Venice's best transportation value is the traghetto, a public gondola ferry. Traghetti are similar to privately rented gondolas, but you'll pay only €0,50 to cross the Grand Canal at one of the half-dozen ferry points between the railroad station and the Campo del Traghetto near St. Mark's Square.

traghetto photo

ABOVE: A traghetto crosses the Grand Canal. INSET BELOW: A fisheye view from inside a gondola ferry.

traghetto photo The ride is short, but the experience is memorable--especially if you emulate the Venetians by standing up during the crossing. For more information and photos, see our Traghetto article.

External Web links

Official Gondola Site
Learn about the gondola's history, or assemble a bibliography of books (mostly in Italian) about gondolas and Venice. The site also discusses the traghetti or gondola ferries across the Grand Canal.

Official Gondola Tariffs (Comune di Venezia)
Use the numbers on the City of Venice's gondola page as a starting point for negotiating with gondoliers. If you're lucky or it's out of season, the gondolier may be happy to take you for the official rate.

The Venetian Gondola
This article from VeniceWord, a media service in Venice, describes the history of the gondola and current construction rules.

For well-heeled tourists in a hurry:

Hotel Cipriani's 'Gondola Massage' veniceforvisitors.com
Are you pressed for time (but not for money) and stressed by a tight vacation schedule? Get a soothing spa treatment and see the sights in one two-hour session.

Back to: Gallivanting by Gondola - Page 1

In this article:

Gallivanting by Gondola - introduction

Where to hire a gondola

Cheaper alternatives and Web links

'Gondola Serenade' tours - Gondola rides with music

Traghetti - Inexpensive gondola ferries

Venice transportation and parking - Index of articles

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Hotel Advice:

Location can be important in a car-free city with 400+ bridges, especially when you're walking with luggage. Before you book, see:

Hotel Recomendations by Area
Find hotels that are handy to the airport, railroad station, cruise port, or Piazza San Marco, and in Mestre.

Aerial Venice Hotels
Read our tips on choosing the right sestiere or district. Then view individual hotels and their surroundings in large satellite photos and aerial close-ups.

MSC cruise ship in Venice

Venice for Cruisers:

Venice canal reflections

From our Venice Travel Blog:

A water taxi ride to Venice Airport
A warning about water taxis
Venice Railroad Station: a vaporetto view
Long lines at Venice Airport
Free boat trips to Murano
Need to pee? Prepare to pay
Crime in Venice
The perils of overpacking
Venetian daily life

Maggie in Venice

From Maggie in Venice:

A dog's life in Venice
A Beagle boards a water bus
Maggie in Venice video clips