2 couples will be in Venice October 3rd. I have read the guide books on hiring a Gondola. I am still confused. If the 4 of us want to go for about 50 minutes (seeing both the Grand Canal AND the smaller canals)in the late afternoon or early evening - and we are decent bargainers - what would be a fair to good price. Thanks in advance for information.

American Express has a tour every afternoon about 4 PM that includes a tour of the wonderful Chiesa dei Frari, followed by a group gondola ride complete with a guide and singers. Our grown children and teenage granddaughter took it last year and loved it. Cost is about 40,000 lire, which is cheaper than just renting a gondola. Enjoy! <BR>

Venice is my "second home". I have spend most of my 29 summers there visiting family. It's true, seeing Venice from a Gondola is a unique experience. Yet, in all my years there, I have only gone once, last June. I promised I would take my fiancee. I was nice, yet very expensive, we hit gondoloa gridlock, and the whole atmosphere was ruined when our gondolier had to take a call on his cell phone! <BR> <BR>My advise...don't do it. Save your money and go to a concert at a church or eat at a nice restaurant. The Gondola is just not worth it!

for more information and opinions on gondola rides, do a Search here on <BR>"gondola"--there was a recent thread of postings. <BR>

My husband and I took a gondola ride on our honeymoon in 1997. We opted for the shorter 20-30 minute ride on some of the back canals for about L75,000. Expect to pay at least L100,000 for the longer ride. We bargained a little with the gonodlier, so you shouldn't have any problems bringing the price down.

toppie-top.