Gondola Traghetto di Santa Sofia — Local services in Venice

I have really enjoyed taking a gondola ride from this location but before I write about all the good things about it, I feel that it is important to mention the biggest downside of this attraction: price. Gondola ride from anywhere in the city would cost you 80 euros for a 30 - 35 minute ride until 7 pm and 100 euros between 7pm and 10 pm. I usually don't mind spending that much money for a good restaurant for instance, but I really believe that that is way too much for 30-35 minute ride.

That's said, the ride itself is nice. You have an opportunity to explore the city a little bit from a different perspective and have a sense of what life was like a few hundred years ago. You also feel kind of special because each boat is unique and has its own style or theme.

If you plan to spend 80 euros on it, I recomment spend extra 20 euros and take it after 7 pm, especially during the summer. It is not as hot, and the sun is not as bright so you would definitely get better pictures to...

We had a private gondola. 90 euro for less than 25 minutes. Half of the time in the main canal just idling seemingly waiting for big boats to pass by — basically the gondolier just wanted to kill time. Very unfriendly gondolier. No intro or guide throughout the ride. He is on his headphones for the whole time. I saw other gondoliers introducing the city and significance of bridges/buildings. And I had to ask our gondolier what is special about the passing-by architecture that other gondoliers are introducing about. His answer was, “sir, we are just like drivers, we are not guides”. What an answer! Put this slogan on your sign!

I wonder if we had chose gondola that starts in the small canal, could we just stay in the small water way without coming out to the main canal. Main canal is a waste of time and unpleasantly hot right under the sun. Our gondolier was basically doing nothing and pretended waiting for big...

Strange tourists, traghetto is not gondola for hire - but fixed route fixed hours water shuttle which costs only 2 euro! In that case destination is Rialto Mercato (another side of the channel) and hours are before noon. Yes, in another time you can hire gondola ride there. But. If you didn't do your pre-shopping homework - dont blame the idea of gondola ride. Just hire gondola on another points and think about route in advance, its not good to sail under tourist path (which is between ferrovia station and San Marco, passing near right side of Rialto). Instead think about backyards of Dogi palace to Arsenale, or area between SanMarco and Accademia. But do not cross the tourists pathway, do not eat on that way and do not shop there. Better not even walk there - at least not on weekends during high season!...