Evening Gondola Ride with Serenade

Description

Be sure to read the Special Notes further down this page for important requirements and restriction.

You'll depart your ship via motor launch for a short ride to the city center. Admire the stunning beauty of St. Mark's Basilica and the Doge's Palace as you climb some of Venice's famous bridges and walk to the gondola landing (depending on the gondola landing stage assigned). Once there, you will be divided into groups of four before boarding your sleek black gondola with your gondola-mates and embark for the ultimate Venetian experience - a 30 minute evening cruise along some of the city's inner canals.

For centuries, gondolas, and the traditionally clad gondoliers, have been fixtures cruising the waterways to the city. Until very recently, the role of the gondolier was a guild-trade, passed down from father to son. (Venice got its first guild-approved female gondolier in 2009.)

Several gondolas gather together for brief serenade and then you'll sail under the ancient stone bridges that cross the water while the light dwindles from the sky, lengthening the shadows and enhancing the city's beauty. Cruise past the Renaissance and Baroque building and palaces that line the canal's banks.

Your tour concludes as you return to the landing for your motor launch ride back to your ship. During your short return, you'll savor this event of a lifetime; reliving the memories time and time again.

Special Notes:

This tour is not available to passengers ending their voyage in Venice.

This tour may operate on the evening of embarkation and, therefore, it is recommended that you reserve this tour in advance. Last minute bookings will be accepted on a space available basis.

Depending on the period of year Gondola Serenade departure time may change.

As this excursion involves extensive walking over bridges and uneven surfaces, it is not recommended for guests with walking difficulties. This excursion is not accessible to wheelchairs and not suitable for guests with walking difficulties. Guests must be able to negotiate 5 steps in and out of the Gondola that sits low in the water. Guests are kindly requested to carefully follow the gondolier's instructions when boarding the gondola.

Seats are assigned to Guests by gondolier himself to guarantee gondola balance and safety.

Gondola ride is unguided and without narration.

At the gondola landing stage guests will be divided in groups of four people per gondola. Please note that the gondola ride cannot operate in rainy weather, strong wind or during exceptionally high/low tidal conditions.