Gondola - Traghetto Santa Maria del Giglio — Local services in Venice

Disappointing and Disrespectful – Not Recommended!

We were a family of four, excited for a traditional gondola ride in Venice, but the experience at the S. Maria del Giglio, Calle Gritti boarding point was anything but romantic or authentic. The gondolier spent the entire ride talking loudly on his mobile phone about personal matters.

Instead of steering the gondola attentively, sharing something about the city, or simply letting the special atmosphere unfold, his focus was almost entirely on his phone conversation. This felt not only disrespectful towards us as paying guests but also towards the centuries-old tradition of gondola riding.

On top of that, the chosen route was very disappointing – almost entirely through dull side canals with no notable sights or atmosphere. There must be far better and more scenic routes in Venice, especially for the price charged.

A gondola is not just a taxi; it’s a symbol of Venice’s culture and craftsmanship. This kind of behavior is disgraceful and casts a bad light on all gondoliers who take pride in their work.

Considering the high cost of a gondola ride, this poor service felt like a complete rip-off. Someone who shows so little interest in their guests’ experience should not be working under the banner of such a proud tradition.

Bottom line: I strongly advise against taking a ride from this boarding point. For us, it was a major disappointment and something we...

Very bad experice. The view was nice but the driver was rude. I've paid 120 euro, for a 30 minutes ride. At the end of the ride when the Gondola is closed to the pier, we ask if we can slow down and take some pictures, as the sun was setting down and the pier view was amazing, the Gondola driver said no. As the driver rushes the boat to the pier and anchor, the view is not so nice for photography anymore. He then urged us to leave. It was only 25 minutes, and he said he need to finish work. I argued that I paid 120 euro which is big money, and I spent a lot to come to Venice, please let us take some more pictures, and he said we paid for the ride, not for his time to wait. We were the last customer of the day, if he doesn't have time to provide a 30 minute ride as he has promised before we paid, when would he have the time? During the day when there would be so many people waiting? This is just straight out terrible service. I don't think I'll visit Venice again, it feels like the whole city is trying to rip-off tourists while the government doesn't...

Not worth it at all.

Unfortunately, the experience was disappointing from the moment we arrived. The staff, starting with the owner, were quite rude and unwelcoming. No one took the time to explain how the activity would work. Suddenly, a man appeared with zero enthusiasm or friendliness, simply saying it was time to go.

The gondola ride lasted only 20 minutes, even though we paid €149 for what was supposed to be 30 minutes (Get Your Guide). The gondolier seemed to be in a bad mood the entire time, which really affected the atmosphere.

To top it off, when we were getting out of the gondola, another man “assisted” us—barely—and immediately pointed to a box saying, “My tip. You can put my tip there.” It felt awkward and undeserved, given the lack of service.

In summary, the views were beautiful, but the overall experience was far from it. Sadly, not worth the money or the frustration.

Walk around Venice — you’ll find cheerful gondoliers offering rides in various spots, and they seem to be...