GONDOLA LOVERS
The rides worth taking, reviewed.
The 15 gondola rides travellers book most in Italy, almost all of them in Venice, from the Grand Canal at midday to the hushed side canals after dark. The boat the country is famous for, run by the families who still row it.
Shared Grand Canal gondola with app commentary, a 15-minute pre-ride walk, and a Gondola Gallery plus VR experience.
Most Popular“Very nice views of Venice from the water. Massimo was kind and helpful guide”
Venice gondola ride with live guide commentary, a short walking tour, and a Gondola Gallery 3D/virtual experience for strong value.
“Our tour guide Beatrice was very friendly. We asked for the tour in French and she was able to speak to us very fluently. she had good knowledge about the history of Venice and the gondola. The gondola ride was very fun and finished with a VR presentation of Venice. The gondolier’s were helpful for…”
Shared gondola on Venice’s canals for about 30 minutes. See San Marco and Rialto area waterways, including Grand Canal views.
“Amazing! So much cheaper booking here instead of in person was triple the price otherwise!!”
Shared gondola near St Mark’s with live commentary and app audio, plus VR history. See Grand Canal sights in about 30-50 minutes.
“Booked for 3 people Wasn't informed we would be sharing with others I'm 52 Had to sit on a 9" stool side on Most uncomfortable 40 minutes”
A 2.5-hour Venice walk plus a classic 30-minute gondola on the Grand Canal, starting near St Mark’s—great first-day mix.
“The walking tour was very enjoyable. Our guide Stefan was knowledgeable and shared interesting history of Venice. The gondola tour was wonderful but the wait was a little long.”
Venice in one packed day with Rialto, a Grand Canal gondola, skip-the-line St. Mark’s, and Doge’s Palace—small group, 6 hours.
“Robert, our guide was very knowledgeable without droning on and on about insignificant things. The tour deemed to cover everything important on Venice.”
Share a traditional gondola ride in Venice for 30 minutes, from quiet San Marco canals to Grand Canal views, with great value.
“Great ride, I was happy they took us on the Grand Canal too. We loved it, it’s a must if you come to Venice.”
Private 30-minute gondola ride in Venice for up to five. Glide the Grand Canal, take quieter canals, and choose day or night.
“the information on how and were to get you tickets was very poor and not very clear and we weren't the only ones one's the gondola ride was exelant”
Private 30-minute gondola on Venice’s Grand Canal with photo-worthy landmarks, quieter waterways, and app audio. Up to 5.
“We went in the morning before it got to busy and congested”
Shared gondola ride plus onboard serenade in Venice’s canal maze, with Grand Canal views, great photos, and 30-minute timing.
“This was a joke. There was no serenade, I guess in there mind, as long as you are close to gondola with music you are being serenaded. Unfortunately we were only close enough to enjoy for 5 minutes out of 30.”
Skip the line at St. Mark’s Basilica and Doge’s Palace, add a shared gondola with commentary, and finish with a VR history gallery.
“The guide spoke too fast and was hard to keep up with. She did not help us leave the palace, therefore it was difficult to find the exit. We took the gondola ride at the end of the tour. The directions were so vague that we had lots of difficulty finding the meeting place. A…”
Skip the gondola line on the Grand Canal, add a Venice Gondola Gallery VR experience, and glide past iconic palaces and churches.
“Loved the information given, wish the Gondalier stayed off his phone. 30 min was enough for a general ride”
Gondola under the Bridge of Sighs plus VR history and canal commentary. Small shared ride, skip-the-line help, and great value for Venice.
“Great tour, thoroughly enjoyed! Happy to recommend”
A 30-minute shared gondola on Venice’s Grand Canal from San Marco Giardinetti to Bacino Orseolo, with English-speaking options.
“It is very much a simple gondola ride. The text tells you what to expect to see but if you wanted your guide to point anything out or interact this is not the ride for you. The experience was still gorgeous and I am so glad we did it but if you were looking for…”
Shared gondola ride in Venice for $48: enjoy a short lagoon cruise on the Grand Canal with Santa Maria della Salute and La Fenice.
“Enjoyed the gondola ride. Beautiful views. Be wary that it is advertised for 30 mins but that also includes the walk from the meeting place to the gondola and then our gondola finished a few mins early so probably was only around 20 mins. Good experience though”
Canal gondolas and sky gondolas, candlelit drifts and summit climbs, in the places that do them best.
