Page 285 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Venice & The Veneto

GE T TING AROUND VENICE AND THE VENE T O  283

Guided Tours
Tours with English-speaking
guides in Venice and the out lying
islands can be booked through
tourist offices and travel agencies
such as Bucintoro Viaggi (see
p281). One popular water tour
takes you down the Grand Canal
in a sleek vaporetto, with running
commentary about the palaces Crossing the Grand Canal by traghetto
en route. Other tours are on foot,
visiting the city’s main posted on the Gondoliers’ Water Taxis
monuments. Costs range from Association website, in the For those with plenty of funds,
€18 to €40 and can be booked booklet Un Ospite di Venezia the fastest means of getting
at the Venetian tourist office (see p271) and at gondola ranks. around Venice is by water taxi.
(see p271). Tours operated by the Official costs are around €80 These sleek motorboats, all
tourist board usually start at the for 30–40 minutes, rising to equipped with a cabin, zip to
main office in Piazza San Marco. €100 from 7pm to 8am, but and from the airport in only
The boat trips begin at various gondoliers are notorious for 30 minutes. There are 16 water-
boarding points, mainly around overcharging. Try bargaining – taxi ranks, including one at the
the San Marco area. during the low season you may Lido and one at Marco Polo
In Verona and Padua, half-day be able to negotiate a fee below Airport. Water-taxi companies
tours are organized by each the official rate and a journey include Consorzio Motoscafi,
town’s tourist office. Boat trips shorter than the minimum Serenissima and Veneziana
along the Brenta Canal between of 30 minutes. Another way Motoscafi. Tariffs are listed in
Venice and Padua (see pp186–7) of cutting costs is to share the booklet Un Ospite di Venezia
are available from March to a gondola – six is the maximum (see p271). There are extra charges
late October. number of passengers. for luggage, waiting, night
Gondoliers all speak a service and for booking a taxi.
smattering of English and have
Gondolas taken basic exams in Venetian
Gondolas are a luxury form of history and art. Do not expect
transport used only by tourists them to burst into “O Sole Mio”,
(apart from Venetians on their however; the most you are
wedding day). There are a likely to hear are low cries
number of gondola ranks of oe (watch out), premi (bear
throughout the city and plenty left) and stai (bear right) – the
of gondoliers in striped shirts warning calls that have been
and beribboned boater hats echoing down the canals of A water taxi
waiting for business on bridges Venice for centuries. If you
and squares. want to go on a serenaded tour, DIRECTORY
Before boarding, check the travel agents regularly organize
official tariffs and agree a price evening flotillas with Gondolas
with the gondolier. Prices are accompanying musicians. Gondola Stands
S. Marco (Molo). Tel 041 520 06 85.
Traghetti Rialto (Riva Carbon).
Tel 041 529 90 28.
Traghetti are gondola ferries
that cross the Grand Canal Railway Station (San Simeone
at eight different points, Piccolo). Tel 041 522 11 51
providing an invaluable service Gondoliers’ Association
for pedestrians. Surprisingly Tel 041 528 50 75.
few tourists make use of this ∑ gondolavenezia.it
constant service, which costs Water Taxis
€2. The points where the
traghetti cross the Grand Canal Consorzio Motoscafi
are marked on the Street Finder Tel 041 522 23 03
maps (see pp288–301). Yellow Open 9am–6pm Mon–Fri,
street signs show the way to 6pm–9am Sat, Sun & public hols.
the traghetti, illustrated with ∑ motoscafivenezia.it
a little gondola symbol. Most Veneziana Motoscafi
Venetians stand for the ride, but Tel 041 71 69 22.
The romance of an early evening you can sit if need be. Note that ∑ venezianamotoscafi.it
gondola ride services can be sporadic.

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