Romantic Evening Gondola Ride on the Grand Canal
Venice, Italy
- 30 minutes (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Experience the beauty of Venice from the water with this exclusive small-group gondola ride down the iconic Grand Canal. Before boarding, learn about the history of the famous boat at the Gondola Gallery, which also includes a VR experience. Then, settle on board for an unforgettable ride and take in some of the city's most famous sights from the water, snapping keepsake photos along the way.
- A picturesque way to explore Venice's famed canals and top sights
- Learn about the history of Venice and the vessel at the Gondola Gallery
- Avoid the hassle of hiring a gondola at the last minute in Venice
- Ideal for couples or anyone on a first visit to the Floating City
What's Included
- 20-minute introduction to the gondola experience
- 30-minute gondola ride
- Aboard a timeless gondola, experience centuries of Venetian history in VR
- Gondola Gallery: how gondolas are made, with tools and a cross-section
- Dinner (if option is selected)
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- Gondola Ride ExperienceVenice Tours Srl Close to St.Mark’s Square, Calle S. Gallo, 1093/b, 30124 Venezia VE, Italy
With St. Mark's Basilica behind you, keep right and walk under the arches. At the Olivetti Museum, turn right and continue under the arcades. Cross the small bridge and continue to Campo San Gallo. SHARED GONDOLA WITH DINNER (IF OPTION SELECTED) Dinner: Ai Coristi Restaurant
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Itinerary
Canal Grande (Pass By)
Teatro La Fenice (Pass By)
Palazzo Gritti Badoer (Pass By)
Peggy Guggenheim Collection (Pass By)
Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute (Pass By)
Campanile di San Marco (Pass By)
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Near public transportation
- Most travelers can participate
- The Gondola Ride does not operate in case of exceptionally bad weather, high/low tide (in these cases it can be postponed the days after otherwise it will be refunded)
- Each gondola can hold a maximum of 5 people; the seat aboard cannot be chosen but will be assigned by the gondolier depending on guests' weight
- On certain dates, most travelers staying outside of Venice who are planning to visit for the day will be required to pay a €5 access fee.
- The gondola route may change due to weather, canal maintenance, or tides.
- Duration may be slightly less than 30 minutes.
- Children must be accompanied by an adult; free under 2 years if not occupying a seat.
- Not fully accessible for wheelchair users or those with mobility issues.
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 15 travelers
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
Christian_G
Great experience, my parents loved the gondola ride and the short history about them. The host was very nice to guide me where the gondola sails so I could take pictures of them. The singer/serenade was wonderful too! Definitely worth it
Reviews
4.2
based on 317 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
Brita_H, Aug 2026
they said gondola romantic. Made 5 ppl in that bored with lecture before . Cancelled serenade portion last minute . infact couple with us from NJ USA their ice melted carrying the wine . it was so sad.
Then just 40 mts gondola on beaten path like LAS VEGAS/ DISNEY . PLEASE AVOID “ VENICE TOUR” FOR ANUTHING . FULL SCAM
cynthia_s, Aug 2026
Not at all what we expected. More like herding cattle than a good experience. They are more concerned with moving more people than the experience. It was our 50th wedding anniversary trip and we would have liked to have sat together but they never asked. I was at the back with my daughter and my husband was at the front. It was quite short with no history, or any type of interaction /information from the guide. Would never do it again
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Dear Guest, We are sorry to hear that the tour did not meet your expectations. In shared gondola rides, seats are always assigned by the gondolier based on guests’ weight and balance for safety reasons. Thank you and we hope to welcome you to a more positive experience in the future. Regards, Customer Care Team
Dancia_K, Aug 2026
This was the worst tour experience I've had. I contacted the tour company earlier today to warn we might be late — we were on a delayed 6-hour train from Rome to Venice. I called and messaged repeatedly. No response, ever.
Their policy denies refunds for cancellations within 24 hours — but I never cancelled. I was trying to reschedule for the next day and got total silence in return. They kept our money without lifting a finger to help or even acknowledge us.
This isn't a policy problem, it's a company that disappears the moment something goes wrong. I'm furious and feel completely taken advantage of. I would not recommend this company to anyone. A refund is the least they owe me at this point.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Dear Guest, We are deeply sorry for your experience. Our tours depart regularly and promptly, have fixed and tight schedule and require all participants as confirmed on booking confirmation, to be at the meeting point at least 10 min before the tour start time. Unfortunately, we are unable to accommodate late arrivals, as doing so would disrupt the experience for guests who arrived on time. As per cancelation policy, any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted. Regards, Customer Care Team
David_B, Jul 2026
I love Viator and use them all of the time, and the gondola part of the tour was good. The problem was the tour guide and the tour operator. This was supposed to be a gondola tour on the grand canal. They added a walking tour prior to the gondola tour because the tour operators office is incredibly far from where you get on the gondolas. This was a tour booked for my 85 year old mother and my daughter. The tour guide took off so fast that she left them behind and didn’t even realize it. My daughter didn’t know what to do because she didn’t know where the guide was going and she was afraid to leave my mom to catch up with the guide to let her know that she left them behind. There were some women from England who were trying to let the guide know what was happening, but she left them also. They did not catch up to her until they had already left St. Mark’s Square and that was only because other people in the group were trying to keep make sure my mom and daughter were not left behind. Not the tour guide. When the tour guide finally realized that she left people behind, she tried to help my mom, but by that point my mom was so upset she didn’t want the guide anywhere near her. They finally walked from the grand canal all the way back to where they got on the gondolas. I saw the distance that they walked and it was far. Had it been me, I would have been really angry, and I’m more angry that this happened to people I booked on a tour. Had I known that the walk was so far I would not have booked this tour. Also, it did not have to be such a long walk, there was a shorter walk to the gondola point, because we walked it to pick them up at the end. They really liked the gondola ride and the gondolier. My mother was so engaged from this tour that she could barely walk today.
Betty_H, Jul 2026
Not at all a romantic ride. You go down the less traveled canals without any good views of the city. Our gondola driver chose to speak to his fellow colleague in the gondola ahead of us the entire time.
Paul_L, Jul 2026
Worst experience ever don’t book
The Romantic gondola ride is shared !
It states this in small print & upon arrival at the meeting point we were told it was a shared gondola ride , we asked for it to be changed to just us as it was our honeymoon & they then proceeded to charge us an extra €50 for the privilege.
We asked for a refund but were rejected !
NOT romantic in any way
Avoid avoid avoid
Mike_W, Jun 2026
This has some good features and some not so great aspects. The ride of course is great. But the lead up to the ride was somewhat disappointing. There’s a VR port which is very nice. But then you put on headsets and listen to the tour guide and you follow her over to the gondolas. The problem is the headset goes in and out and she just motors through everything. She just spits out words. So you would hear some, then static. Rinse and repeat. So not great. But the ride was great.
William_E, Jun 2026
Evening is kind of misleading, the sun is not close to setting for the evening, wish it had later times. Quick talk about the gondola and the design is very informative. While our gondolier was not very friendly it’s not the tour operators fault. Be prepared to share your ride with others.
Vanitha_C, Jun 2026
This is not a romantic gondola ride if you’re sharing the gondola with three other strangers.
The experience felt more like a procession of gondolas moving together, with the gondoliers loudly talking to each other throughout the ride. There was no sense of romance, privacy, or intimacy.
For a tour costing over $105, we expected at least some commentary about what we were seeing, opportunities for photos, or engagement from the gondolier. Unfortunately, there was none. We finished the ride disappointed, despite still leaving a generous tip.
Afterward, we booked another gondola ride on our own and had a completely different experience for essentially the same price. It included privacy, champagne, a much longer ride, excellent commentary, a highly knowledgeable gondolier, and plenty of memorable photo opportunities.
Based on our experience, I would not recommend this tour. Save your money and book a private gondola directly instead.
Janet_W, Jun 2026
It was extremely difficult to find the starting point as the original ride we booked was changed but the ticket and link were not. We were directed by the map to a completely different part of the city. When we eventually arrived we found our trip time had been changed so at least we weren’t late. Having booked a romantic gondola ride we weren’t expecting a virtual reality experience or a guided walk to the gondola neither of which added much to the experience. The ride itself was pleasant but we had the best seats. I’m not sure the other 3 people crammed at the front enjoyed it so much. My advice would be not to book this tour but turn up to one of the many gondola stations in the city and book a ride directly with them.
Nisha_S, Jun 2026
Nothing is romantic about being in a gondola with a group of random people. Maybe I overlooked that part but photo displayed a couple and the title displayed "romantic" so I had different expectations .
Michelle_C, Jun 2026
Supposed to be romantic private and had to share with two other people which meant we got seats that were tiny and on opposite side of boat. Not romantic at all
Walter_O, Jun 2026
The gondola crew were rude. The implication is the ride is private. It is not. We ended up with another couple we had never met on board...they were nice people but not the most romantic thing. Do not do this one.
Scott_S, Jun 2026
The whole process since booking seemed very unorganized. The times changed. The serenade portion was canceled which was disappointing since it was part of our anniversary celebration. I was assured I’d receive a partial refund for that which I have not received. And we were seated with another couple so we didn’t even get to sit next to each other, but across from each other. Several gondola groups launched at the same time so it was not serene but like a traffic jam. So disappointing. Not the gondola experience I had hoped for and would not recommend.
Stacy_P, Jun 2026
It is not romantic at all. Didn’t even get to sit on a boat with my husband. We sat with 3 other strangers. The tour started with a VR video and a lengthy walk through town. We did appreciate the information; however, it was very misleading and not at all what we expected .
Susie_w, Jun 2026
It is difficult to take pictures when You are 4 people or more in the gondola. And on top og that they wanted tips for helping us a land again. Been by other gondola and they did not ask for money? And the small bureau/office was very had to find even by using google map.
Christina_L, Jun 2026
Terrible experience I’m asking the address and they said this is not the address I keep calling Viator I am not getting help
Luke_D, May 2026
Don’t book this. What a joke. They don’t tell you until after you already paid that it is less than the allotted time it says, not private, and not all drivers preform which is exactly what you pay for…. You will be better off just getting a random ride
Carolyn_C, Apr 2026
Excellent gondola ride with a singer and an accordion We were in the gondola with the musicians so it was super cool. Definitely recommend.
Tiffany_K, Oct 2025
Due to the forecast of rain, the office was nice enough to change my reservation to earlier but that caused me not to get a serenade. Unfortunately, they would not refund me the difference. The ride was nice but quiet. The guy didn’t talk at all, so rode around not really knowing what we were looking at
Christian_G, Oct 2025
Great experience, my parents loved the gondola ride and the short history about them. The host was very nice to guide me where the gondola sails so I could take pictures of them. The singer/serenade was wonderful too! Definitely worth it
Tanya_D, Oct 2025
We learned so much about the inception of Venice and the history of the gondolas! The VR info at the beginning was such a great addition. So romantic and fun.
Helene_G, Oct 2025
It was not romantic at all. One singer sang for about 6 gondolas, our "driver" chatted with the other drivers and smoked cigarettes. He didn't even introduce himself to us. What a waste of money although, if you are in Venice, I guess you have to try this once!!
James_B, Sep 2025
Fun time. Great music, short and fun. VR intro was awesome. We all had fun. Pick up at the hotel would have been cool.
Michele_M, Sep 2025
We had difficulties finding the office although we had directions and asked multiple locals. Firstly, the best water taxi to get to the area was not highlighted so we ended walking at least 20 minutes in circles. When we arrived, I tried to explain to the tour guide that my mom has some accessibility issues as the walk was way longer than expected;. Although the tour guide, was gracious we were given alternate meeting point to get on the gondola, I was still unable to find that point. As a result, we completely missed the tour and were frustrated as we paid $295 CAD for this. What a terrible and stressful start to the European trip.
Traci_H, Sep 2025
Wish I could give this a zero!
The young lady who provided the walking tour prior to the gondola ride was lovely and informative! The only good thing about this tour!
The gondola ride. Where do I begin. Our gondolier “John” got on his personal phone with a buddy and talked loudly during our ride. We were to far away from the singer, therefore, with his talking and not keeping up with the other boats we could not hear anything. We had to ask John to get off the phone. The ride was also very short.
Very disappointing!!!
You are Serenaded! Is a misleading statement!
Memory_T, Aug 2025
This was a great experience. The historical explanation was interesting. Our gondolier was very experienced. The music was beautiful. We were in a large group, so the musician and singer were in a separate gondola that was behind us. Just be aware when booking that this is not a single gondola/private ride. We enjoyed ourselves nevertheless.
Angela_M, Jul 2025
The tour started over 20 min late. The gondola ride itself was fairly nice. But know that you may not be in the actual gondola with the musicians. We were in the second one & could hear the music but if you were expecting to be up close & personal, you may be disappointed. The musicians were very good though. Biggest issue is we paid for dinner, which we did not get. When we went back to the tour office to find out about the dinner, we found it closed for the day. We have now been told by the tour operator that because we booked through Viator, that is who we must deal with to get a refund. Extremely disappointed!!
YazanK, Jul 2025
The VR section at the beginning was great. The walk before the ride was very nice. The ride itself was magical. The singer and guitarist were awesome.
yourtravel_a, Jul 2025
Very bad experiences !
The gondola ride was the most un respectful and mindful person ! He push out my friend and make her feel ! Hey bad mouth
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