^ I would recommend this. When I went with a friend in 2010 we skipped the Gondola ride since we knew it was more than we both wanted to pay (we're both very cheap) and we had a phenomial time walking around and getting lost in the city.

From what I have been told you aren't missing much on the Gondola ride. As the clerk at the hotel we we're staying at told us. "The Gondola ride is a way to rip off the tourists."