The Santa Maria del Giglio traghetto is the prettiest of the €2 gondola ferries. Two gondoliers row a plain working gondola across the lower Grand Canal from the Gritti bank in San Marco to Santa Maria della Salute in Dorsoduro, with the dome filling the view ahead and the canal mouth opening to your left. The fare is €2 in cash, the crossing takes two to five minutes, and standing up for it is normal.
It is also the most useful of them, because of where the bridges are not.
What it saves you
There is no bridge across the Grand Canal between the Accademia and the Rialto. To reach the Salute on foot from Santa Maria del Giglio you walk west to the wooden Accademia bridge, cross, then come back east through Dorsoduro past the Peggy Guggenheim collection. Nobody publishes a walking time for that detour, and it varies with the crowds on the bridge, but it is a proper walk in the wrong direction and then back again. The traghetto does the same trip in two to five minutes for €2, and gives you a gondola in the bargain.
Going the other way it is just as handy: you can finish at the Salute, cross, and be on Calle Larga XXII Marzo or at Piazza San Marco in ten minutes.
The landings
- San Marco side: Campiello Traghetto, the small campo just off Campo Santa Maria del Giglio, beside the Gritti Palace and next to the Santa Maria del Giglio vaporetto stop on Line 1. This is also where several booked gondola rides meet, so expect company on the bank.
- Dorsoduro side: the fondamenta beside Santa Maria della Salute, a few steps from the Salute vaporetto stop and the church steps.
Both are steps down to a low pontoon with a traghetto sign. No shelter, no booth, no timetable posted. The Comune’s traghetti page gives each crossing a fare, hours and a telephone number but no address, so there is no official description of where exactly the pontoons sit: look for the sign at the water’s edge.
Fare, hours and closures
Fare: €2 non-residents, €0.70 residents, cash to the gondolier as you board. Coins are appreciated. No cards, no tickets, no pass.
Hours, according to the Comune di Venezia’s traghetti page:
| Santa Maria del Giglio ↔ Salute | |
|---|---|
| Daily | 09:00–18:00 |
| No service | 15 August · 25–26 December · 1 January |
| Early stop at 13:00 | 24 and 31 December |
Beyond those fixed dates, treat the crossing as seasonal. Several traghetti reduce hours in winter, some close for stretches of the low season, and all of them stop in strong wind. Never build an itinerary on one: walk to the landing, and if it is not running, take the Accademia bridge or Line 1 instead.
Etiquette, in five seconds
Step down carefully and take the gondolier’s hand. Pay as you board. Stand with your feet apart facing the far bank, hands free, bag on your shoulder. Sit if you would rather — visitors do, and nobody minds. Do not stand up again mid-crossing, and take your photographs from the bank beforehand.
What it is not
No route, no commentary, no photo stop, no small canals and no evening light. The gondoliers are running a shuttle for people who live here. You get the boat, the water and the view of the Salute, and then you are on the other side.
If you want the version with a route, the gondola stazio at Santa Maria del Giglio is on the same bank, a minute away. It works the quiet rii behind La Fenice and the lower Grand Canal towards the Salute, at the official tariff set by the Comune di Venezia: €90 per gondola for 30 minutes by day, €110 for 35 minutes from 19:00, up to five passengers per boat. That is €18 each with a full boat.
Traghetto or a booked ride?
Online, a private boat starts at about €80 and shared seats from about €36 per person, with a fixed slot and free cancellation up to 24 hours on most listings (prices checked September 2026). The honest split: cross for €2 in the morning to see whether you like being in a gondola, then book the ride for the light.
Same ride, three booking sites
Live prices from our partner feeds. Tap a button to open the listing.
| Platform | Price | Rating | Duration | Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GetYourGuide Venice: Grand Canal Gondola Ride with App Commentary Best price | €37per person | ★ 4.226,138 reviews | 30 min | Book on GetYourGuide |
| Tiqets Venice: Classic Gondola Ride | €39per person | ★ 4.21,398 reviews | 50 min | Book on Tiqets |
| Headout Venice Grand Canal Classic Gondola Ride | €39per person | ★ 4.31,424 reviews | 30 min | Book on Headout |
Verdict
The best-value two euros on the lower Grand Canal, and the only traghetto whose view is worth the fare on its own. Use it as transport — it genuinely shortens the walk to the Salute and the Guggenheim — and enjoy the gondola as a side effect. Our traghetto guide covers every crossing, where to board covers the Giglio gondola stand, and prices sets out what a real ride costs.
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from €36 per person
Book on GetYourGuide -
from €80 per boat
Book on GetYourGuide
Compare private gondola rides from €80 from €80 · ★ 4.3
Frequently asked questions
How much is the Santa Maria del Giglio traghetto?
€2 for non-residents and €0.70 for residents, in cash to the gondolier as you board. No tickets, no card, and a vaporetto pass does not cover it.
What are the Giglio traghetto hours?
According to the Comune di Venezia, 09:00–18:00. There is no service on 15 August, 25–26 December or 1 January, and the boats stop at 13:00 on 24 and 31 December. Winter and bad weather can shorten the day further.
Where does the Giglio traghetto leave from?
From Campiello Traghetto, the small campo off Campo Santa Maria del Giglio by the Gritti Palace, next to the Santa Maria del Giglio vaporetto stop. It lands in Dorsoduro beside Santa Maria della Salute.
How much walking does it save?
The only nearby bridge is the Accademia, so on foot you would walk west to the bridge, cross, and come back east through Dorsoduro — roughly 15–20 minutes. The crossing takes two to five.
Do you stand up on the crossing?
Standing is normal and locals do it for the whole two to five minutes. Visitors are welcome to sit, and should if they are unsteady on their feet or carrying a child.
Is this the same as a gondola ride from the Giglio stand?
No. The gondola stazio at Santa Maria del Giglio sells 30-minute rides at the official tariff of €90 per boat. The traghetto is a €2 ferry across the canal with no route and no commentary.
Is the Giglio crossing running all year?
Not reliably. Several traghetti close seasonally or run reduced hours in winter, and service stops in strong wind. Check on the day and keep the Accademia bridge as your fallback.