Gondola Serenade

Written by Viator, August 2010

RECOMMENDATION Keywords:
Must-Do Experience, Nature & Wildlife, Tip - Suggested Itineraries, Tip - What to See & Do

Sure it can seem a bit kitsch, but you’re in Venice, the sun is shining or it’s a romantically balmy evening, so what do you do? Take a ride in a gondola! Venice is meant to be viewed from the water, and riding in a beautiful curved wooden gondola is the way to go.

Lie back and relax on velvet cushions while a handsome striped T-shirted gondolier steers you through some of Venice’s most beautiful tucked-away canals. The ringing tones of ‘O Sole Mio’ echo off the centuries-old brick walls of crumbling palazzos as you glide past the churches and apartment buildings, shops and squares of everyday Venice. Venice opens up like a living postcard as you leave the smaller canals to enter the wide Grand Canal, lined with soaring palaces in pastel-hued gelati colors.

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All Gondola Serenade Reviews

Reply by Viator, April 2013
Doing what: Venice Gondola Ride and Serenade

The gondola ride itself was amazing - a true highlight of Venice. And while we thought going into it that iit might be cheesy having a singer and an accordion player along, I must confess that was somewhat magical: those sounds echoing off the narrow, ancient walls as we wended our way through the canals.
We do have one criticism. There was zero personalization for the tour. No one greeted us (they merely took our vouchers). The gondolier didn't introduce himself. We weren't introduced to the two other couples in our boat. We didn't get to meet the musicians (they were in the next boat). We were just ushered into a boat and away we went. So that aspect felt highly impersonal and a real turnoff. Still, the ride and serenade were lovely.

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Reply by Viator, January 2013
Doing what: Venice Gondola Ride and Serenade

This was beautiful. The city, Gondola ride with the serenade and the experience all made this trip the best proposal i could give to my girlfriend. I proposed on the gondola ride and she said yes. she loved every moment of the experience and she couldn't stop crying. Thank you for a wonderful timex

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Reply by Viator, November 2012
Doing what: Venice Gondola Ride and Serenade with Dinner

fantastic night. the singer had a great voice and serenaded us for 40 minutes. the restaraunt was a little difficult to find, but we were made welcome and the food was excellent. the gondola ride could be a little longer, perhaps.

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