Gazing over the waterways of Venice, which teem with boats of all kinds, it is hard to imagine that just 200 years ago, almost 10,000 gondolas plied the canals. Today, only about 400 remain, these used by tourists. But it’s not a bad life for the gondoliers, many of whose families have been in the business for generations. A 40-minute trip runs about $85, then jumps to $106 after 7:30 p.m.
One afternoon, while I looked across the Grand Canal, one gondolier caught my eye for the way he carried himself, firmly standing in the stern of his craft, decked out in a blue-striped shirt with straw hat from which flowed two blue grosgrain ribbons down his back, and a relaxed, confident stroke. He made me realize that over the course of our many visits to Venice, I’d come to take the sight for granted.
Venice’s leading citizens used to move about the city by horse, until that mode of transportation was banned in the 1300s. The canals suggested an attractive alternative, and soon noble folk had their own craft and gondoliers to ferry them about the city. These boats became quite gaudy, as members of the aristocracy vied with each other to see who could appear in the most beautiful gondola of all. An edict in the early 1600s put an end to these rivalries, limiting the color to black “…with a view to avoiding unnecessary expense.”
I find the gondolas of today — even in their basic black — quite elegant. Designed with a flat bottom and no keel or rudder (enabling them to easily traverse shallow waters), a gondola has one key design feature that is not readily apparent: its right side is nine inches wider from the center than the other, which inclines the gondola to yaw to starboard. But with the gondolier standing at the stern and rowing just on that side, the craft follows a straight course.
The gondolas plying the canals today run about 36 feet, all of them painted in seven coats of black paint. Adding to the impression of uniformity, the distinctive metal prow ornament, called the ferro, embodies a design standardized in the 18th century. The top a represents the doge’s cap, under which six prongs on the outer side stand for the six sestieri (districts) of the city. The seventh, facing back into the gondola, represents Giudecca. On the interior, gondoliers exercise their own taste in upholstery.
A new gondola costs from about $30,000 to $50,000 and takes approximately two months to construct, a process that involves 280 different pieces of wood. As the number of craft has declined, so too has the number of shipyards, called squeri, dropped to the point where now just a handful remain. The most active and easily seen, the Squero di San Trovaso in the Accademia neighborhood, occupies the spot where it has thrived since the 17th century. To reach it, proceed along the Rio San Trovaso canal. Across the canal to the right, you will soon see the squero with its many craft awaiting its ministrations, a truly charming sight. Although the squeri are typically not open to individual travelers, Harper subscribers can book special tours through our Travel Office.
Should you be taken with the gondolier’s uniform of blue- or red-striped shirt and straw boater with trailing blue or red ribbons down the back, you will find instant gratification at Emilio Ceccato, which, in affiliation with the Gondolier Association of Venice, has devised an official logo for the group. The association will donate all of its royalties from the sale of officially branded shirts, hats, scarves, jackets, trousers and more to projects and groups that advance the preservation of the gondola and its associated craft shops such the squeri, oar makers and apprentice programs for artisans and aspiring gondoliers. The easy-to-find shop is at the base of the Rialto Bridge, on the north side in San Polo (Orafecio 16, San Polo).
Andrew Harper members have access to full travel-planning services through Andrew Harper Travel.
1 (800) 375-4685
Open M-F 8:30AM-5:30PM CT
