Would you wear white trainers in Summer? Are you afraid to wear white trainers due to the nature of them getting very dirty? Why would you opt for wearing white trainers right now?

I noticed after a day or so that every professional gondolier are wearing white trainers. Nike seems to be the trend. It makes perfect sense as it teams well with the traditional professional gondolier outfit.

Also, you need to be fit and have grip to manoeuver through the canals, trust me it is harder than you think.

There is a traditional style happening here with the striped nautic polo shirt with tight chinos.

The older guys seemed to choose a more traditional stylish white shirt, which I loved.

Straw Hat

Every gondolier wears a straw hat as it gets so hot on the water. I was only sitting in a gondola for 30min which is the standard time and I got so hot. But the overall experience was beautiful.

At the moment due to Covdi 19, the price has dropped by 50% which is now 40euro on average.

You have not experienced Venice if you have not been on a gondola.

Professional Gondolier

Everyone knows that the gondola is Venice’s most typical craft, made from 8 different types of wood, gondolas are constructed in boatyards called squeri by gondola builders since the 11th century.

Every gondola is 11 meters long, 1.40m wide and 0.65 meters high. The oar is made of beech and the forcola, the stylized oarlock, is made of walnut. Eight kinds of different wood are used to build a gondola, oak, elm, lime, larch, fir, cherry, walnut, and mahogany.

The only parts in metal are the ferror in the front and the risso at the back.

They look so cool when coming out of one of the 400 bridges here in Venice.

Gondola Training

It’s not easy to become a professional gondolier. Requirements include attending a special school, passing a public competition set by the Ente Gondola, and being apprenticed to a professional gondolier for 6 to 12 mths.

The final step includes passing a rigorous practical exam.