“The Venetian gondola is as free and graceful, in its gliding movement, as a serpent. It is twenty or thirty feet long and is narrow and deep like a canoe; its sharp bow and stern sweep upward from the water like the horns of a crescent…. The bow is ornamented with a battle axe attachment that threatens to cut passing boats in two.” Mark Twain – ‘The Innocents Abroad’
Today we were returning to Venice with the main objective being to take a gondola ride so after breakfast we made our way to the railway station for a second train ride to the city and after arriving there plotted a walking course around the northern loop of the Grand Canal in the general direction of Ponte Di Rialto.
Have Bag, Will Travel 
It’s been about 5 years since we visited Venice. To get my Venice fix, I look for movies shot in Venice. The place is quite unforgettable.
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I couldn’t afford a gondola ride on my budget visit to Venice! We did get the Vaporetto though as the youth hostel was stuck out on an island. Not quite the same.
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I wouldn’t have paid for it by myself. The Vaporetto is also getting more expensive 7 euro for a timed ticket!
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I think the nearest I have been to a gondola was a punt in Knaresborough! It was actually really good.
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Me and the wife paid 80 euro for 20 minutes in April 2011. Shockingly expensive although it’s one of those things you must do when in Venice. If we go again we’ll try the 1 euro standing room only traghetti trips in a public gondola across the grand canal.
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That did look fun so long as you can keep your balance!
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I’ve heard that Venice is a bit smelly..is that so?
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I’ve never come across anything unpleasant myself but it might whiff a bit in high summer.
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We have been to Venice in May. No smell.
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