8am to 7pm €80 for 40 minutes add €40 ea, extra 20 minutes ,

7pm to 8am €100 for 40 minutes add extra €50 ea. extra 20 minutes

This are the set prices for Gondola,s if you have six in your party that will ok. you pay by Gondola not person, you may try to bargain if they are quiet you may be lucky,

Really don't think it matters where you go from they ply for trade around San Marco mostly but you will see them by bridges all over the City, one tip go at high tide otherwise you will have an eye level view of seaweed etc on the foot of buildings,

Prices above are spot on, but as was stated in the off season you may be able to 'negotiate' a small break if they are really quiet. Don't count on it, though. I recommend staying away from the front of St. Mark's Square, as the chop from all the boat traffic makes the gondola experience a lot less pleasant, IMO. In the NW corner of the Square down a small alley is the Bacino Orseolo, which does a very nice route mostly down the smaller canals, emerging on the Grand Canal right by the Rialto Bridge.

Forgot to mention, I hope your gondola ride turns out to be more memorable than a memorial! <g> I personally think it's one of the quintessential Venice experiences.

Perhaps it's not a bad idea at this point to once agian cite the link to the official gondola (and water taxi) fares imposed by the Venice CIty Hall - …venezia.it/english/…home.asp

What the website doesn't say that it may take some energy to talk the gondoliere/cabbie to actually apply those rates.....

Sorry to butt into your threat to ask a ridiculous 'dunce' question but what time of day is high tide usually ? (!) please dont laugh at my question I know it sounds stupid but I will probably pick the wrong time knowing me and be looking at seaweed! Also - saying as the gondolas are more expensive at nighttime does this mean that generally the gondola experience is considered to be more romantic at a night time?

Claudia, no question is stupid -- only some replies are.

Tides do not happen at the same time every day (not just in Venice, this is true worldwide). The Venice CIty Hall has a tide forecast webpage in English you can use - …venezia.it/maree/en_previsione.asp

Is it protocol to tip your gondolier? How much?

Thank You!

Tippuing is not expected in Italy -- particularly, since gondola drivers seldom apply the official rates in a constant endeavor to screw tourists, why give them even more?

Incidentally, gondola official tariffs are now posted at www.gondolavenezia.it/history_tariffe.asp…

Negotiating..my experience.

I didn't set out to negotiate a price for our gondola ride, but when we inquired we were quoted a price and said "ok thank you, we'll come back later". One of the gondoliers heard this and approached us offering a lower price, to which we said "thank you, but we'll come back later". He went down on his price twice trying to convince us to go right then. Even when I said I had no cash on me (which I really didn't) he said he'd stop at an ATM. We got a great price..I just can't remember what it was as it was 3 years ago! Try being willing to "walk away" and you may get lucky too!

Julie

Couldn't agree more ~~ Haggle Haggle!! Just make sure you agree the time length also,otherwise you could end up with a short one.