Many rave about the gondola rides in Venice, but they paled in comparison to another water-based activity from our trip

• When my kids and I went to Venice, we preferred a rowing lesson to a gondola ride.
• The gondola ride was disappointing, but the rowing lesson I booked was exciting and informative.
• Next time I visit Venice, I'd skip the gondola ride altogether.

A gondola ride in Venice is one of the most iconic experiences in Europe. When I recently visited Italy with my children, it was one of the experiences I was most looking forward to sharing with them.

I booked a 30-minute ride for 80 euros, or just under $100.

When I first stepped into the gondola, I was thrilled. However, I quickly realized that my expectations were too high.

Our ride was down Venice's Grand Canal, the most famous one in the city, and I knew that was a mistake almost right away. Pulling away from the dock alongside several other boats reminded me of rush hour.

Things didn't get much better once we were on our way. Our gondola was sandwiched between two other boats, and I was worried about getting bumped the entire time.

Instead of telling us about the buildings we were passing, my gondolier spent most of the ride talking to the gondolier rowing the boat in front of us.

After the 30-minute ride, we were left disappointed and looking for more.

After an underwhelming gondola ride, I didn't want to leave Venice without a better experience on the canals

Although Venice has great gelato and pizza and a stunning cathedral, that's not what makes the city unique. It's one of the few places built entirely along canals, and they're a huge part of life in the city.

I didn't want to leave without getting the fully immersive experience of being rowed through the city — in a way that didn't feel chaotic and rushed.

When I was looking for activities in Venice, I had initially breezed past a rowing lesson with Row Venice, an all-female rowing company.

However, after our disappointing gondola ride, I gave it another look and decided to book a 130-euro lesson.

Luckily, our rowing lesson was way more exciting

After a brief delay due to rain, my kids and I hopped in a boat called a batelina with our rowing instructor. I was initially disappointed that we wouldn't be in a gondola, but batelinas are so similar that I could barely tell the difference.

Our instructor explained that batelinas are more stable — and, therefore, better suited for inexperienced rowers.

Row Venice offers lessons in the Grand Canal, but I chose to have ours in a quieter canal.

Stepping into the batelina, I immediately felt more relaxed. Our instructor was attentive and gave us her full attention — I didn't feel like I was intruding in a private gossip session with the boat next to us.

Within the first couple of minutes of the rowing lesson, I knew it was going to be a lot closer to what I imagined my gondola ride would be like.

All in all, I wish we'd skipped the gondola ride and just done a rowing lesson instead

Our lesson was cut a little short because of the weather, so we didn't get to experience the full 80 minutes in the boat. Still, it was close to an hour, which was a lot better than the 30-minute gondola ride.

During our time in the batelina, my kids and I each spent some time rowing and the rest being rowed by our instructor. We also learned about traditional Venetian rowing techniques, the different types of boats used in the city, and some of the buildings we rowed past.

Even though it was more expensive, the rowing lesson was a much better value

If I ever visit Venice again, I wouldn't hesitate to book another one, but it would be hard to convince us to give a gondola ride another try.

This story was originally published on December 31, 2024, and most recently updated on March 10, 2026.