Gondola rides · GONDOLA RIDES WITH A SERENADE

Gondola Serenades: The 5 Best Rides With a Singer

5 rides  ·  from $56 a seat

A serenade means an accordionist and a tenor riding with the boat, and a surcharge charged on the gondola rather than the head. These 5 are compared on what the music actually is and how long it lasts.

Romantic Venice: 30 Minute Gondola Ride with Serenade - Smaller canals bring the quieter moments
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Romantic Venice: 30 Minute Gondola Ride with Serenade

1.Romantic Venice: 30 Minute Gondola Ride with Serenade

★★★★★★★★★★3.5 · 2,742 reviews · 30 minutes (approx.) · from $66Our pick

Board a shared gondola at Santa Maria del Giglio for a 30-minute ride through Venice’s Grand Canal and smaller canals. You’ll see Palazzo Barberino, the Peggy Guggenheim Collection, Accademia Bridge, and Santa Maria della Salute while a singer performs from one gondola in the flotilla. This is a group experience, not a private serenade.

“It was worth the experience. The organizer, gondola driver, and singer/musician were l on time. We started promptly at the correct time. We went around for 30 minutes, and the musician played songs throughout. The singer sang everyone other song. They sounded wonderful and it was romantic. We were the envy of other gondola rides.”

Check availability →The full write-up

Venice: 30-Minute Gondola Ride on Grand Canal with Serenade - Santa Maria della Salute and the first view of the lagoon
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Venice: 30-Minute Gondola Ride on Grand Canal with Serenade

2.30-Minute Gondola Ride on Grand Canal with Serenade

★★★★★★★★★★3.6 · 337 reviews · from $59

Glide through Venice’s Grand Canal and narrow side canals for 30 minutes while a singer and musician perform from the center of a small gondola flotilla. Choose a shared or private ride, meet near Santa Maria del Giglio, and expect music, palazzos, and a short but memorable look at Venice from the water.

“The serenaded gondola ride was worth every penny and all of the family agreed it made the experience very special. There were only four gondolas in our group so we were able to hear the singing/music very clearly. Big shout out to our gondolier Swann who was lovely!”

Check availability →The full write-up

Venice: Shared Gondola Ride and Serenade - What the 30-minute route actually shows you
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Venice: Shared Gondola Ride and Serenade

3.Shared Gondola Ride and Serenade

★★★★★★★★★★3.7 · 299 reviews · 30 min · from $57

Board at Santa Maria del Giglio for a 30-minute shared gondola ride through San Marco’s inner canals. You’ll pass Santa Maria del Giglio, La Fenice Theatre, and Grand Canal palaces while a singer and musician perform from one gondola in the group. Expect up to six passengers per boat, with the ride returning to its starting point.

“Absolutely fabulous experience, I booked the serenade for my daughters 30th birthday, at first I thought it seemed an expensive luxury and wasn't sure whether it would be worth the expense but my goodness it was worth every single penny. You really have to be there to fully appreciate how fab it really is, not a dry eye on the water, shivers ran down my spine with emotion. Thank you”

Check availability →The full write-up

Venice: Romantic Shared Gondola Serenade on the Grand Canal - Shared gondolas, assigned seats, and the music setup
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Venice: Romantic Shared Gondola Serenade on the Grand Canal

4.Romantic Shared Gondola Serenade on the Grand Canal

★★★★★★★★★★3.8 · 270 reviews · from $55Best value

You’ll spend about 40 minutes near San Marco, including a short introduction, a shared gondola ride through quieter canals and part of the Grand Canal, and live Italian music from a nearby boat. The Gondola Gallery adds a look at boatbuilding tools and a sectioned gondola model. A dinner option is available.

“Absolutely loved my gondola ride The serenade was beautiful and I had such a great time. Great value for money with the aperitif beforehand”

Check availability →The full write-up

Private Tour: Venice Gondola Ride with Serenade - The Grand Canal route and its major sights
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Private Tour: Venice Gondola Ride with Serenade

5.Private Tour: Venice Gondola Ride with Serenade

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 207 reviews · 30 minutes (approx.) · $439 per gondola, seats up to 3

Take a private gondola from central Venice through the Grand Canal and quieter side canals, with a licensed gondolier and live Italian serenade. The ride lasts about 30 minutes and visits views near Peggy Guggenheim, Accademia Bridge, Santa Maria della Salute, and Palazzo Barbarigo. Confirm the meeting point and group price before booking.

“We had some difficulty finding the meeting point and the correct person to talk to. The information provided is not perfectly correct and we did become a little frustrated and anxious that we would miss our timeslot. I do think this could be easily rectified by the provider. However once we had successfully checked in the activity was seamless…. It was everything you would expect it to be, my husband was mildly amused at the cheese factor of it all, but in all honesty all the other gondola’s passengers were taking videos of our’s instead! I think the music makes the ride so much more fun and romantic, both the…”

Check availability →The full write-up

Other canals, other boats

Private Gondola Rides28Shared Gondola Rides9Romantic Gondola Rides9Gondola Rides with a Photoshoot5Sunset and Night Gondola Rides7
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Pick a canal

A shared bench, a boat of your own, or a route past the Bridge of Sighs.

How you ride

Private ChartersShared BenchesRides for TwoWith a SerenadeWith a Photographer

The Venice route

The Grand CanalThe Bridge of SighsSt Mark’s BasilicaThe Doge’s PalaceAfter Dark

Ride plus something

With a Walking TourWith Food and DrinksWith Audio CommentaryWith a GuideMorning Departures

Away from Venice

United StatesPolandCambodiaThailandSouth Africa