When friends and family knew I was going to the magical city of Venice, Italy, everyone asked if I would take one of the famous Gondola rides. “Of course!” I replied. How could I not? And I did, and it was lovely!
The Venetian Gondola Ride Experience
Everyone says that a gondola ride is a must when visiting this beautiful city. But what exactly is a gondola? Who steers it? How do you get one? Is it pricey? Read on to find out!
What is a Gondola?
The gondola is a traditional Venetian boat for passengers. A city that uses canals as roads requires a sleek mode of transportation to go down all the alleyways. The narrow form of this flat-bottomed boat allows for some easy maneuvering through the small and large water roads of this lovely city. They were invented around the 12th century and were the primary form of passenger transportation until the speedboat. Though some people still take a gondola ride for public transportation, they are mostly used by tourists.
Gondolier
The gondola is steered by a gondolier who manually oars the boat along the waterway. Being a gondolier is a serious business, as tourism is obviously a huge source of revenue in Venice. To become one, you must join the gondolier guild. This requires training, an apprenticeship, and a comprehensive exam. There are only 400 gondoliers licenses allowed at any one time within Venice.
The Iconic Gondola Rides
It turns out, as most savvy travelers likely already expected, that gondola rides in Venice are no cheap affair. They cost a lot. The good news is that it costs the same amount if one person rides on it or 6 people ride on it. Take your friends, make new ones, and fill that boat to get the most from your money. Keep in mind that gondola rides after 7 pm cost more. The rides are generally around 40 minutes long.
Gondoliers are not tour guides. They will answer questions but most won’t offer a full backlog of information about where you are and what you are seeing. Also, not all gondoliers wear stripes these days, and ours definitely did not offer to sing, but they are able to take visitors into small areas that offer a more unique view of the city. You pass under small bridges, through alleyways, and by working Venetians moving their wares through the city by boat. It really is wonderful.
Where do I find a gondolier?
You can take a gondola ride almost anywhere in Venice. There are rows of gondolas along the the Grand Canal. If you want to get away from the crowd, look for one on a smaller alley canal.