on the mainland.

Where to book a ride

You'll find gondolas and gondoliers throughout the main tourist areas, from Tronchetto and the Piazzale Roma (where motorists park their cars) to the Rialto Bridge area, the Doge's Palace, and busy pedestrian crossings along the secondary canals. Chances are, you'll encounter men who politely ask "Gondola?" as you walk past the flotillas of parked boats.

TIPS:

• Decide what kind of trip you want, then find a gondola stand in the area nearest your destination. For example, if you'd like to experience the hubbub of the Grand Canal, hire a gondola near the Doge's Palace or the Rialto Bridge. If, on the other hand, you'd rather tour the quiet and romantic side canals, book a gondola away from the vaporetti and water taxis. (The latter may be the best idea if boats make you nervous or if you're inclined to seasickness.)

• If you'd rather not haggle with gondoliers, consider booking a ride through a travel agency. Viator (see partner listing below) offers online reservations for the Gondola Serenade Tour and other excursions.