Venice · VENICE GONDOLA RIDES

Venice Gondola Rides: The 15 Worth Booking

45 tours  ·  from $34

A gondola is thirty minutes at a fixed city rate, and what changes is the route, the sharing and whether anyone talks to you. The 15 below compare shared and private boats, the Grand Canal against the back canals, and what each one really costs per seat.

Venice: Grand Canal Gondola Ride with App Commentary - Meeting near St. Mark’s Square
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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

Take a shared 30-minute gondola ride past La Fenice, the Grand Canal, Peggy Guggenheim Collection, Salute, and Punta della Dogana. A host introduces the boat and its traditions, while app commentary and a Gondola Gallery with VR add useful context. Gondolas hold up to five people.

“Me and my husband really enjoyed the ride and also the information that they gave us on the walk would highly recommend”

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Venice: Grand Canal by Gondola with Live Commentary - La Fenice and the smaller canals
Rialto and Grand Canal Tours, Tour Reviews, Venice Gondola Rides

Venice: Grand Canal by Gondola with Live Commentary

2.Grand Canal by Gondola with Live Commentary

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

Join a short walking introduction, then share a gondola for a 30-minute ride through Venice’s side canals and Grand Canal. Guides such as Emma, Beatrice, Aurora, and Veronica explain the city, palaces, and gondola tradition. A gondola-making display and 3D Venice experience follow.

“This was a beautiful photo shoot and the pictures are so beautiful . Filippo Cencin our photographer captured some stunning spots of Venice . These memories will last forever . Filippo Cencin was so helpful and we highly recommend him for your next shoot .”

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Venice: Shared Gondola Ride Across the Grand Canal - From the Royal Gardens to the water
Rialto and Grand Canal Tours, Tour Reviews, Venice Gondola Rides

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 up to five other passengers and a professional gondolier for a 30-minute ride near San Marco and Rialto. You’ll glide along the Grand Canal, pass La Fenice, and slip through smaller canals. This is a scenic ride, not a narrated tour, and serenades are not included.

“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™ - Starting near St Mark’s and the Ombra del Leone
Rialto and Grand Canal Tours, Tour Reviews, Venice Gondola Rides

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

Begin near St Mark’s Square with a short introduction and optional VR presentation, then board a traditional gondola for about 30 minutes. Pass La Fenice, Santa Maria della Salute, Punta della Dogana, San Giorgio Maggiore, and St Mark’s Basin with English, French, Spanish, or app commentary.

“This was okay. We knew we had to do a gondola tour in Venice and just went to for one of the cheapest options. The start of the ‘tour’ was weird because we walked around and got a bit of a history lesson on the islands and gondolas. Then the ride itself was about 20 mins. There was a total of 5 people in the boat, which made it a bit crammed.”

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Venice Walking Tour and Gondola Ride - Following Venice’s main waterway at the Grand Canal
Tour Reviews, Tours, Venice Gondola Rides, Venice Walking Tours, Walking Tours

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

Start near St. Mark’s Square for a guided walk through Venice’s back streets, passing La Fenice, Scala del Bovolo, and Rialto Bridge. Then ride a traditional gondola for 30 minutes along the Grand Canal and smaller canals. Guides may vary, with past standouts including Nadia, Francesca, Elena, and Christina.

“We were disappointed with this tour. Tour guide was so monotone and found it hard to focus on what she was saying. The gondala portion was a rip off. We could have just booked that separate on our own. The guy didnt even say one word to us until it came time to ask for a tip. He was on his phone or conversing with other gondaliers.”

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Venice: Traditional Shared Gondola Ride - Leaving San Marco for Venice’s smaller canals
Tour Reviews, Venice Gondola Rides

Venice: Traditional Shared Gondola Ride

6.Traditional Shared Gondola Ride

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

Spend 30 minutes in a traditional Venetian gondola with up to five passengers. Glide through San Marco’s smaller canals, pass palaces, and possibly travel beneath the Bridge of Sighs before reaching the Grand Canal and views of Santa Maria della Salute. Commentary and seating vary by option.

“It was great, we had fun even in the awful weather! Thank you.”

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Venice: Private Gondola Cruise for up to 5 Passengers - From the Grand Canal to the smaller waterways
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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 for up to five people through Venice’s Grand Canal and smaller canals. You get about 30 minutes on the water, with no guide, commentary, or serenade included. Day and evening departures are available, and a host can assist in several languages.

“Fabulous experience. Wonderful route taken. Very relaxing and beautiful time had by everyone. Would definitely do this one again!!!”

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Venice's Best: Basilica, Doge's Palace, Gondola & History Gallery - Doge’s Palace, political power, and the Bridge of Sighs
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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

Spend about three and a half hours with a small English-speaking group at St. Mark’s Basilica and Doge’s Palace, then ride a shared gondola through Venice’s canals. Guides such as Lucia and Valentina are praised for clear history, while the included VR gallery adds a quick look at Venice’s past.

“Excellent tour! The guide was very knowledgeable and enthusiastic. I learned a lot about the history of the places we visited. It was well worth the time and money!”

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Venice: Private Gondola Ride along Grand Canal - Starting near the Accademia Bridge
Private, Rialto and Grand Canal Tours, Tour Reviews, Venice Gondola Rides

Venice: Private Gondola Ride along Grand Canal

9.Private Gondola Ride along Grand Canal

★★★★★★★★★★3.9 · 2,475 reviews

Share a private gondola for up to five people and glide along the Grand Canal, past La Fenice, Punta della Dogana, and Santa Maria della Salute. The 30-minute ride includes the Gondola Gallery, while commentary may come from an audio guide or your gondolier.

“Little bit of a wait but only 10 mins. Was 30 mins and most enjoyable. Can’t fault it and we loved it. They also took photos for us on my phone.”

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Charming Gondola Ride on the Grand Canal & Gondola Gallery™ - Starting near St. Mark’s Square
Museums, Rialto and Grand Canal Tours, Tour Reviews, Venice Gondola Rides

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

Ride a shared gondola near St. Mark’s Square, hear a short introduction, and see Venice from the Grand Canal. The experience also includes priority entry to Gondola Gallery, a real gondola display, and a 3D and VR journey through old Venice. Commentary is offered through an app in nine languages.

“My sister and I enjoyed this tour! it was really nice to go late in the day as it’s beautiful during dusk and at night.”

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Classic 30-Minute Gondola Ride in Venice - The shared gondola setup
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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 near San Marco, then share a traditional gondola for about 25 to 30 minutes. You may pass the Grand Canal, Basilica della Salute, Accademia, Campo Manin, and opera house entrance. This is a simple scenic ride, not a full guided tour.

“The ticket exchange place was able to give us an earlier time which was nice. The ride was smooth and beautiful. A bit of rain but didn’t deter from a great time. Gondolier was pleasant but didn’t talk as he was busy navigating the narrow canals. Everyone should do this ride at least once. 😁”

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Venice: Shared Gondola Ride through the Lagoon City - Finding the meeting point behind Saint Mark’s Square
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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

Ride a shared gondola through Venice for 30 minutes, passing Santa Maria della Salute, Rialto Bridge, San Moisè Church, La Fenice, and Punta della Dogana. A multilingual host helps you board, but the gondolier drives rather than guides. Morning, afternoon, and sunset departures are available.

“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”

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Best Of Venice: Saint Mark's Basilica, Doges Palace with Guide and Gondola Ride - Inside St. Mark’s Basilica in about 30 minutes
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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

Join a small group of up to 20 for St. Mark’s Basilica, Doge’s Palace, St. Mark’s Square, and a 30-minute gondola ride. Guides such as Marco, Filippo, and Elena bring Venetian art, law, and tradition to life, while skip-the-line entry saves time during busy months.

“A fantastic overview of Venetian history, art, and architecture topped off with a scenic gondola ride. Our guide was extremely pleasant , knowledgeable, and easy to understand. Highly recommend this tour for a first morning in Venice! ( The morning departure also avoided most crowds )”

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Venice: Private Gondola Ride - What the 20-minute ride really feels like
Private, Tour Reviews, Venice Gondola Rides

Venice: Private Gondola Ride

14.Private Gondola Ride

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

Take a private gondola from Santa Maria del Giglio through Venice’s Grand Canal and quieter side canals. Your gondolier drives but does not serve as a formal guide. The 20-minute ride may be shorter or longer, and past gondoliers such as Daniel have added friendly local color.

“Everything was perfect, but Gondola ride could be a little bit longer..”

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St Mark's, Doge's Palace, with Murano and Burano & Gondola Ride - Doge’s Palace, politics, prisons, and the Bridge of Sighs
Doges Palace Tours, Murano Burano and Torcello Island Tours, St Marks Basilica Tours and Tickets, Tour Reviews, Venice Gondola Rides

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 with an English-speaking guide, visiting St. Mark’s Basilica and Doge’s Palace, riding a gondola, and taking a private boat to Murano and Burano. Guides such as Filippo, Silvia, Marco, and Roberta bring strong local stories, while free time lets you explore the islands.

“Alessia was our guide for the first half of the tour and she was fantastic! Very helpful and engaging making for a smooth and comfortable Journey to the islands of Murano and Burano! Highly reccomened this experience and if your lucky you will get linked with her! Marco was our tour guide for the second half. He was super knowledgeable and gave us a comprehensive and fun understanding of the long history of Venice and how it still effects the population of the city today! He sprinkles jokes throughout that will guarantee laughs and joy throughout the tour, and makes it a point to connect with all guests making you…”

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New in Venice Gondola Rides

★ 4.0Shared Gondola Through breathtaking Bridge of SighsFrom $39129 reviews
★ 4.6City Highlights Tour with St Mark’s and Gondola RideFrom $78124 reviews
★ 4.0The Grand Canal Touch – Walking & Gondola ExperienceFrom $67153 reviews
★ 4.030 min private Gondola Ride with Guide143 reviews
★ 4.0Unusual Venice Walking Tour through Rialto & Gondola ExperienceFrom $60135 reviews
★ 3.2Sunset or Evening Gondola TourFrom $71155 reviews
★ 3.5Venice Gondola ExperienceFrom $52169 reviews
★ 4.1Private Grand Canal Gondola Ride from Rialto178 reviews
★ 4.5Doge’s Palace Guided Tour With Tickets & Optional GondolaFrom $83172 reviews
★ 4.0Private Tour: Venice Gondola Ride with Serenade207 reviews
★ 4.4Venice Walking Tour and Gondola Ride ComboFrom $80266 reviews
★ 3.8Romantic Shared Gondola Serenade on the Grand CanalFrom $55270 reviews
★ 4.7St. Mark’s, Doges Palace, Rialto, and Gondola TourFrom $164239 reviews
★ 4.0Shared Gondola RideFrom $48286 reviews
★ 4.0Venice Private Gondola Ride: Explore Hidden Canals and SightsFrom $95334 reviews

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Explore Venice

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The square

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On the water

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