Friendly Rentals
  • Barcelona
  • Madrid
  • Seville
  • Valencia
  • General
  • Book your apartment
Friendly Rentals
  • Barcelona
  • Madrid
  • Seville
  • Valencia
  • General
  • Book your apartment
20 April, 2012

Interesting facts about Venetian gondolas

Things you didn’t know about Venice gondolas


As a city, Venice has seen its fair share of scandal. And it wouldn’t be unreasonable to suggest that a large part of it has been observed from the back of the city’s most iconic form of transport: the gondola

As well as being privy to city gossip, over the years the gondola has been witness to various changes. Gondolas in the past weren’t open like they are today: right up until the 20th century, they normally contained a “felze” (a small cabin) on the deck. We can speculate that the felze was perfect for 2 things: sheltering from the rain, and spying on the masked party-goers of the world-famous Venetian Carnavale.

Felzes were fitted with shutters – incidentally, this is where the term “Venetian blind” is derived from – closing them off from prying eyes and making them ideal for illicit goings-on. What better way to declare your undying love or stab your enemy in the back than in the moonlit Venetian backwaters?

In the time of Casanova, gondolas were a handy means of transport rather than a tourist attraction, with a fleet of 8 – 10 thousand in place during the 17th / 18th century. Today, however there are just over 400 hundred in service. The felzes have been removed to allow better views of Venice. In an effort to control the city’s exuberant decadence, the gondolas were painted an austere black, and remain so to this day.

One radical difference is that you may now be towed by a gondoliera instead of a gondolier – just 2 years ago in 2010, Georgia Boscolo become the first female gondolier.

Some things, however, do not change. Work as a gondolier is tightly controlled by stringent (and, we are told, nepotistic) guild membership, with gondoliers often coming from a long line of predecessors – it’s considered bad luck not to follow in the family footsteps.

Gondolas have retained their mysterious, romantic feel, and are still an excellent way to get round the city of canals, while neatly avoiding the chaos of the pavements.

Penelope – Marketing Team

Posted in Tourism in Venice, Venice
Marketing Team
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest

Post navigation

   Apartment of the week in Buenos Aires, the Simone Residence
Amsterdam Central Station   

You may also like

Travelling to Venice and Surroundings

Continue Reading

Typical Dishes in Venice. How Many Do You Know?

Continue Reading

ABOUT US

FRIENDLY RENTALS

Friendly Rentals is a company based in Barcelona that specializes in short and mid-term rental of apartments.

Searchbox

Categories

  • Algarve
    • Events in Algarve
    • Sports in Algarve
    • Things to do in Algarve
    • Tourism in Algarve
    • Where to eat in Algarve
  • Amsterdam
    • Art and Museums in Amsterdam
    • Events in Amsterdam
    • Nightlife in Amsterdam
    • Shopping in Amsterdam
    • Things to do in Amsterdam
    • Tourism in Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
    • Art and Museums in Barcelona
    • Barcelona Bloggers
    • Events in Barcelona
    • FR Barcelona
    • Nightlife in Barcelona
    • Promotions in Barcelona
    • Shopping in Barcelona
    • Sports in Barcelona
    • Things to do in Barcelona
    • Tourism in Barcelona
    • Where to eat in Barcelona
  • Berlin
    • Art and Museums in Berlin
    • Berlin Bloggers
    • Events in Berlin
    • FR Berlin
    • Nightlife in Berlin
    • Shopping in Berlin
    • Things to do in Berlin
    • Tourism in Berlin
    • Where to eat in Berlin
  • Bilbao
    • Art and Museums in Bilbao
    • Events in Bilbao
    • Nightlife in Bilbao
    • Shopping in Bilbao
    • Sports in Bilbao
    • Things to do in Bilbao
    • Tourism in Bilbao
    • Where to eat in Bilbao
  • Buenos Aires
    • Art and museums in Buenos Aires
    • Events in Buenos Aires
    • FR Buenos Aires
    • Nightlife in Buenos Aires
    • Shopping in Buenos Aires
    • Sports in Buenos Aires
    • Things to do in Buenos Aires
    • Tourism in Buenos Aires
    • Where to eat in Buenos Aires
  • Cape Town
    • Events in Cape Town
    • FR Cape Town
    • Shopping in Cape Town
    • Sports in Cape Town
    • Things to do in Cape Town
    • Tourism in Cape Town
    • Where to eat in Cape Town
  • Costa Brava
    • Art and Museums in Costa Brava
    • Events in Costa Brava
    • FR Costa Brava
    • Shopping in Costa Brava
    • Sports in Costa Brava
    • Things to do in Costa Brava
    • Tourism in Costa Brava
    • Where to eat in Costa Brava
  • Florence
    • Art and Museums in Florence
    • Events in Florence
    • FR Florence
    • Nightlife in Florence
    • Shopping in Florence
    • Sports in Florence
    • Things to do in Florence
    • Tourism in Florence
    • Where to eat in Florence
  • General
    • Events
    • Friendly Rentals
    • News
    • Promotions
    • Sports
    • Things to do
  • Granada
    • Art and Museums in Granada
    • Events in Granada
    • FR Granada
    • Nightlife in Granada
    • Promotions in Granada
    • Shopping in Granada
    • Sports in Granada
    • Things to do in Granada
    • Tourism in Granada
    • Where to eat in Granada
  • Istanbul
    • Art and Museums in Istanbul
    • FR Istanbul
    • Nightlife in Istanbul
    • Shopping in Istanbul
    • Things to do in Istanbul
    • Tourism in Istanbul
    • Where to eat in Istanbul
  • Kyoto
    • Things to do in Kyoto
    • Tourism in Kyoto
  • Lisbon
    • Art and Museums in Lisbon
    • Events in Lisbon
    • FR Lisbon
    • Nightlife in Lisbon
    • Shopping in Lisbon
    • Things to do in Lisbon
    • Tourism in Lisbon
    • Where to eat in Lisbon
  • London
    • Art and Museums in London
    • Events in London
    • FR London
    • Nightlife in London
    • Shopping in London
    • Sports in London
    • Things to do in London
    • Tourism in London
    • Where to eat in London
  • Madrid
    • Art and museums in Madrid
    • Events in Madrid
    • FR Madrid
    • Nightlife in Madrid
    • Promotions in Madrid
    • Shopping in Madrid
    • Sports in Madrid
    • Things to do in Madrid
    • Tourism in Madrid
    • Where to eat in Madrid
  • Main
  • Majorca
    • Events in Majorca
    • Nightlife in Majorca
    • Shopping in Majorca
    • Sports in Majorca
    • Things to do in Majorca
    • Tourism in Majorca
  • Malaga
    • Art and museums in Malaga
    • Events in Malaga
    • Nightlife in Malaga
    • Shopping in Malaga
    • Sports in Malaga
    • Things to do in Malaga
    • Tourism in Malaga
    • Where to eat in Malaga
  • Miami
    • Events Miami
    • Shopping in Miami
    • Things to do in Miami
    • Tourism in Miami
    • Where to eat in Miami
  • Milan
    • Art and Museums in Milan
    • Events in Milan
    • Nightlife in Milan
    • Shopping in Milan
    • Things to do in Milan
    • Tourism in Milan
    • Where to eat in Milan
  • New York
    • Art and Museums in New York
    • Events in New York
    • FR New York
    • Nightlife in New York
    • Shopping in New York
    • Things to do in New York
    • Tourism in New York
    • Where to eat in New York
  • Osaka
    • Tourism in Osaka
    • Where to eat in Osaka
  • Paris
    • Art and Museums in Paris
    • Events in Paris
    • FR Paris
    • Nightlife in Paris
    • Shopping in Paris
    • Sports in Paris
    • Things to do in Paris
    • Tourism in Paris
    • Where to eat in Paris
  • Prague
    • Art and Museums in Prague
    • Events in Prague
    • Nightlife in Prague
    • Shopping in Prague
    • Things to do in Prague
    • Tourism in Prague
  • Puerto Vallarta
    • Events in Puerto Vallarta
    • Sports in Puerto Vallarta
    • Things to do in Puerto Vallarta
    • Tourism in Puerto Vallarta
    • Where to eat in Puerto Vallarta
  • Rio de Janeiro
    • Events in Rio de Janeiro
    • Sports in Rio de Janeiro
    • Things to do in Rio de Janeiro
    • Tourism in Rio de Janeiro
  • Rome
    • Art and Museums in Rome
    • Events in Rome
    • Inside FR Rome
    • Nightlife in Rome
    • Shopping in Rome
    • Things to do in Rome
    • Tourism in Rome
    • Where to eat in Rome
  • Salamanca
    • Art and Museums in Salamanca
    • Events in Salamanca
    • Nightlife in Salamanca
    • Things to do in Salamanca
    • Tourism in Salamanca
    • Where to eat in Salamanca
  • San Sebastian
    • Events in San Sebastian
    • FR San Sebastian
    • Nightlife in San Sebastian
    • Shopping in San Sebastian
    • Sports in San Sebastian
    • Things to do in San Sebastian
    • Tourism in San Sebastian
    • Where to eat in San Sebastian
  • Seville
    • Art and Museums in Seville
    • Events in Seville
    • Nightlife in Seville
    • Shopping in Seville
    • Things to do in Seville
    • Tourism in Seville
    • Where to eat in Seville
  • Sitges
    • Art and Museums in Sitges
    • Events in Sitges
    • FR Sitges
    • Nightlife in Sitges
    • Tourism in Sitges
    • Where to eat in Sitges
  • Tarifa
    • Art and Museums in Tarifa
    • Events in Tarifa
    • Nightlife in Tarifa
    • Shopping in Tarifa
    • Sports in Tarifa
    • Things to do in Tarifa
    • Tourism in Tarifa
    • Where to eat in Tarifa
  • Valencia
    • Art and Museums in Valencia
    • Events in Valencia
    • FR Valencia
    • Nightlife in Valencia
    • Shopping in Valencia
    • Sports in Valencia
    • Things to do in Valencia
    • Tourism in Valencia
    • Where to eat in Valencia
  • Venice
    • Events in Venice
    • FR Venice
    • Nightlife in Venice
    • Shopping in Venice
    • Sports in Venice
    • Things to do in Venice
    • Tourism in Venice
    • Where to eat in Venice

Popular

Bonfire Night and London Fireworks 2011

11 October, 2011

Apartments near the cathedral in Seville

1 December, 20114 May, 2018

The best pizzerias in Milan

30 January, 2012
  • English
    • Español (Spanish)
Cargar más...
Síguenos en Instagram

© Copyright Friendlyrentals.com. All Rights Reserved.