Ultimate Gondola Ride Guide: Tips & Tricks for Venice Visitors

[@laura_and_shanman]

Thanks! Nice and clear explanations!

[@ossiesan1]

Thank you for the clear and to point info.

[@thiagosgsoares]

Great video! Clear, simple, and lots of good tips! Thank you!

[@Carloshernadez1988]

Im here now sir thanks for this

[@HiddenItalyTravel]

I'm so glad it was helpful. Enjoy your time in Venice!

[@mozart2802]

Going there tomorrow afternoon to have 3 nights trip with my family (with 2 kids). Thanks for all of your videos: simple, sincere, & everything is just essential info. Any tips with traveling with kids for 3 days in Venice?

[@HiddenItalyTravel]

I actually have an article I wrote with tips for kids you can read here venicerevealed.com/venice-with-kids-tips-guide/

[@mozart2802]

@@HiddenItalyTravel sad to update you that our trip went disastrous today. Pickpocket managed to wipe-out our cash money (€ 2K-ish) from our backpack 🥲. Sad that this beautiful & legendary city have been that cruel to us in our 1st visit… didn’t blame anyone, but it’s a very hard lesson learned for us to not lower down the vigilant level as we did in Paris few months earlier. Thanks for this lesson, Venice 😊

[@ka8byrdie]

So good ! Thanks

[@louisedasilva6046]

Really helpful video. Thank you so much.

[@HiddenItalyTravel]

I'm so glad you found it helpful! Reach out anytime if you ever have questions.

[@eto9739]

Hey thank you for these great tips. I am planning to go soon and I am wondering if it is better to book a gondola ride online or in person. From what I know it is generally better to book online to avoid long lines and guarantee yourself a ride. But I would love to hear your opinion on that.

[@HiddenItalyTravel]

It depends on when you plan to go and where you want tot ake the ride. If you want to go to out of the way spots, you shouldn't book online as the online bookings will have a meeting point prearranged and are usually where there are more gondolas. If you go to an out of the way spot, you generally shouldn't wait in a line, but you will likely have to wait for the gondolier to get back and if there is even only one couple ahead of you that can be a long wait. If you plan to share a ride to save money and don't have people with you to share, then you pretty much have to book ahead. There is a link in the description of the video to an article with more information and links in case you decide to book online.

[@michaelnguyen1597]

$90 for the whole gondola and we can divide that the money by 5 person? $18 per person is that right. Thank you!

[@HiddenItalyTravel]

Yes, that's correct.

[@GEMSTONE74]

Where is the best spot to see sunset gondola?

[@HiddenItalyTravel]

I would try to pick one up near St Mark's Square on the Grand Canal but ask him to try to time the ride so you are on the small canals nearby and then end on the Grand Canal with the sunset. Or, try to start there while the sun is setting and then finish most of the rise in the smaller canals after seeing the sunset.

[@cakebabyman5090]

Why didn't you include the Traghetto as a cheap alternative?

[@HiddenItalyTravel]

Basically because locals are complaining about tourists taking joyrides on them. Many need them to get to work and end up waiting in line to take one. Also, as fun as the experience is, it isn't the same as taking a gondola ride through the quiet and romantic canals. However, maybe some people will read this and decide to see what the traghetto is all about. Anyway, thanks for watching and the comment!

[@cakebabyman5090]

@@HiddenItalyTravel Interesting insight. Venice seems to be struggling with the tourism monster, one they can't live with or without. Maybe they need locals only crossings similar to the Vapporetto access lanes. The city access certainly needs to more than 5 Euros if it's going to have any impact on reducing the day visitor numbers. We have 5 days there next week!

[@HiddenItalyTravel]

@@cakebabyman5090 Yes, it's one of those can't live with them can't live without them scenarios. It's still a great city to visit. Make sure you circle back and let me know how your trip went. 5 days is more than most people spend there so I'm curious to hear about your experience.

[@herlysarmiento9863]

@@cakebabyman5090 ... lol All these talking about "reducing visitors" ... to end on... I am going there next week for 5 days ! hahaha well have a great time bothering the locals! Its is funny to me people who agrees on reducing visitor to Venice... except themselves! lol

[@herlysarmiento9863]

I think a shortl crossing in a Traghetto is probably the best local experience one could have since... this is how the locals do it. by those standards looks like overpriced gondola rides may fall into "tourist traps" category. Thank you for asking the question cakebabyman!

[@uni-capricorn]

Important tip is not to get rides from Venice's main square - gondoliers jack up the prices as they wish. Min we were offered was 120, then we got a 90 euro one, literally steps away from St. Marco.

[@justinleemiller]

Don’t go. Venice is a huge tourist trap. Many of the things that made it charming are gone.

[@HiddenItalyTravel]

While there's no doubt that everything is geared toward tourists and there are many places that overcharge and underdeliver, I would never tell somebody not to go. Venice is unique and worth seeing. Plus, there are a lot of things to do there that may not be obvious if you didn't know about them. I plan to do many more Venice videos on how to beat the crowds and offbeat things to do. Thanks for sharing your opinion, but I respectfully disagree.