gondola

Crossing Venice Grand Canal by Gondola by Marco Secchi

Crossing the Venice Grand Canal by Gondola is a very interesting experience. Do not miss it Discover the real Venice with one of our photo walk tour . Video by Simone Padovani

The word "traghetto" means "ferry." In Venice, it describes a large gondola rowed by two oarsmen.

Half a dozen traghetto lines cross the Grand Canal, and most of them have been operated by the same families for generations.

How to ride a traghetto:

As you're walking around Venice, look for yellow or white "Traghetto" signs, or find traghetto routes on your map.

Follow the signs down to the water, where you'll find a wooden boat pier.

Board the traghetto and hand €2,-- to an oarsman. (If you don't have exact change, use a small banknote.)

Find a place to sit. (Venetians traditionally stand during the crossing, but sitting is safer if you aren't used to bobbing boats.)

When the boat arrives on the other side of the Grand Canal, exit promptly.

Two of the most reliable are:

Pescaria (Rialto fish market) - Santa Sofia (near Ca' d'Oro):

San Tomà - Sant'Angelo:

Note: Traghetti operate during daylight hours only, often with a break for lunch. There are no official timetables: The boats travel back and forth almost continuously, taking two or three minutes to cross the Grand Canal.

20 Great Things to do in Venice 1/20 - Gondola by Marco Secchi

So obvious. No trip to Venice would be complete without a punt down one of the city's picturesque canals in a traditional gondola. The Istituzione per la Conservazione della Gondola e Tutela del Gondoliere (Gondola Board; 041 528 5075, www.gondolavenezia.it) website has recommended itineraries. Prices below are for the hire of the gondola, for six passengers or less. You do not need to book a Gondola (in general will be much more expensive!!)

8am-7pm €80 for 30mins; €40 for each additional 15mins. 7pm-8am €100 for 40mins; €50 for each additional 15mins.

Photo By: Marco Secchi

Photo By: Marco Secchi

20 Great Things to do in Venice 11/20 – Buy a Gondola! by Marco Secchi

Ok not a real Gondola but the best thing after that. Alberto Penzo in his wonderful shop  at S Polo 2681 sells amazing Venetians boats reproductions, not the tacky plastic ones you see walking around, we are talking about real gondolas!The Venetian lagoon has a well-established ship-building tradition. Couple that with an intense passion for boat making and you have a stunning collection of gondola model boat kits constantly in production and on sale.

Gilberto Penzo, born in Chioggia in 1954 from a family of craftsmen and shipbuilders, lives in Venice where for many years he has been conducting a vast research, gathering and organizing information about traditional Venetian boats. Explanations and direct examples of the last remaining gondola builders (squerariòi), surveys of ancient templates and patterns, and - in ideal cases - the direct measurement of intact boats, are the sources which allow the author to reconstruct their forms and the construction methods used. These have given rise to a series of books, construction plans, models for museums and private collections, restorations ans reconstructions of boats.With a group of friends who share the same interest, he founded the association Arzanà in 1992 which specializes in the study and conservation of historical Venetian boats.

If you are not coming to Venice soon you can get them here

...on Venetians Gondoliers and why I decided not to work with them..... by Marco Secchi

Gondola rides are a must for every tourist visiting Venice. However, there are two main guidelines that one should keep in mind: if you find it too expensive, don’t go through with it, and if you think the price isn’t too steep, make sure you understood what the gondolier said!Venice has official rates for gondola rides, and the standard cost per boat not per person is €80 for a 40-minute ride. Exceeding that time will merit €40 per 20 minutes. At night, especially after 7pm, prices can reach €100 for 40 minutes. A gondola can carry up to six people.

These are the official prices.....and I am pretty sure there are honest gondoliers...that do apply them. Unfortunately more often then not the average requested price is around €100/120 the time is much short...even just 20/25 minutes. There have been recent cases, where Tourist have been charged €400!!! It is simple a case of reading local and national press...to find out

Why I have decided not to work with them.....

If I board on a Gondola I classify as a Professional Photographer and I or my clients are charged a minimum of €120 to €150 for 30 minutes, this is based on the assumption that this is a Special Service and that I as a photographer will charge my clients much  more simply  due to the fact I am taking pictures on a Gondola!!  This is absolutely bollocks....as a photographer I do not charge my clients based on where they want their picture taken but on my time and number of images... to me it does not make any difference if they choose for they background a wall of bricks....A factory...a bridge or a Gondola!! if you try to explain this to a gondolier (most of them being really rude and arrogant) you will end up being insulted!

As I was saying above ...and I know it is wrong to generalize, most of them are absolutely pure 100% rude.... I had cases of clients insulted or treated in a very arrogant way. They truly believe they rule Venice and nobody is as good as them...despite that most of them make their good money in Venice..pretend they love this city.....but then  live on the mainland!!!

For the above reasons I have decided not to be part of this scam, I do not want to be robbed or my clients be cheated....and rather be working with a nice Sandalo!  I will inform of my decision the President of Associazione Gondolieri and him or any Gondolier is more than welcome to reply and contradict me!

 (Marco Secchi) The above stock image shows the difference between a Sandalo and a Gondola

The Mascareta by Marco Secchi

Images from Venice  - Fotografie di Venezia...***Agreed Fee's Apply To All Image Use***.Marco Secchi /Xianpix.tel +44 (0)207 1939846.tel +39 02 400 47313. e-mail sales@xianpix.com.www.marcosecchi.com (Marco Secchi)The mascareta is a traditional, flat-bottomed Venetian rowing boat, well suited to the conditions of the Venetian Lagoon. For centuries gondolas were the chief means of transportation and most common water craft within Venice. In modern times the iconic boats still have a role in public transport in the city, serving as traghetti (ferries) over the Grand Canal. They are also used in special regattas (rowing races) held amongst gondoliers. It is similar to punting, except it uses an oar to propel it instead of a pole.

 

How does Venice work? by Marco Secchi

Venice, Italy, "stretching across 117 small islands in the marshy Venetian Lagoon along the Adriatic Sea in northeast Italy," may be one of the most amazing places in the world to live. Fans of Donna Leon's fictional detective Guido Brunetti come to know it as a land of good food, water taxis and alleys that dead-end at the water.Having said that Venice is not just a stage set. It is also a city with a resident population, which has productive activities, transportation and services. But how does the “Venice system” work? How do the tides in the lagoon behave? How are the canals formed? And the embankments? What’s under the buildings?

http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=21688538&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=1&color=00ADEF&fullscreen=1&autoplay=0&loop=0

Venice Backstage. How does Venice work? from Insula spa on Vimeo.