WHEN IN VENICE

Soak up the lagoon on this unforgettable, truly Venetian experience. Young visitors will learn all about Venice’s most iconic means of transport and participate in a voga lesson along the meandering canals of this floating city.

Shaped to glide down narrow canals and under low footbridges, the gondola is inextricably linked to Venice’s unique conformation to such an extent that it has become an internationally recognised symbol of the city itself. The mysterious origins of the gondola are steeped in the mists of time. Some claim gondolas originated in the 7th century although the first documented evidence dates back to 1094. Between the 16th and 18th centuries approximately 8,000 to 10,000 gondolas could be seen floating along Venice’s canals – compared to today’s mere 400 they must have caused some congestion!

Inside one of Venice’s very few surviving squeri – the city’s traditional boat yards and watercraft workshops – children will gain behind-the-scenes insight into the daily activities of today’s boat workers and see where Venice’s authentic, invaluable manufacturing heritage has been carefully safeguarded over the centuries. Gondola artisans will provide an enlightening introduction to an age-old craft, point out the main characteristics of these elegant, asymmetrical, shallow-drafted boats and explain how these vessels are created. Gondolas are mostly hand-crafted using eight different types of wood and proven techniques passed down through generations and are still painted in black, in accordance with 16th century sumptuary laws. Since gondolas were used by noble citizens as a display of social status, in 1562, in order to put an end to the uncontrolled and increasingly extravagant parade of decorations, the city’s officials issued a special law banning all sorts of ostentation and rigorously outlawing any colour except black for gondolas.

After the visit children will dip further into the city’s traditions as they learn how to propel their raft along the waters of the lagoon. 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, families 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 winding waterways. High five to all budding apprentices!