When you think of Venice, the first thing that comes to mind is, perhaps, the typical image of the gondolier. This icon dominates the place of museums, statues or food that the city also offers to visitors. For Venice, the gondola is as important as the Colosseum for Rome, or the Eiffel Tower for Paris.
The gondola has been one of the main Venetian means of transport for 500 years, and is currently used by tourists who want to see the city from the canals. Additionally, some gondolas are the private property of gondoliers.
Around the year 1500, there were about a thousand Gondolas in use in the city. Today, there are approximately 200 gondolas navigating the canals of Venice, and they look very different when compared to those used in the past. The word “gondola” was mentioned for the first time in an official document dating back to 1904.
According to Venetian law, only native men of Venice can become gondoliers. On the other hand, learning to row the gondolas is not easy, and requires a lot of training.
This oar moves in a specific way known as a forcola, and consists of a complex series of movements that allows gondoliers to steer their boat with precision through the Venetian canals, which are sometimes very narrow.
Rowing is used to move forward, turn, slow down, and go in reverse. The frontal adornment of the gondolas, known as ferro, has other uses besides being a decorative object. The first is to protect the front from accidental damage, and the second is to act as a counterweight to the rear of the boat, which is where the gondolier directs it, preventing the boat from tipping or sinking.
A gondola serenade through the canals of Venice is an undeniably romantic experience. This typical Venetian picture is one of the biggest tourist attractions in the city, and is extremely demanded by visitors, especially those who are there for their honeymoon.
Most Venice tour packages, like many hotel promotions, include a gondola ride, but the serenade is not something that is usually included.
Remember that not all gondoliers are professional singers, and if you want to hear a beautiful song while appreciating the beauty of Venice, you must specify that you want the service.
Fortunately, gondoliers take their jobs very seriously, so it is highly unlikely that you will end up livening up your tour with a poorly intoned or out of tune serenade. A serenaded gondola ride usually lasts about 35 minutes, and costs 40 euros per person.
At the end of the tour, many gondolas will disembark at Maria del Giglio, one of the most famous squares in Venice. Tourists can go from there to other places of interest, such as restaurants, museums, among others.
Certainly, there are few things that beat the experience of riding a gondola through beautiful Venice. In addition, you can relax while listening to a serenade, while admiring the emblematic buildings of the city, until the end of a splendid evening with a traditional Venetian dinner.
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