What a gondola really costs, which routes are worth it, and how to glide the quiet back canals instead of the crowded Grand Canal.
Explore → Get Early AccessYes it's the cliché, and yes it's worth it once — low on the water in the small back canals, Venice becomes what it actually is: a city built to be seen from a boat. Book the quiet San Polo or Cannaregio routes over the Grand Canal circus.
Gondolas once numbered ten thousand and served as the city's taxis; the 1562 sumptuary law made them all black to end the nobles' decoration arms race. Around 400 licensed gondoliers remain, in a profession that often passes father to son.
Every gondola is asymmetric — the left side is wider so a single-oared boat rows straight — built from about 280 pieces of eight woods. The ferro's six front teeth represent the six sestieri of Venice; Giorgia Boscolo broke the all-male line in 2010.
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Join travelers discovering the floating city's hidden gems. Get our guide to secret canals, authentic bacari, and avoiding crowds.
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