VENETIAN ADVENTURE

What better way to soak up the Venetian way of life than an exhilarating rowing lesson complete with breaks for wine and tasty cicchetti? A hands-on introduction to navigating the canals, exquisite bites and the local elixir are the prime ingredients of this truly Venetian experience that is sure to be unforgettable. Immerse yourself in the city’s cultural and gastronomic traditions as you learn how to propel your raft and appreciate culinary treats that are peculiar to Venice.

In the afternoon a private water taxi will transport you to the starting point of the rowing lesson in the district of Cannaregio. Here, under the guidance of an expert instructor, you will enjoy a fun voga experience aboard a batellina coda di gambero, a traditional hand-crafted “shrimp-tailed” boat. Extremely rare nowadays – only seven boats of this kind still exist today – these batelline were once a very common means of transport, as attested by their appearance in works by Venetian landscape painters Carpaccio and Canaletto. Stable, spacious and deep, these boats are suitable for participants of all ages and levels of experience, from beginners to voga champions. You will learn the basic strokes for rowing at the prow and at the stern and how to manoeuvre the batellina through Venice’s meandering canals.

As you glide along the waters of the lagoon, stop at two bacari for tastings of cicchetti, accompanied by a glass of wine or sparkling Prosecco as a reward for your efforts. Bacari are cosy taverns where locals come to socialise, relax and indulge in pre-dinner drinks and snacks and probably derive their name from the God of wine, Bacchus. Cicchetti – from the Latin word ciccus, meaning a small quantity – consist of small plates of delicious finger food, prepared with a wide variety of fresh ingredients, and are Venice’s answer to Milan’s aperitivo and Spain’s tapas. Mouth-watering assortments might consist of fried snacks, beans, crostini bread slices with different toppings, cheeses and an array of fish dishes such as anchovies, cuttlefish, octopus, sardines, tuna croquets and the local source of pride, baccalà mantecato – creamed dried cod.

Savour Venetian nibbles aboard your batellina boat and drink in the delights of the lagoon, before rowing back to Cannaregio.