Let’s explore the Canals of Venice! My visit to Venice was short and the most memorable just thing was sitting next to the Grand Canal and watching all the life on the water. We were happy to find a spot where we were alone, away from the touristy overcrowded streets. I think, the Canals of Venice is one of the best things to do in Europe and I am very happy that it made it to my blog. This is the guest post by James from Travel Collecting. He will tell you everything you need to know about exploring the canals. From now on, James:

7 Ways To Experience The Canals Of Venice

The moment I took a waterbus from the airport, across the lagoon and pulled up to the island, I fell in love with Venice. It is beautiful – around every corner, there is yet another breathtaking view. The crisscrossing labyrinth of narrow waterways dominates the city and make it truly unique. Here are seven ways to fully enjoy the canals of Venice.

1. Take a gondola

Gondolas are everywhere in Venice. They no longer serve as taxis from Point A to Point B (vaporetti serve that purpose – see below). Instead, they exist for tourists, and generally do a 40-minute circuit around some of the narrow canals, into the Grand Canal and go back to the starting point.

What is a gondola?

A gondola is a flat-bottomed wooden boat with curved ends. Many are ornately decorated and have plush cushions, so they are very comfortable. A gondolier (the ‘driver’) stands at the back and rows with one long paddle.

What can you expect on a gondola ride?

Most gondoliers speak at least a little English and the one we had was very chatty and pleasant. They typically do NOT sing (for that, go to Las Vegas). They do wear black pants, a striped shirt, and have a straw hat (though not all wear the hat). We wanted to only take the narrow canals and not go into the Grand Canal. Our gondolier told us that this required going a different route which would take an hour. I’m not sure if this was true or not, but we were happy to spend an hour cruising around small canals, under bridges, past plazas, and beautiful houses. It is a magical experience. Although evening trips are a little more expensive, there is nothing more romantic than cruising along canals of Venice in a gondola at sunset!

Where can you can take a gondola?

There are several places along the Grand Canal and near St Mark’s Square. Less populated areas away from these main tourist spots (often better if you want to skip the Grand Canal) include the Campo San Barnaba, San Polo and the Jewish Ghetto areas.

How much does a gondola ride cost?

There are fixed prices. 8:00am-7:00pm they cost 80 euros for 40 minutes and 40 euros for each additional 20 minutes. Between 7:00 pm and 8:00 am, they cost 100 euros for 40 minutes and 50 euros for each additional 20 minutes. Obviously, this is not cheap, but there is no place like Venice and no other place you can experience this, so it, in my opinion, totally worth it.

Can I take a cheaper gondola ride?

Yes, there are a couple of ways to do this. If the price is an issue, you can go with a bigger group of people. The price is the same for up to six people, so sharing the cost will bring the per-person price down. It is also possible to take a traghetto across the Grand Canal. At eight spots along the Grand Canal, a simple traghetto gondola is used to ferry passengers back and forth across the canal. The two-minute ride is not nearly as romantic as a regular gondola, but at 2 euros a ride is a way to experience a gondola ride much cheaper. Any street called “Calle del Traghetto” will take you to a crossing.

2. Learn to row a gondola

Being a passenger is one thing, but being a gondolier is another. It is possible to learn how to row a gondola. T  The experience starts at the marina, the boat harbor for small boats. After heading out of the sheltered harbor into the narrow canals, you quickly learn how to row standing up.  It is much harder than it looks! We spent some time rowing in the Cannaregio Sestiere part of Venice, which is away from the main touristy area.  This area is a little shabby around the edges, but this is where Venetians still live and it is nice to see that Venice is not completely just for tourists.  Pass beautiful churches, cruise under bridges and see people shopping at tiny local stores. We then went out into the lagoon, where we were in no danger of banging into anything – or anyone – but it was less sheltered and much choppier. Giving lessons to tourists is helping keep the boating tradition alive, so trying your hand at being a gondolier for a day has many benefits.

3. Stay in a hotel or apartment on a canal

There are many hotels in Venice to choose from and well as AirBnB apartments.  Book a room on the canal side of the hotel or building.  Our room faced directly on to a narrow canal, with an incredible view of the Campo Santi Giovanni e Paolo opposite. Sitting and looking out the window at the water taxis, gondolas, delivery boats, garbage barges, etc. gives you a real sense of the rhythm of Venetian life and how the canals are an intrinsic part of life.

4. Dine beside a canal

There are many piazzas and campos (town squares) in Venice, and several of them are adjacent to a canal. Having a plate of freshly made pasta and a glass of wine for dinner, or a gelato or coffee during the day next to a canal is incredibly romantic – or just a great way to relax and watch the world go by. Admire the water taxi speedboats, share in other tourists’ pleasure as the float by in gondolas and bask in the incredible beauty that is Venice. Two places I love are Osteria da Nico on Campo Santi Giovanni e Paolo and Baci & Pasta on Campo Santa Marina, but there are many more to choose from.

5. Wander the streets beside the canals

Venice is a city to walk in – there are no cars. You will get hopelessly lost, and that is OK. Give up on a set route and aimlessly wander along the canals, crossing small bridges frequently. Around every corner is yet another breathtaking view. You will need an extra-large memory card for your camera in Venice, especially when the sun shines, glistening off the canals. Eventually, you will encounter a heavier stream of tourists going between St Mark’s Square and the Rialto Bridge, or see small signs up high on some buildings giving directions to a major location, or just stop in at a shop or restaurant and ask your way.

6. Cross the bridges that span the canals of Venice

There are more than 400 bridges in Venice. The two most famous are the Bridge of Sighs and the Rialto Bridge. The Bridge of Sighs, a beautiful white limestone enclosed bridge connects the New Prison (Prigioni Nuove) to the Doge’s Palace’s interrogation rooms. The view from the Bridge of Sighs was the last view that prisoners saw before their imprisonment, hence its name. Despite its heavy history, it is incredibly beautiful, and an obligatory photo stop. The Rialto Bridge is one of four that span the Grand Canal. Starting at the north-west end of the Grand Canal and going along, the four bridges crossing the Grand Canal are: a. Ponte della Costituzione (more commonly called Ponte di Calatrava) after the architect who built it. It opened in 2008 and its modern glass construction has received some criticism. It connects Piazzale Roma (the main bus station and parking garages) with the train station. b. Ponte degli Scalzi (‘The Bridge of the Barefoot’), dating from 1934, connects the train station area with the Santa Croce neighborhood. c. Ponte di Rialto. This is the oldest bridge on the Grand Canal. It is about half-way along the canal and is covered, lined with shops and crowded with tourists. The view of the bridge from a vaporetto, taxi or gondola is iconic. d. Ponte dell’Accademia. This wooden bridge is named after the nearby Accademia galleries. It connects the San Marco neighborhood to Dorsoduro. The current version was built in 1985, replacing an identical 1933 bridge, which in turn replaced an 1854 steel bridge. This is my favorite of the four because the views from the bridge down the end of the Grand Canal are breathtaking. Walking across any of the other four hundred bridges is also a wonderful experience. Seeing the boats passing below gives another perspective to the canals.

7. Take a vaporetti or water taxi on the Grand Canal

Venice has a great system of waterbuses called vaporetto (plural: vaporetti). They don’t go into the smaller canals, but there are many routes, including the Grand Canal, and to the outer islands. They are often crowded, but are a cheap way to travel along the entire length of the Grand Canal, which is a must-do experience in Venice.

Tickets for vaporetto

There are several different options. You can buy tickets for each trip on the boat. However, if you are planning to take the boat multiple times, it can be cheaper to buy a tourist travel card (at any vaporetto ticket office or online through Veniezia Unica). One-, two-, three-, and seven-day passes are available. Other options include a three-day youth card (ages 14 to 29); a Venice city pass, which includes free and reduced admissions and transportation; and a beach ticket for a round trip from Venice to Lido. There are many routes between Venice and other islands, including the airport.

Vaporetto Routes along the Grand Canal

Route No. 1: Runs along the Grand Canal in both directions, stopping in each of the six sestiere, or neighborhoods. Highly recommended. Route No. 2: Also runs along the Grand Canal. Connects the Tronchetto with the train station, Piazzale Roma, Lido and Guidecca. Route N: Night bus; follows the No. 2 route but skips the Giardini stop.

Water Taxis

Another option is a water taxi. Cruise around Venice like George and Amal Clooney! http://www.venicewatertaxi.it/en/index.html It has 30 speedboats, each of which can carry up to 10 people and luggage. There are two types of water taxis:

• Standard boats are white fiberglass. They have sofas and mahogany finish.
• Luxury boats have wooden decks and are the classic Venetian taxi. Live your “Dolce Vita” fantasy!

So there you have it! The canals of Venice will keep you entranced for days.

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James from Travel Collecting has spent the past thirty years collecting travel experiences from around the world. He has been to nearly 80 countries and now helps people have awesome travel experiences through his blog. He gives inspiration and practical tips on how to turn that inspiration into reality. FACEBOOK / INSTAGRAM / PINTEREST

Further reading

In this blog post, James mentioned gondola training. I think this would be one on top of my personal list if I go to Venice. I higly recommend checking it on his website (link is in the body of the post). Additionally I would like to provide a gondola training by Reflections Enroute blog. They have a slightly different viewpoint. There is way more things that you can do in Venice, besides the canals. I recommend checking this Venice 2 day itinerary

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