Venice · VENICE GONDOLA RIDES

Venice Gondola Rides: The 15 Best Ways to Board

40 tours  ·  from $34 a head

The fares are set by the city, so the real choice is the route and whether you share the boat. These 15 cover shared Grand Canal crossings, quiet back-canal rides and the private evening ones, each with its length and price.

Venice: Grand Canal Gondola Ride with App Commentary - From the Grand Canal into smaller waterways
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Venice: Grand Canal Gondola Ride with App Commentary

1.Grand Canal Gondola Ride with App Commentary

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 18,908 reviews · from $39Our pick

Share a gondola for a 30-minute ride past the Peggy Guggenheim Collection, La Fenice, Santa Maria della Salute, and quieter canals near the Grand Canal. A host introduces gondola history on a short walk, while an app provides route commentary. The experience also includes a visit to the Gondola Gallery and a virtual-reality gondola ride.

“Great activity and excellent value for money. The tour guide gave us a little mini walking tour first and some information about the Gondola. The Gonaleer was friendly and the ride was great. The VR experience after was interesting too. A must do in Venice!”

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Venice: Grand Canal by Gondola with Live Commentary - Through the small canals
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Venice: Grand Canal by Gondola with Live Commentary

2.Grand Canal by Gondola with Live Commentary

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 13,681 reviews · from $44

Start with a guide-led introduction to gondolas and Venice’s water heritage, then ride through narrow canals and along the Grand Canal. Expect views of La Fenice, the Salute church, and palaces, plus a Gondola Gallery visit with boatmaking displays and a 3D Venice experience. The guide rides in one gondola; others use an audio device.

“Aurora was amazing!! Thank you so much to make our trip great.!”

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Venice: Shared Gondola Ride Across the Grand Canal - From the ticket office to the gondola
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Venice: Shared Gondola Ride Across the Grand Canal

3.Shared Gondola Ride Across the Grand Canal

★★★★★★★★★★3.9 · 6,645 reviews · 30 min · from $46

Share a gondola with other passengers and a master gondolier for a short ride through Venice’s Grand Canal and smaller canals near San Marco and Rialto. You may pass La Fenice and see the city from water level. The route can change with canal traffic, and the gondolier does not provide a serenade or guaranteed commentary.

“I did this activity as a solo traveller and was fortunate to be on the gondola with only two other people! 30 minutes was just perfect for this journey - enough time to take in the gorgeous scenery and get a real feel for riding round on a gondola with plenty of time to take pictures. There is no interaction from the driver but I don’t think this was needed as I was just taking it all in. I would very much recommend as an affordable way to go in a gondola!”

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Grand Canal Gondola Experience with Live Commentary™ - Slipping through the smaller canals
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Grand Canal Gondola Experience with Live Commentary™

4.Grand Canal Gondola Experience with Live Commentary™

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 4,223 reviews · 30 to 50 minutes (approx.) · from $49

Starting near Saint Mark’s Square, this 30-minute gondola ride passes historic palaces and waterways near La Fenice, Santa Maria della Salute, and Saint Mark’s Square. Shared rides include a short introduction and a virtual reality presentation; commentary is live in English, French, or Spanish, with other languages available through an app. Each gondola holds up to five people.

“Thoroughly enjoyed our gondola ride and tour around Venice. The commentary from our guide was only before getting in the gondola, and nothing during the actual ride. Plus, the ride was done in groups so we did not get a private tour as expected. It wasn't an issue for us but not what was expected based on the description.”

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Venice Walking Tour and Gondola Ride - Walking past Scala del Bovolo and La Fenice
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Venice Walking Tour and Gondola Ride

5.Venice Walking Tour and Gondola Ride

★★★★★★★★★★3.5 · 3,630 reviews · 2 hours 9 minutes to 2 hours 27 minutes (approx.) · from $72

Meet near St. Mark’s Square for an English-language walk through Venice’s lanes, with stops near La Fenice and Scala del Bovolo, then take a 30-minute gondola ride that reaches the Grand Canal and Rialto Bridge. The guide varies, with names such as Francesca, Elena, and Nadia praised for clear, lively storytelling.

“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.”

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Venice: Traditional Shared Gondola Ride - Slipping through the smaller canals
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Venice: Traditional Shared Gondola Ride

6.Traditional Shared Gondola Ride

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 3,263 reviews · 30 min · from $42

Share a traditional gondola with up to four other passengers for a ride through canals near San Marco. Routes may include the Grand Canal and Bridge of Sighs, depending on your option and water conditions. Your gondolier may chat or sing, but neither is guaranteed. Antonio and Mario are among the guides named by riders, not guaranteed hosts.

“Very good so nice to see the small canals and our gondolier was very happy to answer questions and had a good sense of humour”

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Venice: Private Gondola Cruise for up to 5 Passengers - Grand Canal views, then a turn into narrower lanes
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Venice: Private Gondola Cruise for up to 5 Passengers

7.Private Gondola Cruise for up to 5 Passengers

★★★★★★★★★★3.7 · 3,106 reviews

Take a private gondola ride for up to five people, passing palaces and bridges on the Grand Canal and smaller Venice waterways. The ride lasts about 30 minutes, though canal traffic can shorten it. Check in at the Alilaguna ticket office in front of the Royal Gardens gate, and confirm your departure point before setting out.

“Excellent activity, pre-booking meant doing away with the stress of not knowing where to go or what to do. However there were cheaper gondoliers readily available!”

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Venice's Best: Basilica, Doge's Palace, Gondola & History Gallery - The gondola ride: lovely canals, shared seats
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Venice’s Best: Basilica, Doge’s Palace, Gondola & History Gallery

8.Venice’s Best: Basilica, Doge’s Palace, Gondola & History Gallery

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 2,478 reviews · 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $129

This 3.5-hour Venice tour pairs guided, skip-the-line visits to St. Mark’s Basilica and Doge’s Palace with a shared gondola ride. You’ll also get access to St. Mark’s Square museums and a Venice history VR experience. Groups are capped at 15; the gondola is shared, with seating assigned by the gondolier.

“Valentina is a very knowledgeable guide, and we enjoyed the tour. We felt we had just enough time to take in what we were seeing while learning some cool history. Recommend this tour! The gondola experience was slightly disappointing though. The seating wasn't stabilized and the gondolier was constantly on his phone.”

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Venice: Private Gondola Ride along Grand Canal - From the Accademia Bridge to the Grand Canal
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Venice: Private Gondola Ride along Grand Canal

9.Private Gondola Ride along Grand Canal

★★★★★★★★★★3.9 · 2,475 reviews

Take a private gondola for up to five people along the Grand Canal and smaller waterways, passing the Accademia Bridge, Peggy Guggenheim Collection, Santa Maria della Salute and La Fenice. The 30-minute ride is self-guided, though your gondolier may share local details or sing. The experience also includes a gallery on gondola-making.

“Must have experience when in Venice! Short and sweet 30 mins ride just for the experience”

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Charming Gondola Ride on the Grand Canal & Gondola Gallery™ - The Gondola Gallery and its VR journey
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Charming Gondola Ride on the Grand Canal & Gondola Gallery™

10.Charming Gondola Ride on the Grand Canal & Gondola Gallery™

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 1,313 reviews · 45 minutes (approx.) · from $47

Board a shared gondola near St. Mark’s Square for a roughly 30-minute ride, after a short introduction to gondolas and Venice. The experience also includes the Gondola Gallery, with a real gondola on display and a VR journey into the city’s past. Commentary is available through an app or brochure in nine languages.

“A very good experience. Slight confusion at the start due to different language tours. Ask questions of the staff and they were very patience explaining the procedure.”

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Classic 30-Minute Gondola Ride in Venice - Starting by San Marco Giardinetti
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Classic 30-Minute Gondola Ride in Venice

11.Classic 30-Minute Gondola Ride in Venice

★★★★★★★★★★3.0 · 961 reviews · 25 to 30 minutes (approx.) · from $46

Meet at the Alilaguna ticket office by San Marco Giardinetti for a shared gondola ride lasting about 25 to 30 minutes. Your gondolier steers through Venetian waterways, with sights that may include the Grand Canal, Basilica della Salute and Gallerie dell’Accademia. Commentary is not guaranteed, and you share the boat with other passengers.

“Excellent value for money. All wait at meeting point and head to gondola. Easy to find ticket office. We weren't so lucky with weather abit foggy but it didn't affect the experience going round the itinerary”

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Venice: Shared Gondola Ride through the Lagoon City - Grand Canal: the city’s grand front door
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Venice: Shared Gondola Ride through the Lagoon City

12.Shared Gondola Ride through the Lagoon City

★★★★★★★★★★3.9 · 937 reviews · 30 min · from $48

Share a 30-minute gondola ride through Venice’s canals, passing the Grand Canal, Santa Maria della Salute, San Moisè and La Fenice. A multilingual host helps you board, but the gondolier is a driver, not a guide. Choose a morning, afternoon or sunset departure; expect assigned seating and possible waits of up to 20 minutes in high season.

“nice ride and was not too long and not too short i would definitley book this one”

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Best Of Venice: Saint Mark's Basilica, Doges Palace with Guide and Gondola Ride - St. Mark’s Basilica, gold overhead
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Best Of Venice: Saint Mark’s Basilica, Doges Palace with Guide and Gondola Ride

13.Best Of Venice: Saint Mark’s Basilica, Doges Palace with Guide and Gondola Ride

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 800 reviews · 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $125

In about three and a half hours, an English-speaking art historian leads you through St. Mark’s Basilica, Doge’s Palace and the sights around Piazza San Marco, then sends you onto the canals by gondola. Expect Venetian history, art and courtroom stories, with guides such as Marco, Filippo and Elena named on recent departures. Basilica skip-the-line entry is not offered from November through March.

“Booked this tour at short notice and wasn’t disappointed. The guide Philipo was enthusiastic and his information and detail interesting and relevant. Very well organised and the highlight of our Venice experience.”

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Venice: Private Gondola Ride - From Santa Maria del Giglio to the Grand Canal
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Venice: Private Gondola Ride

14.Private Gondola Ride

★★★★★★★★★★3.6 · 757 reviews · 20 min · from $85

Set off from the Gondola Station beside Hotel Gritti Palace for a private ride with a traditional gondolier. The route is intended to include the Grand Canal and quieter waterways near Punta della Dogana, Santa Maria della Salute and Teatro La Fenice. It is not a guided tour, and your gondolier is not guaranteed to be Daniel, a name associated with one particularly peaceful ride.

“Charming, first 10 minutes in Grand Canal, then 15 or so in the near small canal. A lot of traffic though, but still a good adventure!”

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St Mark's, Doge's Palace, with Murano and Burano & Gondola Ride - Doge’s Palace: power, art and the prison cells
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St Mark’s, Doge’s Palace, with Murano and Burano & Gondola Ride

15.St Mark’s, Doge’s Palace, with Murano and Burano & Gondola Ride

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 753 reviews · 9 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $34Best value

Spend about nine and a half hours visiting St. Mark’s Basilica and the Doge’s Palace, riding a gondola, and taking a boat to Murano and Burano. English-speaking guides lead small groups of up to 20. Expect a glass-blowing demonstration, a lace-making visit, and an hour for lunch at your own expense. Guide names vary, though guests have praised guides including Silvia, Marco, Filippo and Roberta.

“Loved this tour! The guides were the nicest people we’ve met in Italy thus far! So attentive with so much knowledge! They really make sure you have the best time! We did the morning and afternoon tour!”

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New in Venice Gondola Rides

★ 4.4Basilica and Doge’s Palace Tour with Gondola RideFrom $15885 reviews
★ 4.1Private Grand Canal Gondola Ride from Rialto178 reviews
★ 4.5Doge’s Palace Guided Tour With Tickets & Optional GondolaFrom $83172 reviews
★ 3.5Venice Gondola ExperienceFrom $52169 reviews
★ 4.0Private Tour: Venice Gondola Ride with Serenade207 reviews
★ 4.7St. Mark’s, Doges Palace, Rialto, and Gondola TourFrom $164239 reviews
★ 4.4Venice Walking Tour and Gondola Ride ComboFrom $80266 reviews
★ 3.8Romantic Shared Gondola Serenade on the Grand CanalFrom $55270 reviews
★ 4.0Shared Gondola RideFrom $48286 reviews
★ 3.7Shared Gondola Ride and SerenadeFrom $57299 reviews
★ 4.0Venice Private Gondola Ride: Explore Hidden Canals and SightsFrom $95334 reviews
★ 3.630-Minute Gondola Ride on Grand Canal with SerenadeFrom $59337 reviews
★ 4.6Doge’s Palace Guided Tour with Optional Gondola RideFrom $81362 reviews
★ 4.5St. Mark’s Basilica and Gondola Morning TourFrom $99351 reviews
★ 3.5Venice Shared Gondola RideFrom $52401 reviews

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