Gondola Ride

There is no more iconic way to see the city of Venice than by riding through the channels on an open gondola! Once the main mode of transport for locals, these days it’s just the tourists navigating the maze of waterways on these curiously shaped boats. Up early to beat the heat and the crowds, we enjoyed the quiet of the city before the water had been churned up by other boats.

Much like the hackney carriage drivers in London, gondoliers in Venice have to pass their own version of The Knowledge in order to master the city of water. As our gondolier cried out ‘òe!’ to passing gondolas, he deftly propelled and steered us through the narrow waterways with a single oar, passionately explaining to us his trade, and the skills and experience required to follow his father and grandfather into the job.

In the two years of living aboard a boat and travelling the Mediterranean, the kids have never asked us to visit anywhere in particular. They are always happy to go with the flow and experience the here and now. But there is one place they have always wanted wanted to go, and specifically one thing they have always wanted to do: a gondola ride in Venice. And how could we not make that dream happen for them?! This is one magical memory that will absolutely last a lifetime.