What is the cheapest alternative to gondola rides in Venice?


What is the cheapest alternative to gondola rides in Venice? Water buses are much cheaper than gondola rides, and you can purchase a day pass to save money. The water bus takes you on a tour of the Grand Canal and the smaller canals, stopping at various landmarks along the way.


Is it better to pre book a gondola in Venice?

You can book tickets for gondola rides online through organized tours, or buy a ticket on the spot. It is advisable to book a ride online to avoid haggling or having to wait in lines.


How to get around Venice cheaply?

The vaporetti is the most popular and cheapest mode of public transportation in Venice. These water buses travel up and down the islands near the Grand Canal. Most boarding stops, Hellovenezia/ACTV offices, newsstands, and certain bars, stores, and tobacconists with the ACTV sign, sell tickets for the vaporetti.


Is it better to ride gondola in morning or evening in Venice?

And, given that it's bound to happen, the best time to do it is in the morning, and for many reasons: your gondola pilot will be freshened up after a good night's sleep, the canals won't be so full and you won't have any midday sun beaming down on you as you scramble for shade on a boat that provides nada.


How long is the wait for the Venetian gondola ride?

Waiting time depends what month,day,time and if it is an inside or outside ride you want, a more or less 15-30 minutes time including buying your tickets at their nearby stall/office near the queuing area. Gondola ride takes 14-15 minutes. Reserve time will be 30-40 minutes to an hour atleast.


Can you haggle for gondola ride in Venice?

What you can negotiate is the duration of your gondola ride. If you'd like a lengthier trip, just ask your gondolier if they would be willing to take you around the canals a bit longer. The price, in that case, is still regulated: a 45-minute ride costs €120 and an hour-long gondola ride runs €160.


Why is gondola ride so expensive?

Because gondolas are wildly expensive to build and maintain. They are fully handcrafted boats made out of wood using traditional techniques. There are only a few artisans left to build traditional Venetian boats and only the most skilled build and maintain gondole.


Where to avoid staying in Venice?

The two main areas to avoid in Venice I suggest are:
  • Castello neighbourhood eastern side as it's quite out of reach.
  • Santa Croce neighbourhood around the Santa Lucia railway station where some tourists have been victim of theft.


Do gondoliers in Venice take credit cards?

Yes. Your credit card details aren't introduced until the very last step of the booking process, at which point you'll be redirected to a completely secure bank server where you carry out your payment.


How do tourists get around in Venice?

You can traverse the canals by vaporetto or water bus/ferry (relatively affordable), water taxi (pretty pricey) or gondola (very expensive).


What is the difference between a cable car and a gondola ride?

A gondola lift has cabins suspended from a continuously circulating cable whereas aerial trams simply shuttle back and forth on cables. In Japan, the two are considered as the same category of vehicle and called ropeway, while the term cable car refers to both grounded cable cars and funiculars.