1

Being serenaded on a gondola ride is probably every lady's notion of what a romantic time should be like...just be prepared to pay BIG money for this.

2

You know......the water taxi is an inexpensive way to see the whole Grand Canal and some of the other islands. My wife and also found it romantic to just wander the city...you can't get lost! That way you can find your own discoveries. Venice is romantic on it's own without spending a fortune.....expensive but romantic.

3

That's the first time I've ever seen the words "water taxi" and "inexpensive" in the same sentence.

But I agree with the second point.

4

Your right, I meant the water bus is less expensive than a gondola and you can view the city. Nothing in venice is cheap...it is just comparison.

Firefly

5

Thanks everyone for your tips and advice above. These are all good and all accurate (as i was in Venice in July). It's just that I am looking for something to really make her jaw drop that she will never forget for the rest of her life. I'm willing to spend a little bit of money on it or more, but I'm trying to find something special like dinner on a gondola or that sentiment and caliber of romance!!

6

How about you stripping down naked on St Mark's square and doing a cartwheel? I bet that would make her jaw drop...

Some of the most memorable events in life are free- just spending a load of money doesn't make it 'romantic' or 'memorable' per se.

A picnic which some delicious Italian cold cuts and cheeses in a well-chosen spot can be more romantic than a EUR 200 dinner on a gondola, which has 'tourist trap' written all over it...

7

^^ Super LoL

8

Help me out here ladies--or rebut me for that matter--but I tend to think there's a "gender gap" when it comes to the question of what constitutes 'romantic." Guys tend to equate "romantic" with some extravagant gesture--such as the kind you're looking to make. Women...well, I don't know the first thing about what women think is "romantic," except that, by and large, it tends to be very different than what men think it is.

Are you staying in an apartment? If so, consider cooking dinner some night. And doing the dishes afterward.
Massage? How good are you at giving a massage? How quickly could you learn?
DInner on a sailboat? How about renting a small motorboat and picnicking on one of the uninhabited islands in the lagoon? I suppose pick up and return could also be pre-arranged by water taxi.
Write a poem. About how you feel about her and/or how she makes you feel. It will not matter if it is the worst poem ever written, so long as it's sincere--though I'd recommend handwriting it as opposed to word processing.

Arguably less romantic, but a bit more permanent: if she sees a piece of Murano glass or a (shudder) Venetian mask she really likes, get it for her. But now we're back to extravagant gestures and I truly think men tend to over-estimate them on the "romance" scale.

9

I (a woman) had hesitated to join this although I was sorely tempted after reading #1's suggestion of Being serenaded on a gondola ride is probably every lady's notion of what a romantic time should be like.

Right up there with some recent suggestion of "let the ladies go shopping while the men enjoy themselves skiing".

Clementis is right -- what makes "romantic" is the atmosphere and the feeling between the two people. Cooking a meal and doing the dishes is great, as is a picnic in a nice place.

OP -- if you are planning something like this, surely you know the woman well enough to know what she would enjoy?