Gondola in Venice

[chh]

It would be great to have peoples opinions about whether to pre book a gondola in Venice or leave it until we get there.

 

I have read conflicting ideas on here, some from a while ago so I would love to hear thoughts from people who have been to Venice recently. We will be there during the Easter school holidays if that makes a difference.

 

We will use the Vaporetto, but would also like to do the tourist thing on a Gondola as we have never been. We would prefer not to be on the Grand Canal on the Gondola and are lucky enough to be able to walk to quieter spots etc.

[Proctor824]

Looking forward the answers from seasoned Venice travels.

 

 

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[mandylennon]

Yes definitely go for it if you can, it is an experience. We went on our honeymoon some 26 years ago and thinking we would return but we never have (yet).

 

Venice does not need to be too expensive, we had a slice of pizza and can of coke for lunch sitting on some steps, cake and coffee mid afternoon and found a MacDonalds for the evening.

 

My neice was proposed to on a gondola last year, they booked in advance, it was around £100, but if you don't mind sharing which I think the ships excursions do, it would be much cheaper.

[majortom10]

If you just want the experience of a gondola ride then if I was you I would book an excursion with cruise company but does mean you will be sharing gondola with others. If you want a gondola ride exclusively just for you and not to share wait until you get there and book away from tourist hot spots and haggle but will still be very expensive.

[minikiss]

Defiantly do it but wait till you get there.

We did a ride in 2015, time before i was kid and Hubby had never been to Venice.

MIL told us not to do a group ride as she felt it was over crowded and un-personal when she went a few years earlier.

So we walked to the front by St marks square and went up to one of the many guys moored up. We didn't go to the Grand canal from there, the trips are timed and we did not have time to get that far.

 

I don't think you can haggle as i am sure the prices are regulated so they all have to charge the same. I apologise if i got that wrong but i'm sure that what i read when i was looking for prices.

It cost us 80euros, they don't charge by the person but by the Gondola.

We are heading back to Venice in June to help celebrate M+F IL's golden wedding and that's a trip we are making sure they do on there own.

[chh]

Thankyou for the replies so far. It seems waiting until we get there should be fine.

 

My research shows that the regulated cost is still currently 80Euros, and to agree price/time before getting in.

 

Mandylennon - My parents went to Venice on honeymoon, dropping in as they drove past on the way to what was Yugoslavia 45 years ago. They didn't go on a gondola due to the cost and made us promise to do it as they still haven't been back!

[klc48]

Hello

Just to give you my experience of PO booking on a Gondola -

 

There were many of us who waited to be seated and as we were in a large group there was no choice of just the two of us in the Gondola together for a romantic ride.

 

Beware it is very busy and probably best to book and prices vary from customer to customer.

 

I for one will never go on a Gondola again I did not enjoy sitting in the Grand Canal for what seemed like eternity bobbing up and down very close to dirty water and the garbage boat passing us causing a wake. We laugh about it now but scary at the time - hold on to the Gondola at all times and tell them not to go in Grand Canal.

[wblee]

We went to Venice last year and had a great time on the gondola. There were 2 basic options available (no haggling possible as all prices fixed it seems); half an hour 80 Euros, or 1 hour for 160 euros, we discussed the cost with some other tourists and so 4 of us went on the hours trip for 40 euros each. I appreciate that some people might be concerned about the quality of the water but all four of us thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience. Booking through P & O would have cost a lot more for a much shorter ride with more people, the only advantage to P & O that I could see was getting on the vaporetto slightly quicker.

 

St Marks square IS expensive so if you don't want to pay the price for the experience then go to the cafes on the side streets, the farther away the cheaper. We went into one of the cafes in the square for cake and coffee and knew beforehand that it was not going to be cheap, whilst we would probably go somewhere else next time it was a real treat and I would say go and enjoy it but if you are going to be upset about the prices go somewhere else. By the way I was speaking to a local who was telling us a little about the costs of living on Venice, it made living in London look cheap. The costs involved in running a cafe in St Marks Sq must be horrendous.

[PORT ROYAL]

It would be great to have peoples opinions about whether to pre book a gondola in Venice or leave it until we get there.

 

I have read conflicting ideas on here, some from a while ago so I would love to hear thoughts from people who have been to Venice recently. We will be there during the Easter school holidays if that makes a difference.

 

We will use the Vaporetto, but would also like to do the tourist thing on a Gondola as we have never been. We would prefer not to be on the Grand Canal on the Gondola and are lucky enough to be able to walk to quieter spots etc.

 

Take the ride with a difference. Fist female Glondola driver?

 

http://www.gondoliera.com

 

 

Please let your friends and family know about her, because she had prove herself to be four times as good as any Venice man just to gain a licence, and succeed in the macho world of a the Venice gondoliers.

 

Also she faces implied discrimination from many angles, being banned/threatened at many dockings, and has to fight hard for any business.

Yet Alex kicks butt and rises above it all, and with the help of loyal guests, makes a living.

 

As DH Wife says "Right on Girl"

 

 

Thank you