We are going to Venice soon. Any good godola ride stories? Are they worth it? Rick Steves says they cost a small ransom. Can the price be negotiated?

Hi Sam <BR>Try sharing with someone. There will be other people not wanting to pay 160000 lire or thereabouts for half hour or so. <BR>Denise <BR>

You will get differing opinions on this from those who found it to be a dream come true to those who see it as a tourist trap. Venetians themselves don't bother with it, any more than New Yorkers would take a horse carriage ride around Central Park. That doesn't mean you won't enjoy it, if you can afford it. <BR>For a two-minute non-romantic gondola ride, take one of the traghettos which go across the Grand Canal(as opposed to up and down the length like the vaporettos) at several points. A traghetto is a gondola, propelled by one man. Most of the passengers stand to accommodate more people, although there are seats for one or two. It is a very short ride, and people use it for transportation, not romance, but it is a uniquely Venetian experience. <BR> <BR>

Yes, a gondola ride is a tourist trap. However, it's really fun. Go towards dusk, find a gondola on a small canal, relax, and enjoy the experience.

<BR>It's 2nd hand info but about 1 yr ago a woman posted to rec.travel.europe that she booked a Gondola ride at the American Express office at a greatly discounted rate. The AmEx office is located by heading towards the Accademia from Piazza San Marco for 200+m it's on the right. Also you'll see a large paving stone in the road outside Piazza S. Marco that says "American Express 200?m" with an arrow pointing the way. Regards, Walter

Oh, do it! You can negotiate a price, somewhat.Prices get steeper later in the day, but around 6:00 things had quieted down a bit, and it was beautiful. Ask around one late afternoon, and then see if you can remember where the best price is and go back and negotiate from his quote the day before. It is expensive, but I don't remember how much, so it must not have broken us. Think of all those pictures you have seen in course of your life of people slowing gliding along on a late afternoon; you won't want to come home without trying it. It is just a boat ride, BUT it is Venice!

Sam, when my (now) husband insisted on taking a gondola ride all by ourselves, I was dead set against it because of the exhorbitant price. He convinced me and out we went. Half way through what I must admit was a magical ride, he got on his knees and proposed (classy guy!...I think I'll keep him). <BR> <BR>Yes, it is expensive, but it is a once in a lifetime experience that could make priceless memories.

Everyone is writing that the gondola rides are expensive, but worth it. What does everyone call expensive? <BR>

<BR>My mother and father went on a gondola ride that was an "optional" with their guided tour. <BR> <BR>Their paddler announced that he did not feel like singing that night and thus did not! <BR> <BR>While my parents were disappointed, my father told him that he did not feel like tipping that night either. <BR>LOL!

American Express in Venice offers a daily tour at 4PM that includes a tour of the Frari church and a group gondola ride which includes singing gondoliers. Two years ago it was 40,000 lire per person, a good bargain and lots of fun. <BR>

<BR>Sam, go for it. There's a variety of ways - besides going with someone else as Denise suggested, you can go in groups, and two gondolas together with singers in one for both. Much cheaper and that's what we did. To Susie - if I remember correctly (this was two summers ago) the prices were something from $80.00 per couple up to $l50.00 per couple and MORE (for later evening, singers, etc) <BR>It was just totally rediculous for about an hour's ride, but doing it in two gondolas like we did, I think it was much less than $80.00 because we did get some kind of a discount from either our hotel or someplace.

Yes, you can negotiate. Last fall, my wife and I took an unforgettable two-week trip to Italy, ending up in Venice. We were determined to take a gondola ride, but had heard they were expensive. One late afternoon, when we approached the gondoliers at St. Mark's we were told that the price was 150,000 lira for 40 minutes. I can't spend over 120,000, I said. Sorry, they said, the price is 150,000. My wife was crestfallen as I took her hand and began leading her away. But less than 30 seconds later, another gondolier jogged up to us and said he would take us for 120,000 lira. We agreed and he took us to the Canale Grande, Cassanova's house and other sights, with running commentary. My wife loved it, and as we neared the end of our ride, with the moon coming up over the lagoon, we shared a romantic kiss gliding under the Bridge of Sighs. A memorable experience, and - now that we've done it - next time we go to Venice we can skip that tourist "must."

I look at stuff like Gondola rides very simply. Can you do the same thing in your town in the US? Probably not. Will you remember the $85.00 you spent or the ride? Probably the ride. Will you be sorry you went all the way to Venice and did not do it? Probably will be. Go for it! We were on one a few years ago as part of a group. The singer and accordian player was in our boat. I asked the accordian player to take out photo. He spoke no English, but did snap the picture. After the ride, my wife called me an idiot for not seeing the guy was blind. We waited for three weeks till we got home to see the pictures. They were a little off center, but did the trick. Still dont know if that guy was blind. Go for the Gondola. How many people you know who have done it? <BR>

we are planning our trip to venice now. as far as i'm concerned, i'm spending hundreds of dollars to get to italy. its taken me all my life to go there. so, what would i care about another $100 or $200 to have something i'll always remember for the rest of my life. go for it. maybe you can cut down on an expensive dinner to make up for it.

Sorry to burst a lot of bubbles, but I am thrilled we skipped the gondola ride last year in Venice. Several others we were travelling with did take a ride and afterward said it was slightly less than romantic to glide through sewage whether or not someone was singing in the background.

I am not a proponent of gondola rides but I am a big proponent of Venice in general, and I can assure the last poster that Venice does not dump its raw sewage in the canals. They have sewage treatment plants like everywhere else. The canals may not be good for swimming or drinking, but they certainly are not open sewers. <BR>Humphh!