sailing yacht a venice

• Yachting World
• Digital Edition

Sailing into Venice: how the city of love won my heart

• August 30, 2023

Phil and Roxy Johnson enjoy a memorable cruise to Venice, exploring the ‘city of love’ by boat

I’ll be the first to admit that I wanted to ‘skip’ Venice. In the myriad of Mediterranean sailing destinations I discussed with my wife and co-captain, Roxy, I thought we shouldn’t take time away from the endlessly beautiful archipelago of Croatia to sail to the northernmost end of the Adriatic to visit Venice. Why would we? Just to end up getting our keel stuck in a Venetian lagoon mudflat, or push through mobs of tourists all trying to snap the same picture of a gondolier under the Rialto bridge? But after searching in vain for a reasonably priced marina near a major international airport so we could leave our boat to attend a summer wedding back in the US, our plans coalesced around sailing to Venice… and I’m so glad it did.

Since late 2018, Roxy and I have been working remotely while living aboard our 47ft monohull yacht, Sonder . She’s taken us from the Caribbean to the USA, across the North Atlantic, and throughout the Mediterranean visiting a succession of once-in-a-lifetime destinations, though possibly none quite as unique as Venice.

Lying at the northern tip of the Adriatic, Venice can be reached via a long daysail from the Istrian coast of Croatia or, as we did, an overnight passage from further south along the Dalmatian coast. As of January, Croatia is now part of the same Schengen EU immigration zone, so departing sailors no longer need to stamp out when sailing to Italy. However, last summer that was not the case, so our passage began with an abnormally lengthy two-hour Croatian exit formality at a concrete quayside in Marina Kremik before motoring out into a becalmed slate-blue Adriatic.

With a somewhat limp mainsail hoisted tight to catch the first hint of wind, we motored north-west to immediately exit Croatian waters (as per the Croatian law in 2022) before adjusting our course northerly towards the vast Venetian Lagoon. It was now past 2100hrs and the daytime humidity had given way to a light evening fog which diffused the lights of hundreds of nearby squid fishing boats. To starboard, the Bora wind-scoured mountains of Croatia’s coastline created a wall of darkness, juxtaposed on the opposite side by the light pollution of the lower lying mainland of Italy.

A gentle evening south-easterly breeze finally set in and, with Roxy on the jib sheet, we unfurled our big 130% genoa, killed the engine, and trimmed our mainsail for a broad reach. Sonder glided along at a quiet, respectable 5 knots. At around 0300, I was on watch as we passed a distant oil drilling platform. Their hulks of machinery and lights looked like a floating city all of its own. My thoughts began to drift towards our destination.

Sonder is a solidly-built 1986 Pedrick Cheoy Lee. Photo: Phil Johnson

Built for mariners

We’d both visited Venice as tourists in the past, and while I remember being impressed by the many historic sites around the city, I don’t recall anything very special about the arrival by train. In fact, if you fly to Venice or come via the causeway by car, bus, or train (as most do) you’re actually entering the city through the back door. Venice was built by merchant mariners as a maritime city to face the sea – everything from the layout of the canal-streets, to the defences and facades of the buildings all orient toward the water. So, as we gradually sailed closer through the dark night, I realised that we’d be entering the city the same way sailors have for over a millennium.

Overnight the south-easterly continued to build until we had a steady 18 knots on our starboard aft-quarter which pushed the shallow green waters of the northern Adriatic into messy piles of wave chop. As dawn began to break, the lagoon’s wooded barrier island of Lido lay ahead, shielding any view of Venice and its lagoon from the sea. Were it not for the red and green channel markers that stand on weathered wooden pylons driven into the muddy bottom, it would be very difficult to actually sight this natural entrance into the lagoon.

Sonder facing the Piazetta San Marco and the Doge’s Palace. Photo: Phil Johnson

To control increasingly severe flooding, Venice has been building a rising storm gate system, aptly named Moses, that effectively closes off all entrances of the lagoon to the Adriatic Sea. Cruising friends of ours told us of arriving on a flood tide only to find the barrier had been raised, shutting the city off from the Mediterranean entirely. They tacked back and forth across the channel – on a lee shore – for hours waiting for the tide to fall before the gate finally was opened. This time, we were lucky to find the gates fully open. After dropping our sails – as sailing through the channel is not permitted – we motored past the concrete gate control tower and into the shelter of the Venice lagoon.

Almost immediately, we felt transported to another world. Dense stands of laurel trees stood dotted with nesting white egrets among ruins of overgrown brick naval fortifications. Grey herons fished among tidal grasses lining the shallow edge of channel banks. The air was thick and heavy with the humidity you’d expect from southern Europe’s largest wetland, and already warming in the dawn light. We rounded a bend in the channel and there, rising out of the milky teal lagoon, its outline fluttering slightly through the heat, was Venice in all its indisputable glory.

At this early hour there were very few other boats out on the water, or the accompanying boat wake which famously erodes the foundations of the city with incessant lapping. The waters of the lagoon were uncharacteristically still and calm, showing off reflections of the impressive Venetian campaniles towering above. With our jaws still on the floor of the cockpit, we missed the turn towards our marina entirely. Instead, we slowly kept motoring Sonder further in, towards the main thoroughfare – the junction at the heart of Venice where the grand canal, San Marco square, and the Doge’s Palace meet. All the while pinching ourselves at the uniquness of the moment: did we really just sail our floating home from America onto the doorstep of one of Europe’s most historic cities?

A life afloat

Visiting cruisers don’t need to stay in a marina when sailing to Venice. There are some shallow water anchorages outside of the main navigation channels, as well as further east in the lagoon near the island of Burano. But considering Sonder ’s draught of over 6ft and the fact we needed to leave her for our flight back to the US, we chose to tie up at the well appointed, and quite reasonably priced Marina Certosa, located on an island by the same name, immediately adjacent to Venice.

Isola Certosa is the site of a former military barracks, now in ruins and returned to wooded forest land, that has been turned into a multi-use space with a marina, restaurant, park, lodging, and art gallery. The marina makes use of the old fortified canals that now house modern finger docks serviced with manicured paths lined with oleander trees. If your vessel is blessed with an air-conditioning unit as Sonder is, then it’s a comfortable and calm escape from the noisy hive of Venice. Walks through the woods surrounding the marina will treat you to the sight of flamingos in the lagoon, and the sounds of millions of summer cicadas.

While we may have air-con, we don’t have a washing machine, so one of our first missions ashore was to find a place to do our laundry. An exciting first day in the romantic city of Venice! The marina’s facilities were still being developed so we set off on the vaporetto (Venice’s canal public transit system). Several stops later we alighted in San Marco square where we spent the next hour threading our way through hordes of tour groups while lugging bags of dirty washing in the hot midday sun. The hilarity of our circumstances was not lost on us!

It’s fun to navigate Venice’s labyrinthine canal system by dinghy. Photo: Phil Johnson

Eventually, we found the small, Venetian-owned ‘lavanderia’ we were searching for in a narrow back alley. On leaving we suddenly noticed how convenient the access to this back alley was – if coming by canal. Baulking at the thought of fighting the crowds again the following day, we cheekily decided then and there that we’d return with our own dinghy to pick up our laundry, via the canal system. How hard could it be?

Knowing the Venetian rules of the ‘road’ is essential for navigating the canals. While Venice has banned recreational boats from the Grand Canal, you can take your dinghy in the smaller canals. A no-wake speed limit of 5km/h is in place for the smaller canals in order to protect the city’s eroding foundations. Many canals are labelled for one-way traffic only (though the gondoliers seem to freely ignore this rule). The fact that many canals can dead end, or empty into the forbidden Grand Canal, makes navigation through Venice a bit complicated and nerve-racking at first. We spent time strategizing our route each time before setting off. Additionally you must take care to pass oncoming boats port-to-port, unless it’s a gondolier, in which case you pass on their starboard oar side – or risk being shouted at.

Sonder motors in to Venice, the St Mark’s Square campanile prominent in the background. Photo: Phil Johnson

So early the following morning, we left Marina Certosa in our Highfield RIB tender, crossing the open lagoon, which was already roiling with speeding water taxis and rumbling vaporettos. We retraced the same route towards San Marco square that we’d taken at dawn in glorious calm conditions with Sonder . This time, however, the water was rough with confused wake sloshing about from the constant water traffic. Roxy was getting soaked on the bow hanging on for dear life while navigating, as I tried to keep control and dodge the vaporettos. Eventually we arrived at our planned entrance into the canal system that would lead us to the lavanderia. We motored forwards, eager to escape the wake, but nervous about what seemed like it should be a forbidden activity… could we really just drive our own dinghy into the Venice canals?

Standing on the marble footbridge overhead were dozens of tourists eagerly taking photos in our general direction. It was hard to tell whether they were capturing the iconic scene of a dozen black, lacquered gondolas or the single out-of-place rubber dinghy entering the labyrinthine inner-city canal system.

Local perspective

After a few grazes against the canal wall, we quickly started to get the hang of it. While I waited canal-side for Roxy to grab our laundry, I talked with a Venetian teenager who brought his barge alongside to deliver baked goods through the back door of an adjacent hotel. This common Venetian barge boat is called a mototopo (literally translates to motorised mouse). With similar proportions to a short English narrowboat, they require skilful helming to get around the right-angled corners of the canals. Throughout Venice, everything in the city gets picked up and delivered by these boats: from garbage to scaffolding to loaves of bread.

Feeling emboldened by the experience, we began using our dinghy for every errand into Venice – memorable grocery runs, visits to a coffee shop, even a nice dinner out. One evening we hopped in the dinghy and zipped all the way to the north end of Venice in the quiet, residential neighbourhood of Cannaregio. There, we tied our dinghy up alongside the stone canal wall where dozens of young Venetians sat perched after spilling out of a small wine bar next door. Soon we had two glasses of Italian white bio-wine and a board of local cichetti (Venetian tapas) as we sat canal-side by our dinghy with the locals. In that moment, we wondered how we could ever experience Venice in any other way again. We soaked it all up, melding into the lively tableau around us while the setting sun cast coral hues off the tiled roofs.

Away from the obligatory tourist sights and photo ops, this city bustles with an authenticity we knew nothing about. It’s a city uniquely shaped by life on and in the water. Once you’ve witnessed Venice as you approach from the Adriatic, puzzled your way out of dead-end canals in your own boat, drunk wine and chatted with the locals at the water’s edge, and drifted among the layered ruins of the world’s most powerful maritime empire, you can never quite see it the same way again. It has become one of the greatest destinations we have ever sailed to.

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Guide to Venice

A haven of sheer seduction

Steeped in opulence and sleek sophistication, Venice is the jewel of Adriatic. Teeming with history, culture and a wealth of captivating sights, this stunning city is as elegant as it is extravagant.

Nestled in the northern corner of the Adriatic Sea, lies the shining city of Venice. This guaranteed highlight is a city brimming with Venetian ports, chic civic buildings and beautiful architecture. Cruise along the picture perfect Grand Canal where tranquil waters are adorned by astounding ivory palaces. Primarily dominated by boats and gondolas, Venice boasts many marinas within the lagoon providing excellent access to the city with the opportunity to anchor close to St Mark’s Square, right in the heart of the city. Meander around some of the most elegant streets in the world where a plethora of boutique shops and captivating historical sights await. Deemed as one of the most romantic cities in the world, Venice is unrivalled in beauty and encompassed by a mirage of striking scenery and astounding landscapes. Admire the abundance of beautiful bridges with more than 400 of them linking the stunning isles of Venice and more than 150 canals to amble along.

Cruise along the gorgeous arced coastline from Venice to Trieste and let the cultural influence and Venetian splendour envelop you. Close to the border with Slovenia, this location boasts an eclectic mix of architecture, scenic views and exquisite cuisine. Venture southwards down the Adriatic Sea before reaching the stunning destination of Ravenna. Steeped in art and culture, Ravenna has become one of the most glamorous cities in the Mediterranean . From Ravenna, meander along to the seaside destination of Rimini. A livelier town in comparison to its artistic neighbour, Rimini radiates exuberance and has long inspired writers and artists with its majestic buildings and enchanting countryside.

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Blog Venice and Veneto Venice boats: Nine ways to ride a boat in Venice

Venice boats: Nine ways to ride a boat in Venice

When planning an Italy itinerary that includes Venice , there are three things I always recommend: spend some time getting good and lost; s ee Venice from above, and s ee Venice from the water.  Since Venice is built on 117 islands – connected by 400 bridges – there are lots of ways to see Venice from the water. Note: swimming is not one of them unless you go to one of the public beaches . Here are some great Venice boats:

The short, inexpensive  Traghetto

Photo by zenm via Flickr, licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0

  Although the word traghetto means ferry everywhere else in Italy, in Venice, it’s a specific type of boat as pictured above that only goes back and forth and back and forth across the Grand Canal at seven designated points (here’s a  map of traghetto crossings ). Since the Grand Canal is not that wide, the ride takes only a few minutes. It’s inexpensive, and if you don’t want to spend the money on a gondola but want get your photo taken on a gondola-like boat, a traghetto is not a bad substitute. Or, if you want to cross the Canal and there isn’t a bridge, take a traghetto .

Public boat or vaporetto

“The Grand Canal at Dusk” by Marco licensed under (CC BY-ND 2.0)

Those big boats in the foreground that look like ferries are vaporetti .  They are Venice’s public transportation: you buy a ticket, you get on, there are different routes, designated stops, and you get off where you need to. Even though it’s touristy, I do recommend taking a boat down (or up) the entire length of the Grand Canal. You can even download a free audio tour . But, the vaporetti are crowded. They are full of people with luggage, confused tourists, excited tourists, and are usually packed to the gills. It’s not a quiet cruise where you can sit and enjoy the sights and listen to your audio tour. Luckily, however, There’s A Boat For That.

The Hop On Hop Off Boat, aka the Vaporetto dell’Arte (UPDATE: This boat, as of 2014, is not currently running. Service may resume but I don’t know when)

This boat is exclusively for tourists, but given that there are more than 60,000 visitors to Venice per day – more than the number of residents – Venice is not a place you need to worry about looking like a tourist. Everyone is a tourist, and for good reason: The city is fantastic and you should feel good about supporting it with your tourist dollars. So get on the tourist boat, relax in comfort, peace and quiet. Put on the headset, pick your language, and enjoy the tour on the Vaporetto Dell’Arte .

A Dinner Cruise

Why not kill three birds with one stone? See the sights of Venice, ride a boat, and eat dinner on the Galleon Dinner Cruise .  It’s a candlelit aristocratic Venetian feast that travels past the famous islands of Burano, Torcello, and Murano in addition to the main islands of Venice.  The only limitation? It’s just on Wednesdays.

Hotel, shmotel: do a boat and breakfast

Stay on the Boat and Breakfast Sarah Sun Island yacht, moored near Piazza San Marco in the heart of Venice. It has air conditioning / heat, includes breakfast, and even though it’s a fancy yacht, it’s in the budget accommodation category – at least for Venice.  Or, stay on a houseboat .

Paddle a Kayak through the canals

Explore the canals of Venice on your own power by paddling with Venice Kayak on a half-day, full day, multi-day, or evening tour. If you’ve been following the news on  the damage cruise ships are doing to Venice , you’ll love this no-motor alternative. And because you’re not on a boat with a motor, you’re not restricted the same way as other boats – in a kayak you can go practically anywhere you want, but not completely on your own: kayak rental comes with a guide.

Get to or from Venice on a historic Burchiello boat, instead of taking the train

Instead of arriving or departing Venice on the train, take a river cruise down the Brenta on a Burchiello . They’ve been modernized since the images above were done, and they’re comfortable boats. Take a full day to get from Venice to the gorgeous and underrated city of Padova , and you’ll learn a lot from the guide about the villas along this historical waterway, even stopping to visit some of the frescoed summer dwellings of Venetian aristocrats from 3 centuries ago.

A historic Topetta 

A topetta is a historic Venetian wooden boat, though these days it usually has a motor attached. It holds up to 6 people and is what the locals use to get around and to transport goods. If you’d like to book a private boat tour in Venice that is longer than a 40 minute gondola ride and more reasonably priced, you should  book a tour through the canals on a topetta .

And finally, the Gondola: some beyond the obvious tips

On my first trip to Venice, as a high school student, I had no money so I didn’t ride a gondola but I really wanted to; I thought it was a romantic must-do. Then later, when I was working in Italy as a tour guide (but still poor) and spent quite a bit of time in Venice, I turned up my nose at this only-for-tourists activity. A few years later, when I was living in Milan and had a decent salary as a corporate expat, I finally rode a gondola. And you know what? I really enjoyed it. Yes, it’s for tourists. But it’s a historical, romantic way to see the canals. It’s not at all beyond the obvious, but if it’s on your bucket list, go ahead and do it. You may have heard that gondola rates are fixed : you can not negotiate the cost, but make sure you get your full 40 minutes and know that the rates buy you the entire boat. It’s worth spending the extra money to go after 7 pm, when the rates go up but the light is nice and the water traffic has died down.

A lot of people don’t realize that gondola routes are not up to the gondolier:  you can decide where you want to go. I recommend having a look at these six great gondola routes . The website is in Italian but the six routes are highlighted on the map when you click the links on the left side of the screen. Decide which one you want to do, and find a gondolier at one end of the route. Tell the gondolier the itinerary you’d like him ( or her ) to follow and if they try to convince you the route needs to end where it begins, insist on your route. Be firm but polite, and if they aren’t flexible, go talk to another gondolier.

  Venice traghetto from foto silenziose ; Vaporetto from Raison Descartier .

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Venice Yacht Charter

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Venice Yacht Charter, Italy

The reputation of Venice as a city of romance and festivities is known worldwide, and you and your group can see its charms for yourself on a Venice luxury yacht charter by sailing yacht or motor yacht in the Mediterranean . Situated in the Adriatic Sea, Venice is optimally located for inclusion into a larger superyacht charter itinerary, such as one including the Amalfi Coast  in western Italy , or Croatian destinations such as Istria and the Dalmatian Coast.

This historic destination has on offer a wealth of shopping opportunities, including the chance to purchase Murano glass in the Murano and Burano Districts from the very workshops where you can witness it being made. The famous carnival masks have their own dedicated shops, of which La Bauta and Atelier Flavia are some of the most well-known and have costumes to rent as well as to buy.

The nightlife is just as intoxicating and hidden down labyrinthine streets and atop the roofs of prestigious hotels there are sensational bars and clubs that will make a night in the city one to remember. Dress to impress for a night at Casino di Venezia, the world's oldest casino, then take the party into the early hours back on board your luxury yacht.

There are plenty of ancient wonders to enchant you and your loved ones: Visit the cathedrals and the monastery on garden-like Torcello, learn about the city's history in the local museums, and then spend a night at the theatre or at a sensational concert.

Venice is simply a charming yacht charter destination. On any Italian or Adriatic Sea excursion, stop in and enjoy the culture, beauty and romance of Venice.

5 quick reasons to visit Venice:

Venice Carnival, Magnificent architecture, Romantic ambiance, Beautiful Murano glass, The world's oldest casino

More about this part of Italy

The Adriatic has beautiful blue waters and a soft sandy beaches hidden down coves and cresting bays that stretch for miles. The snorkelling and Scuba diving opportunities are excellent, with wreck dives from WWII and others dating back hundreds of years. Tunnels, caves and lagoons will provide a challenge for more experienced Scuba divers, while snorkelers and guests using Seabobs will have plenty of locations to take in sea life such as starfish, seahorses and turtles.

Although Venice isn't known for its spectacular beaches, a few hours away there is Istria and the Dalmatian Coast, where the nights come alive with electronic music festivals in summer along the sensational white beaches. Take advantage of your sailing yacht or motor yacht and cruise to a quiet uninhabited island for complete tranquillity surrounded by nature.

Venice Yacht Charter Experiences

Venice is one of the most romantic cities in the world and entrances visitors with its intricate web of canals, charming gondoliers, glorious renaissance architecture and narrow cobbled streets. The waterside city is an essential stop on any Adriatic yacht charter holiday and on you luxury yacht charter be sure to take a cruise down the Grand Canal to marvel at life being played out in front of the colourful centuries-old buildings. From the deck of your charter yacht, you’ll be able to pass by sights such as the Ca'Foscari, Palazzo Grassi, Guggenheim Museum and the Accademia Bridge.

Once you step ashore, meander through the narrow side streets and boutique shops of Piazza San Marco. In the piazza, you’ll find St. Mark’s Basilica, a masterpiece of Venetian-Byzantine architecture. Next to it stands the commanding Clock Tower with its famous Moors, the giant bronze figures who have been striking the hours for over five centuries. Savour a sparkling Italian wine in a lavish sidewalk café, and enjoy as musicians serenade the crowds.

Things to Consider:

Yachting seasons & climate:.

From June until September the temperatures sit between 20°C/73°F and 25°C/77°F, while from November through to February visitors can expect to experience temperatures around 5°C/41°F. Rainfall is steady throughout the year, with the winter months being the driest and June being the wettest.

Clothing to Pack For Your Charter:

Although beachwear is fine for the beach, visitors should dress smart casual for exploring the town and note that some of the more prestigious locations, such as the city casino, have a smart dress code where jeans, tank tops etc. are not permitted. The temperature and winds can fluctuate considerably between day and night, as well as between air conditioned buildings, and a warm layer is recommended to keep off the cold.

With an average of 10 days a month experiencing rainfall, whether it’s a quick drizzle or a prolonged thunderstorm, a compact umbrella and a waterproof layer are recommended so that you do not get caught out while travelling between landmarks.

Main Ports and Marinas:

Venice Port, Venezia Certosa Marina, Marina Santelena

Famous Restaurants & Clubs:

Quadri Restaurant, Il Ridotto Restaurant, Met Restaurant, Oro Restaurant, Bar L’Incontro inside Ca’Sagredo Hotel, Harry's Bar, La Bottega ai Promessi Sposi

A Must See Attraction:

Grand Canal, Basilica di San Marco and Palazzo Ducale, The Murano, Burano and Torcello Districts, Chiesa di Santa Fosca, Museo di Torcello, San Marco 801, La Bauta

Best beaches to visit in your yacht:

Barricata Beach, Spiaggia di Boccasette, Albarella Beach, Chiosco Beach, Lighthouse Beach

Local Yacht Events:

Venice Historical Regatta

Best time to go:

The Carnival of Venice prior to Lent is the city's most well-known event and attracts international visitors, who book up the hotels and swell the numbers visiting the surrounding tourist destinations. However, these concerns are mitigated on a luxury yacht charter as you will have your own transport and accommodation to take with you wherever you go, and during the bustling afternoons instead of queuing you can disappear to a secluded beach along the sparkling Adriatic. Visit from early spring through to the end of summer to ensure that all attractions are open to visitors.

Further Charter Information

Yacht Rentals Available: Go here for the current list of yacht rentals in Venice.

Full Italy Yacht Charter Guide: Go here for the essential Italy yacht charter guide.

Venice Itineraries: Here is a selection of broker itineraries for Venice.

News: Read the latest superyacht news about Venice.

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Venice Is a City Built on Sailing, and This Club Can Show You the Ropes

A group of idealistic young sailors is preserving Venice's bygone maritime traditions, and you can learn to sail alongside them.

JUST TRYING TO find the office of the sailing and rowing club Venice On Board involves taking a deep dive into the maritime past of Italy’s most ravishing city. The club sits in the ancient boatbuilding district of Cannaregio, where the intricate maze of alleys and canals confounds even Google Maps. I discovered this one morning last spring, when I wound my way there from the Piazza San Marco, became lost, and had to retrace my steps several times before finally finding the Rio della Sensa, a dreamily quiet side canal near Venice’s last working shipyard. At 9 a.m., the only person in sight was a bearded young craftsman who was planing the hull of a traditional wooden sailing boat. Behind him, a heavy wooden door guarded by a sleeping brown dog stood open, leading me to deduce, Sherlock Holmes–style, that I had arrived at Venice On Board’s HQ.

The retro nautical ambience became even more potent when I peered inside to find what might have been a backstage prop room for a production of  The Pirates of Penzance . Every inch of the floor was covered with coiled rope, canvas, obscure metal tools, and handmade models of antique Venetian sailing craft. Rows of oars were balanced in the ceiling rafters, and an entire wall was covered by wooden oarlocks called fórcole, which hung in racks like abstract sculptures; their designs have been honed over centuries to allow for a variety of rowing angles.

Camilla Glorioso

I had come here to take crash courses in two related arts: voga alla veneta, or Venetian-style rowing, and vela al terzo, sailing on Venice’s uniquely designed topi, small wooden boats that have been in use since the Middle Ages. Reclining behind a huge desk covered in marine charts was Emiliano Simon, a sun-bronzed, thirtysomething Venetian who was one of the club’s three original founders.

He explained that our morning lesson would focus on rowing, since no sailor in Venice can survive without it. “You need to know how to row in case the wind drops or you are becalmed in the lee of an island. You need to be confident you can get home!”

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A few minutes later, we were climbing onto the yellow-and-red-painted deck of an 18-foot topa. “I will teach you the first lesson to rowing in real Venetian style,” Simon deadpanned after he had dipped his oar and glided us to a gentle halt 100 yards away, below a café. “That is, we have an espresso! It’s very early.”

Sailing and rowing remained key parts of the waterlogged city’s daily life until the 1950s, when motorized boats began to replace them. The old nautical culture has all but vanished since.

WHILE WE CAFFEINATED, Simon explained why he had founded Venice On Board with his friends Nicola Ebner and Damiano Tonolotto in 2014. Although the trio hadn’t been raised in the city’s cultlike gondolier or fishing clans, they shared a passion for the water. They dreamed of restoring Venice’s seafaring heritage, which reached its apogee in the Renaissance, when the opulent Venetian Republic, or La Serenissima (“the most serene”), ruled a maritime empire that sprawled across the eastern Mediterranean.

Sailing and rowing remained key parts of the waterlogged city’s daily life until the 1950s, Simon went on, when motorized boats began to replace them. The old nautical culture has all but vanished since, he lamented: “There used to be more than sixty different styles of traditional rowing and sailing boats in Venice, and now there are fewer than fifteen. Most are just used for competitions these days. But they were once the only method of transportation in the city.” The creation of Venice On Board stemmed from more than simple nostalgia, he added. Motorboats offend many Venetians’ aesthetic sense: they create noise, and they churn up the mud at the bottom of canals, giving them their murky brown color. Rowers and sailors are more in touch with the environment. “It’s a different rhythm of life,” he said. “It’s a much more human pace.”

The club’s primary goal has always been to reteach Venetian residents how to use traditional vessels. But in the past couple of years, Venice On Board has begun passing its skills on to curious visitors. This is a boon for independent travelers like me, providing a singular opportunity to explore the city—particularly the lagoon, the 212-square-mile enclosed bay that surrounds the urban core of Venice.

Separated from the Adriatic by thin barrier islands and spits of land, it’s the largest wetland in the Mediterranean—shallow, marshy, and challenging for outsiders to navigate alone. Of the lagoon’s 62 outer islands, only 14 can be reached by vaporetto, or water bus—and of those, only a few receive regular visitors, such as the beach-lined Lido and Murano, famous for its glassblowing workshops. That leaves dozens of islands that can only be reached by private boat, plus swaths of eerily beautiful coastal marshes fringed by pale purple wisteria and populated by colonies of silver herons and pink flamingos.

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Accompanying me on this adventure was my girlfriend, Anna, who is Venetian and can trace her lineage back to one of the 16th-century doges who ruled the maritime republic and were wont to sail the lagoon in a gilded ceremonial barge. She offered to take me to the hidden bàcari, or bars, which she frequented as a philosophy student. In return, I shouldered the challenge of taking her to locales in her home city that she had never seen.

Many of the side canals have no footpaths and can only be explored by boat, so this was a rare chance to admire rusted gates that hid secret overgrown gardens, exquisite statues of boars’ heads lined up in rows, and ornately carved doorframes with stone steps descending to the water.

My first success was having found the ultimate aquatic base for us, the San Clemente Palace Kempinski Venice, located on a tiny private island in a former monastery with its own fresco-filled 12th-century church. Stepping onto its dreamy dock, only eight minutes by launch from tourist-filled Piazza San Marco, we already felt like we were entering an alternate dimension of calm and peace. The monks had excellent taste in real estate, we noticed. Every corner of the Kempinski’s centuries-old garden offers lavish water views, today enhanced by abstract artworks; within the church, marble cherubs danced above modern blown-glass sculptures by Venetian artist Lino Tagliapietra. And as we sat at an outdoor table to enjoy the sunset with an Aperol Spritz, the only sounds were the lapping of waves and cawing of seabirds. “Which sphere of Heaven is this?” Anna mused, referring to Dante’s Paradiso.

THE NEXT MORNING, while Anna visited the Venice Biennale—the international art fair the city hosts every other year from late spring to November—I sallied forth for my first lesson at Venice On Board. Our espressos happily consumed, Simon explained the art of rowing, which I broke into four movements that I repeated over and again to myself, like dance steps. Standing mid-deck with the oar’s ridged (“diamond”) side upward, I recited: “gira” (rotate the oar backward, “like revving a motorbike”); “spingi” (“dip” the oar); “taglia l’acqua” (“cut” the water with a smooth stroke); and “torna” (rotate the oar back to its original position as it exits the water). Meanwhile, Simon rowed and steered from the stern. (Traditional boats are powered by two or more oarspeople, as were gondolas until the late 19th century, when a new hull design allowed a single gondolier to both power and steer.) “You can get amazing results from a minimum of effort,” Simon said as I went through the four movements. “Remember, Venetians used to do this all day!”

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Resisting the urge to break into a rendition of “O Sole Mio,” I rowed down the Rio della Misericórdia while Simon guided us through a swarm of speeding water taxis and lumbering cargo barges. “It’s not like English rowing, in flat, calm lakes and empty rivers,” he noted. “In Venice you have tight turns and traffic jams.” The leisurely pace makes the activity a social event, I learned. As we passed under a bridge, Simon yelled out: “Nono!” Grandpa! He then paused to chat with his relative, a dapper silver-haired gent, about the menu for Sunday’s family lunch. “I was born and raised in Cannaregio,” Simon said.

But the hubbub subsided as we turned down a narrow side canal. In the silence, I was able to fully get into a rhythm. “It’s very meditative,” Simon said as we glided onward. I learned to yell out an “Oe!” at blind corners to alert other craft of our approach, followed by either premando (on the left, in Venetian dialect) or stagando (on the right). I also learned to look squarely ahead, instead of glancing at my oar as it dipped in and out, to better keep my balance. This allowed me to take in the marvelous architectural details of Venice’s palazzos at water level. Many of the side canals have no footpaths and can only be explored by boat, so this was a rare chance to admire rusted gates that hid secret overgrown gardens, exquisite statues of boars’ heads lined up in rows, and ornately carved doorframes with stone steps descending to the water. “These used to be the main entrances of the palazzos, since aristocrats would arrive by gondola. Now we use the servants’ entrance in the alley. Even Venetian people forget.”

The relaxing old-world ambience suddenly vanished when we entered the Grand Canal, where the water was churning like a washing machine from all the motorboats. At one point, an ambulance vessel roared past, its siren blazing, sending enormous waves crashing over our bow and threatening to toss me over the side. “You are getting the full Venetian water experience today,” Simon said with a laugh.

“Congratulations!” he roared as we made it through the obstacle course. “You’ve crossed the Grand Canal for the first time!” It would be the first of many such journeys, he predicted.

FOR THE NEXT TWO DAYS, I practiced my Italian nautical phrases with Anna in our island monastery and tracked down such evocative sites as Arzanà, a private collection of maritime artifacts housed in a boatyard that operated from the Renaissance until 1920. It was crammed like an attic with wonderful memorabilia, including a rare gondoletta, or little gondola, made for two passengers.

By now, I was hooked on the water and itching to try my hand at sailing. Anna was keen to join me, and offered to translate the arcane nautical terms in Venetian dialect, which is almost as different to the official Italian I’d studied in college as French is to Spanish.

This time, the instructor would be another of the club’s founders, Nicola Ebner—a statuesque character who had worked as a glassblower on Murano before giving up his day job for life under sail. When we arrived at 9 a.m., Ebner was already loading up the topa with a mast and canvas. Our destination would be the abandoned island of Sant’Andrea, he declared, which was crowned by a ruined 16th-century military fortress and could only be visited by private boat.

The relaxing old-world ambience suddenly vanished when we entered the Grand Canal, where the water was churning like a washing machine from all the motorboats. At one point, an ambulance vessel roared past, its siren blazing, sending enormous waves crashing over our bow and threatening to toss me over the side.

We started rowing through the Cannaregio canals. Near the home of the 16th-century painter Tintoretto, we passed one of Ebner’s friends working on a broken outboard motor. “If you go rowing, the engine never breaks!” Ebner said, laughing, when the man yelled out for advice on how to fix it. (Ebner slowed down to explain that the problem was a blocked tube, which could be cleaned with wire.)

Pausing in the last canal, Ebner showed me how to transform the topa from a rowboat to a full-fledged vela al terzo sailing vessel, erecting the wooden mast, fitting ropes, and raising the sail, or terzo, a unique design with four uneven sides that can catch every breath of wind. The craftsmanship was superb: the handmade pieces fit together perfectly, like in a model aircraft kit. And then the canvas filled, the mast gave a creak, and we were gliding into the open waters of the lagoon.

It was an exhilarating moment. After the labyrinth of urban waterways, the sky of the lagoon seemed as vast as Texas. Luxuriating in space and sunshine, Anna sang an old Venetian folk song between two courting lovers: “Marieta, jump in the gondola. I’ll take you to the Lido!” says the young man, to which the object of his affections teasingly replies, “I don’t trust you! You are too much of a scoundrel.”

Ebner quickly taught us the basics of how to angle the canvas and rudder to regulate speed and direction. Unlike on modern yachts, he explained, tightening the sail brought the prow into the wind, while letting it out brought the wind behind and increased our velocity. He directed me to hold the tiller and sailing rope in the same hand, adjusting both to ease us across the mirror-flat, silver-blue waters. “Look, we are going beyond the briccole,” Ebner noted with satisfaction as we sailed past the wooden poles lashed together that mark the “lanes” dredged for motorized boats.

About 90 percent of the lagoon is less than six feet deep—some parts are barely two feet—which is why Venetian sailboats were designed with flat-bottomed hulls and removable rudders, so they could range freely. But sailing vela al terzo is also possible in the wild waves of the Adriatic and beyond, Ebner explained; in fact, the founders sail a topo (a larger version of a topa) to Croatia every summer, a weeklong journey where they all sleep on deck.

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As we relaxed into the trip, enveloped in silence, Anna helped me hone my vocabulary—learning about la popa, the stern, and la prua, the prow, and sailing sottovento (below the wind) versus sopravento (above it). She recalled an old Venetian expression used by her mother: “Sottovento via!”—loosely, “get under the wind and go,” moving quietly so nobody notices.

An hour later, we approached our goal, Sant’Andrea. There were no docks or even ladders, so we tied up beneath a stone balustrade and scrambled up to dry land. The fortress has been disused for a century and the island is now as wild as a national park. It felt haunted: Ebner led us along an overgrown path bristling with thorny bushes, under crumbling arches and up a worn stone stairwell, an ascent without guardrails that was not for the vertiginous. We finally clambered onto a bastion that once gave the republic’s cannons a commanding range over the lagoon’s entrance. Carved into the wall was the Lion of Saint Mark, the symbol of Venice. Today, I had to admit, the bastion would be a marvelous spot for a bar.

As we skimmed across the waves of the lagoon in the warm spring sunshine, it was impossible not to dream.

Ebner’s face darkened. As it happens, the future of the island is under debate, and Venetian residents worry that access will soon be limited. Earlier, we had passed an island that was sold to a private owner and today operates as an exclusive yachting club. “We Venetians all used to go there as teenagers for picnics and parties,” he lamented. “It is still supposed to be open to the public, but the reality is that if you land there, they will chase you away and threaten to call the police.” Locals hope that Sant’Andrea will escape that fate and instead be turned into a park that all can enjoy, “with a bar here, sure, but a bar everyone can visit!” Ebner sighed: “I’m not optimistic.”

This melancholy note was forgotten the moment we were back under sail, once again becoming part of Venice’s colorful nautical society. Within minutes of casting off, an elderly character in hunter’s camouflage pulled alongside us in a motorized dinghy filled with fishing rods. “How much did that sail cost you?” he yelled out. When Ebner told him, the man revealed himself to be Giovanni Naccari, one of only two traditional sailmakers still working in Venice. Our sail had been made by his competitor, but Naccari took the news with good cheer. “It’s still a good-looking sail!” After complaining about his luck with the morning’s fishing (“It’s lunchtime but I didn’t catch a thing. In fact, I almost got a ticket from the water police for fishing in the wrong place!”), Naccari then declared that he wanted to sell Ebner a traditional boat that he no longer used. The pair exchanged numbers, and then Naccari sped off.

“This could be good news,” Ebner said. “It’s a good price.”

The meeting inspired him to muse about Venice’s future. “This city could be the world leader in environmental sustainability,” he enthused. “We could all just go around Venice by oar, two or three people in a traditional rowboat. It can be faster than a vaporetto, without creating pollution of any kind!” It’s a wildly utopian vision—a bit like the idea of closing Manhattan off to all but bicycle traffic—but as we skimmed across the waves of the lagoon in the warm spring sunshine, it was impossible not to dream.

The Floating City

Where to stay.

San Clemente Palace Kempinski Venice: There’s no better way to experience the scale of the lagoon than with a stay at this luxe 196-room-and-suite resort on a private island. Guests can transfer to the Piazza San Marco via a fiveminute boat ride.

Arzanà: A private museum of boats and memorabilia related to Venice’s nautical history. By appointment only

Venice On Board : Individual lessons in Venetian style rowing and private and group classes in sailing vela al terzo are held throughout the year through this association dedicated to keeping the city’s maritime traditions alive.

A version of this story first appeared in the February 2023 issue of  Travel + Leisure  under the headline "A Sailing Song. "

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Sailing Experience with Sailing Classics and Classic Boats Venice

Have you ever dreamed of  sailing in Venice ? Have you ever dreamed of  sailing in Venice  aboard a beautiful sailing yacht? Well, now you can with our friends from Sailing Classics.  Classic Boats Venice has partnered up with Sailing Classics to give customers the ultimate  sailing experience in Venice.  The team at Sailing Classics have created a plan that will excite any tourist visiting Venice.

Take a look below at their plan and contact the team at Classic Boats Venice to make your Venice boating experience come true!

Sailing-Classics Mediterranean Sea

Lagoon cruises in Venice.

…with your ‘own yacht’ through the Guidecca Canal directly in front of St. Mark’s Square, the Doge’s Palace and the Bridge of Sighs – a sight that hardly anyone can get enough of…

Venice and especially the lagoon of Venice are worth a visit at any time of the year. Especially in winter and spring, the low, often somewhat diffuse light – with fog in the morning – often creates special moods. And if it is clear later in the day, the snow-covered Alps are visible on the northern horizon…

With the KAIRÓS we will  offer 3 or 4 night trips from 18 February to 20 March 2020. Starting point is the Marina Isola della Certosa,  a small island opposite the Arsenale (with vaporetto station from the airport and to Venice).

The KAIRÓS is more than a heated hotel ship.  Whenever the weather permits, we plan two trips per trip, each lasting approximately 6 hours, through the very big and beautiful lagoon.  In the evening we always return to Certosa.  (Only when the weather is good can sails be set outside the lagoon.)

The southern lagoon to Chioggia

This tour takes us past St. Mark’s Square through the Giudecca Canal to Mestre and then through the southern lagoon with the special fishing hut from Valle Zappa via the island of Santa Maria del Mare and Pellestrina to Chioggia. Observe birds, fishermen’s huts and mussel banks and take a look at the gardens of the islanders, Italian life at close range. For lunch we stop at a typical restaurant in Chiogga or Pellestrina. In the evening a hot/cold snack is served aboard KAIRÓS.

The northern lagoon with Torcello and Burano

This tour leads into the northern lagoon to Torcello and Burano – away from the hustle and bustle. On Torcello you can enjoy the panoramic view from the Campanile of the church Santa Maria Assunta and the following meal in a local restaurant. In the evening a hot/cold snack on the KAIRÓS.

Discover Venice for yourself

At least on one day there is time for a visit to Venice itself, so that you can explore the Serenissima on your own (day pass Vaporetto included). In the evening (4-night-trips) or at noon (3-night-trips) of this day we have prepared something very special for you: A meal in the Piano nobile, the good room in a private gothic palace directly at the Canal Grande. During the 3-night-trips the trip ends after lunch here (afterwards return journey or individual extension), during the 4-night-trips we return after dinner to the KAIRÓS in Certosa.

Both tours from € 850,00 p.p. (incl. overnight stays on board, breakfast and one main meal each – lunch or dinner – on board or ashore). KAIRÓS cabins are heated. We recommend warm clothing for the lagoon tours. The shorter tours are perfect as a trial cruise and with a few days in a hotel on land.

For those who want to stay a little longer on the KAIRÓS and sail more, there are 7 nights cruises from mid-March to mid-April from Venice to the northern Adriatic. They also start at the Isola della Certosa, it goes through the Guidecca canal past the Piazza San Marco via Mestre and the southern lagoon to the middle lagoon exit. After a longer sailing distance, the picturesque Piran (Slovenia) and the former Imperial and Royal port of Trieste follow. Passing the castle Miramare of Archduke Maximilian we sail (in calm weather) via Grado and along the Lido back to Venice.

Explore the most beautiful lagoon of Venice its hidden spots and secret beauties with classical handcrafted boats!

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Venice Boat Tour with Grand Canal & Tower Climb

• Escape the crowds on dry land and visit the top sights in Venice from the water, with a special stop at one of the city’s least-visited islands. Here, you'll have the opportunity to climb the bell tower for panoramic views.
• Your luxury Venice boat tour will cruise the Grand Canal, passing the most important palaces, buildings, and bridges of the city, as well as the smaller back canals where you'll catch glimpses of everyday life.
• This is our most intimate Venice tour, with only nine people per boat. You’ll find it easy to hear your guide while they tell you the fascinating stories behind the sights as you pass them from the water.

Preview the experience

Tour description, explore venice in comfort from the water on a luxurious boat tour..

One of Venice’s best traditions is boating down the Grand Canal. The city's main waterway serves as a passage for ambulances, cargo vessels and gondolas, while its shores are lined with the most beautiful palaces and bridges. You'll see them all and soak up the atmosphere of the Grand Canal on our luxury Venice boat tour. As you pass each one, your guide will tell you the stories and anecdotes that make them so incredible, from the Ca' d’Oro and Ca' Pesaro palaces to the Rialto Bridge, Rialto Fish Market, and the Accademia Gallery.

From the water, you’ll see the Doge’s Palace, St. Mark's Basilica, and other beautiful palaces like never before. But you'll also explore the prettiest inner canals—Venice’s "backstreets"—to get a sense of how Venetians really live.

Admire the best view in Venice from the bell tower of San Giorgio Maggiore.

As your Venice boat tour draws to a close, you’ll have seen the most famous sights of Venice from the water. Your off-the-beaten-path experience wraps up with something quite special. Few visitors take the time to visit the island of San Giorgio Maggiore. That’s their loss and you’re about to find out why.

We’ll stop just across the water from St. Mark’s Square. Ever seen a postcard of the Doge’s Palace and Venice from across the water? This is where that iconic shot was taken! Your guide will lead you inside the stunning basilica for a tour of its art and architecture, then you’ll have the option to climb the bell tower (admission is included in the price of your tour and there is an elevator). We strongly advise that you do!

Stepping outside, you’ll be hit full force by a sweeping panoramic view over all of Venice. Trace the route of the Grand Canal, admire the dome of St. Mark’s Basilica and marvel at this incredible—and incredibly unique—corner of Italy. With your guide on hand to point out what’s what, you’ll get to grips with the city beneath your feet.

Small groups, a luxury boat, and an expert guide offer a truly VIP experience.

It’s the little details that really make this Venice boat tour. While riding a gondola is a fantastic experience, the Grand Canal is too busy and its current too strong to make any real progress. Instead, on this tour you'll cruise the canals in a luxury speedboat. You'll have the option to either sit inside and listen to your guide’s commentary, or stand outside snapping the best photos. With audio headsets for every guest, you won’t have a problem hearing your guide no matter where you choose to ride. What's more, with small groups of only nine people or less—the smallest of our Venice experiences—it'll be easy to interact with your guide and ask them all the questions you can think of.

Our Venice boat tour takes you away from the crowds to experience the best that the city has to offer, from the famous Rialto Bridge to the secret spots Venetians show to visiting friends. And with a local on hand to tell you the stories woven into the fabric of the Floating City, your experience will be as authentic as they come. You’ll return to dry land relaxed, refreshed and with tons of new knowledge and appreciation for this fascinating island city.

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Verified guest reviews, oct 29, 2023.

Disappointed that the Tower was closed (no fault of Walks) but our tour guide was outstanding - great positive, infectious personality with a tremendous amount of information. Small group (6) was also a huge plus compared to other tours.

Oct 20, 2023

Despite the weather and acqu’alta which prevented us from doing some parts of the tour, we had a fabulous time. Daria our guide was wonderful, so knowledgeable and clearly a local who loves her city, one of the best tour guides we have ever had. I was with my 87-year old, not very mobile, mother and Adriano the pilot was amazing with her, helping her into and off the boat. If you don’t have much time and really want to see the main sites of the city I highly recommend this tour.

Oct 06, 2023

All four of us agreed this was the highlight of our time in Venice! Thanks Barbara

Oct 02, 2023

Great way to see the most of the city all at once and learn the history with some great views.

This was the highlight of our time in Venice, we only had two days in the city before getting on a cruise. Venice was meant to be seen / navigated by boat and we loved every minute of this tour. We saw so many things we would have never seen if we were walking on foot. A very memorable experience and our juice, Jennifer was very knowledgeable and was a wonderful ambassador for the city of Venice. Don’t think about it any more, book this experience now!!

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Similar tours, premium lagoon excursion: murano glass making, burano & wine tasting, tastes & traditions of venice: food tour with rialto market visit, welcome to venice: walking tour, st mark's basilica & gondola ride.

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Yacht Charter Venice and the Italian Adriatic

Along the Adriatic Sea lies stunning towns, cities, and harbors to visit during a yacht rental to Venice and the Italian Adriatic. No better place exists to enjoy a luxury yacht charter than in a city on the water that offers ageless beauty and exquisite architecture.

Romance ensues as you cruise the canals of the historic city of Venice. Here, you will find cobblestone streets, gondolas, and boats — no roads for cars. The perfect place to get lost while wandering the canals, stopping at various cafes and window-shopping local boutiques.

Piazza St. Marco is home to the ever-incredible St. Mark’s Basilica, the ever-opulent Doge’s Palace, and St. Mark’s Campanile, which is worth the climb for the stunning city views. Here, you will also find some of Italy’s most famous designers, such as Versace, Gucci, Fendi, and more, lining Calle Larga XXII Marzo.

After an afternoon of shopping, stop in Harry’s bar, the birthplace of the Bellini and Beef Carpaccio, for a true taste of The Floating City. Seafood is a staple in Venetian cuisine. Enjoy a meal at Osteria Boccadoro or one of the city’s oldest trattorias, Antiche Carampane, to get your traditional fare.

If you want to cruise down Venice’s legendary Grand Canal and experience a yacht rental in Venice and Eastern Italy, contact Northrop & Johnson. As a leading yacht charter brokerage, we have access to every luxury crewed yacht for charter in the Adriatic, including the world’s finest superyachts and mega yachts by acclaimed European shipyards. Contact our team today or browse our luxury yachts for charter.

Get in touch with a yacht broker in Venice

Northrop & Johnson is a leading international yacht brokerage with access to the best and most luxurious yachts for charter, including in East Italy. With offices in the heart of Monaco, just moments away from Port Hercule, our yacht charter brokers boast unparalleled Venice and Adriatic expertise and market intelligence. We take pride in listening to our client’s needs and crafting exceptional charter itineraries in and around Balearics. Rent a superyacht on the less crowded Italian Coast and enjoy the ultimate vacation on the water. Contact our yacht brokers in Monaco today if you want to charter a luxury yacht. We will be thrilled to assist you on your yachting journey.

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Charter Highlights Venice & The Italian Adriatic

• Take a romantic gondola tour along the meandering Floating City canals
• Marvel over the Gothic architecture adorning Doge's palace
• Spend an afternoon shopping on Calle Larga XXII Marzo
• Walk in the Guggenheim Museum, filled with acclaimed 20th-century European and American art, and the Palazzo Grassi, known for its superb contemporary art exhibitions
• Indulge in a Bellini in the world-famous Harry's Bar
• Visit the Cathedral of San Ciriaco in Ancona
• Sail in some of the best gulf in Italy, admiring stunning views
• Discover San Marco, one of the most famous hotspots in The Floating City

Best Yachts for Charter in Venice & The Italian Adriatic

Motor yachts for charter in venice & the italian adriatic, sailing yachts for charter in venice & the italian adriatic, yacht charter venice and adriatic guide: faqs, where in the mediterranean is venice & the eastern italy coast located.

Venice and the Italian East Coast are located in the northern part of the Mediterranean Sea. Specifically, The Floating City is situated in northeastern Italy, and the Adriatic Coast extends along the eastern side of the Italian Peninsula, facing the Adriatic Sea. Situated within the Venetian Lagoon near the northern Adriatic Sea, this amazing city is renowned for its unique setting on a group of 118 islands separated by canals and linked by bridges.

Why charter a yacht in Venice and the Italian Adriatic?

Chartering a yacht in Venice and the Adriatic off Italy’s eastern coast offers a one-of-a-kind experience, combining the historic charm of The Floating City with the scenic beauty of the Adriatic coastline. Explore iconic cities, secluded isles, and cultural sites with the flexibility of a personalized itinerary. Enjoy gourmet dining onboard, water activities in clear Adriatic waters, and the exclusivity and privacy of a luxury yacht. Witness romantic sunsets, escape to lesser-known destinations, and embrace this region’s unique blend of history, culture, and natural beauty, making it a captivating choice for a memorable and tailored yachting experience.

What to do on a luxury yacht rental in Venice and the Italian Adriatic coast

The charter team at Northrop & Johnson will plan and customize your itinerary and activities based on your preferences to create a perfect blend of indulgence and discovery. Some highlights include:

• Explore Venice: Take a gondola ride through the iconic canals of The Floating City, visit St. Mark’s Basilica, and wander through the charming streets of the historic city. This city is a treasure trove of art, culture, and history.
• Island Hopping: Visit the nearby islands, such as Murano, known for its glassmaking, and Burano, famous for its colorful houses and lace. Enjoy the unique atmosphere and local crafts on each island.
• Adriatic Coastal Towns: Explore charming coastal towns along the Italian East coast, such as Trieste, Ravenna, and Cesenatico. Discover historical sites and museums, and feast on delightful local cuisine at local eateries and acclaimed restaurants.
• Water Activities: Make the most of your yacht’s many water toys on the Adriatic’s azure blue waters, including jet skis, inflatables, snorkeling and diving equipment, Seabobs, and foils.
• Wine Tasting: Explore the rich wine culture of the East Italy. Visit local vineyards and wineries, or have a selection of regional wines curated for a private tasting on your yacht.
• Cultural Excursions: Take cultural excursions to historical sites, museums, and art galleries along the shoreline. Cities like Trieste and Ravenna have a wealth of cultural attractions to explore.
• Sunset Cruises: Enjoy unforgettable sunsets over the Adriatic Sea. Many luxury yachts offer spacious decks and lounging areas, creating the perfect setting for a romantic sunset cruise.
• Relaxation and Spa: Unwind with spa treatments and relaxation sessions onboard your luxury yacht or at acclaimed spas ashore.

What's better, a motor or sailing yacht charter in Venice and the Italian Adriatic Coast

Motor yachts offer speed and stability, ideal for those who prioritize comfort, convenience, and a faster pace of travel. Sailing yachts provide a unique, eco-friendly, and serene sailing experience, appealing to those who appreciate the traditional charm, a quieter ambiance, and a more hands-on approach.

Are Venice and the Italian Adriatic yacht charters good for families?

A Venice and the Italian Adriatic yacht charter is an excellent choice for families, offering a unique and memorable vacation experience. The east coast, including The Floating City, offers diverse destinations with rich history, culture, and natural beauty. Families can explore historic cities, charming coastal towns, and idyllic isles, creating a well-rounded itinerary. The waters are generally calm, providing a comfortable and family-friendly sailing experience. This makes it suitable for families with children who may not be accustomed to rough seas. The Adriatic shoreline is dotted with picturesque islands, and a charter yacht allows families to explore multiple destinations without needing constant packing and unpacking.

When is the best time of year for yacht charters in Venice and the Adriatic, and what weather can I expect?

• Summer (June to August): This is the peak season, offering warm and sunny weather, ideal for swimming, water sports, and exploring coastal towns. However, it is also the busiest season, so popular destinations may be crowded. Daytime temperatures range from 25°C to 30°C (77°F to 86°F) or higher, and humidity levels may rise.
• Spring (March to May) and Fall (September to October): Spring and fall offer milder temperatures but are generally pleasant, and these shoulder seasons avoid the peak crowds of high season. However, occasional rain showers are possible. Spring and fall are excellent for sightseeing, cultural exploration, and outdoor activities. The sea is still warm enough for water activities. Daytime highs range from 15°C to 25°C (59°F to 77°F).

What is the water temperature in Venice and the Adriatic?

• Summer (June to August): the water temperatures can range from approximately 20°C to 25°C (68°F to 77°F). June brings warmer water temperatures, making it more suitable for swimming.
• Spring (March to May): In March, it may still be cool, with water temperatures averaging around 10°C to 14°C (50°F to 57°F), but by May, water temperatures can reach around 16°C to 20°C (61°F to 68°F).

How much in advance should I book a yacht charter in Venice and the Italian East?

Booking well in advance is advisable to secure the ideal yacht of your choice and get the best availability. We recommend booking at least 6 to 12 months in advance for high-season vacations and 3 to 6 months for spring or fall vacations.

How much is a luxury yacht charter in Venice and the Italian Adriatic?

The cost of a yacht charter in Venice and the Italian east shoreline will depend on the size of the vessel, its onboard amenities, and the year of delivery, as well as your chosen itinerary, length of charter, and the time of year that you go. Expect a yacht charter in The Floating City and the Adriatic to start from US$50,000 per week, with the world’s finest superyacht charters costing upwards of 1 million plus. Northrop & Johnson boasts an exquisite fleet of  yachts for charter in the Mediterranean , including in Venice and the Adriatic.

What is the VAT for chartering a yacht in Venice and the Italian Adriatic?

All yacht charters in Venice and the Adriatic are subject to a VAT fee, with the VAT dependent on the length of the charter. Northrop & Johnson will advise on the total VAT cost and manage the payment for you.

What types of yachts can I charter in Venice and The Italian East Coast?

• Motor Yachts: These are popular for those who prefer speed and comfort. A motor yacht offers spacious interiors and modern amenities and can cover larger distances quickly.
• Sailing Yachts: They provide a more traditional and serene sailing experience. They are ideal for those who enjoy the thrill of the wind in their sails and a more relaxed pace.
• Catamarans: Catamarans are known for their stability and spaciousness. A catamaran is an excellent choice for families or groups of friends as it offers more living space both above and below deck. Northrop & Johnson can connect you with both sailing catamarans and motor catamarans.
• Motor Sailers: Combining the features of the engine and sailing yachts, this kind of sailer offers versatility. They can sail using the engine or the wind, providing a flexible and enjoyable experience.

What food can I expect on a Venice and the Italian Adriatic yacht charter?

On Northrop & Johnson luxury yacht charters, you get supreme culinary experiences tailored to your preferences and dietary requirements. Your chef will create an exquisitely delicious menu for you and include any specific requests or dietary restrictions you communicate to us in advance.

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The prices for yacht charters in Venice are closely tied to the weather and sailing conditions throughout the year. They tend to be at their lowest in September, corresponding to the low season, and reach their peak in October when demand is high and sailing conditions are optimal.

Want to go on a gondola ride in Venice? Here’s everything you need to know!

Gondola ride in venice, italy.

Gondolas are one of the most iconic symbols of Venice. The entire world knows the silhouette of these elegant Venetian boats plying on the water of the canals of Venice, rowed by the renown gondoliers.

It is true that if there are many reasons for which Venice is famous in the whole world, few are as well known and evocative as the Venice Gondola.

This is probably why taking a gondola ride is on the bucket list of most of the visitors to Venice. But how much does a gondola ride cost? is it worth it? do Venetians ride gondolas?

Here are the answers to all the questions you might have about gondola rides.

We know that some of you will be happy to just admire and take pictures of these beautiful Venetian boats. But we also know that many visitors are thrilled to experience a gondola ride in Venice, Italy!

We hope that this info and tips will help you decide if a gondola ride is for you, and if yes, how to get the most out of your ride on Venice most iconic boat.

In a hurry or looking for something specific? Use the interactive index below to jump to the Venice tip which interests you most

• What is a Venetian Gondola
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How does a gondola tour in Venice work?

How much does a gondola ride in venice cost, can i negotiate the price of my gondola ride in venice, how many people can take part in a gondola ride, where is the best place to start a gondola ride in venice, italy, do venetians ride gondolas, why are gondola rides in venice so expensive, is it worth it to spend a minimum of 80 euros for a gondola ride.

• Gondolas and gondoliers in numbers

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• What and where is Venice, Italy and other things to know about Venice.

Related: The Gondola is Venice most iconic boat. Here’s everything you ever wanted to know about it

Standard gondola rides in Venice have a fixed cost of 80 euros for a private 25-30 minutes tour.

At night, however, the cost of a gondola ride is 120 euros for a private 25-30 minutes tour. If you desire to stay longer, tell the gondolier and ask for the price before the start of the tour.

We’re sorry to tell you, but no, you can’t negotiate the price of a normal gondola ride in Venice. However, if you ask for a much longer tour, you might have the chance to discuss the price and duration of the tour with the gondolier.

Keep in mind, however, that gondoliers have plenty of work. Therefore, gondoliers don’t really feel the need to compromise much on their price, especially during the warmer season.

Live an Authentic Experience in Venice

First, a gondolier helps you board his gondola. Then, you are invited to sit down on a comfortable double-armchair. The tour then starts and take you on a ride on the canals around your point of departure.

Most gondoliers aren’t just exceptionally skilled rowers. In fact, most are also capable and happy to give you information about the fantastic scenery unravelling in front of you. In general, a gondola ride in Venice lasts~30 minutes and ends back where it started.

A gondola ride in Venice can be enjoyed by 1 person up to a total of 5 passengers, plus the gondolier. Often, a gondolier will ask people to switch seats to best balance the gondola.

In some rare cases, a gondolier might decline to board 5 people if the total weight of the group could make navigation difficult and therefore put passengers at risk: safety comes first!

That’s a tough question to answer! All of Venice is beautiful, and it is worth going on a gondola ride in every part of the city.

Of course, if you want to see specific landmarks such as the Bridge of Sighs or the Rialto bridge, you should take a gondola in the stations next to these famous areas.

At Saint Mark’s square, there is one station facing the basin and, on the opposite side, one on the Bacino Orseolo. At 3 minutes from the square, there is one more gondola station just in front of the San Moisè church.

However, from April until October many visitors coming to Venice share the desire to take a ride on a gondola. And many desire to do so precisely around Saint Mark’s and the Rialto area. Also, several tour guides also bring their numerous groups to those touristy areas to make them board gondolas.

As a consequence, you might have to wait in a queue for hours before getting on a gondola at the Saint Mark’s and Rialto’s. Moreover, you will then end up sitting on a “gondola train,” with gondolas in front of and behind you, all doing the same tour. For this reason, we recommend you board a gondola at a station that is not crowded.

It will feel more private and exclusive, you won’t feel like part of a carousel of gondolas, and your gondolier will have more energy and passion during your ride.

Below, a few Gondola Stations where you could get your gondola ride in Venice: Santa Sofia, San Toma, and Gondolas 4 all at Piazzale Roma, with its unique wheelchair friendly dock!

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No. Commonly, the only occasion in their life in which Venetians might take a gondola ride is on their wedding day.

However, Venetians regularly board a “gondola da traghetto,” or gondola ferry, to quickly cross the Canal Grande and save time. Such crossings are a shared ride that lasts 30 to 40 seconds.

Most Venetians who take the ferry do it standing, while the majority of visitors prefer to sit down. It’s a matter of balance.

It’s true, gondola rides in Venice are not cheap. The reason why gondola rides cost 80 euros for a private tour of 25-30 minutes is probably a simple matter of demand and offer.

Venice is a city unlike any other in the world, visited by millions of people every year, a significant number of which desire to go on a gondola tour.

There are, however, only 260-290 work gondolas in Venice, making it possible to set a high fixed price and barely see a drop in demand. That was our “economic” explanation.

Read on to the next question for further consideration.

That is a question that only you can answer.

Would you like to see Venice from the water, which is the way the city was meant to be seen, on the most famous and luxurious hand-made traditional Venetian boat, with soft pillows and golden decorations?

Would you like to explore tiny little canals that cross this ancient city, while being rowed by an expert gondolier, one of the few hundred people in the entire world capable of rowing a gondola in such challenging spaces?

If both your answers to these questions are affirmative, and 80 euros is a price that you can afford paying with no second thoughts, then yes, a gondola ride in Venice is worth its price.

What is a Venetian gondola?

A Gondola is a traditional Venetian boat. In other words, it is just one of several types of traditional rowing boats.  However, it is by far the most renown.

The gondola has some qualities that characterize traditional Venetian boats. Firstly, it is handcrafted entirely using wood. Secondly, it has a flat bottom. Thirdly, it is rowed with a long wooden oar that pivots on a “forcola, a Venetian oarlock made of wood.

However, the gondola has also distinctive features that make it unique. For example, it is the only Venetian boat with the “fero da prova”, its typical bow ornament. Also, unlike most Venetian boats, it is asymmetric. Lastly, it is still used daily for work – by gondoliers offering gondola tours in the canals of Venice.

Most people think that gondolas are black. While it is true that all gondolas used for work are black, gondolas are also used for sport and leisure. The latter – over a hundred as of June 2018 – are painted in bright colors or keep the natural color of the wood.

A quick curiosity: “gondola”, in Italian, indicates that traditional Venetian boat. In other languages, however, the word “gondola” has also other meanings. See here the other meanings of the word “gondola.”

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The venice gondola in numbers:.

Gondolas are made by hand and consist of 280 pieces of 8 different types of wood: oak, fir, cherry, larch, walnut, linden, mahogany, elm.

The dimensions of a gondola can vary slightly, but they are typically  around  11 m long, 1,45 m wide, less than 1m deep, and have a total weight of 600 kg.

Why do gondola makers use several different types of wood? Because different woods have different proprieties. 

More data on gondolas and gondoliers:

• Handmade with 280 pieces of wood.
• 8 different type of woods: Oak, Fir, Cherry, Larch, Walnut, Linden, Mahogany, Elm.
• 6 months for the making of a gondola
• Final price of around 40.000 euros
• Average dimensions: length: 11 m; width: 1,45 m; depth: 1m.
• Weight: 600kg
• 433 gondoliers
• 160 substitute gondoliers
• 280 work gondolas
• 400+ gondolas in the Venetian Lagoon

Related:  Piero Dri, the youngest oar and oarlock maker in Venice

Don’t forget to check out our article about the Venetian gondola to find more information about this beautiful Venetian boat. For example, do you know why they are traditionally black or why they are asymmetric? Read it, to find out!

And since you’re interested in precious insights to plan your next trip to Venice, make sure to check out the resources below:

I'm visiting Venice. Why should I follow your recommendations?

The way you visit Venice has an impact both on the quality of your experience and on Venice itself.   Chilling, exploring , shopping , eating and drinking where the locals do, can make a huge impact both on the memories you bring home and on the local economy and community.

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Rent a boat in Venice

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• Boat rental in Italy

Motorboat - 6.33m — Dalla Pieta' - Dp 6  (1963)

From €800 per day.

Motorboat - 7.50m — Cantieri longo - Moby 25open  (2023)

From €990 per day.

Boat without licence - 6.00m — Consorzio Cantieristica Minore Veneziana - Topetta Bacan 6  (2023)

From €320 per day.

Boat without licence - 5.55m — Aprea - Lancia Sorrentina  (1960)

From €360 per day.

Sailboat - 11.50m — HANSE - 371  (2004)

From €286 per day.

Sailboat - 13.00m — BENETEAU - CYCLADES 43.4  (2007)

From €271 per day.

Catamaran - 10.00m — wissman - cat 35  (2000)

From €500 per day.

Motorboat - 6.20m — Orizzonti - Calipso  (2023)

Motorboat - 8.00m — CREA - BARENA  (1999)

From €1,482 per day.

Boat without licence - 5.50m — Yacht & Co - Voyage 18  (2019)

From €230 per day.

Boat without licence - 5.90m — Consorzio Cantieristica Minore Veneziana - Gozzo  (2012)

Motorboat - 7.40m — Colombo - Super indios 24  (2001)

From €2,300 per day.

Motorboat - 7.00m — Ranieri - Azzurra  (2015)

From €150 per day.

Boat without licence - 5.20m — Yacht & Co - Voyage 18  (2015)

Boat without licence - 6.50m — Sciallino e Patruno - Sciallino 20  (1996)

From €470 per day.

Motorboat - 10.00m — Giolmarine - Imago 32  (2010)

From €3,200 per day.

Motorboat - 11.00m — Profilmarine - Cherokee 35  (1986)

From €999 per day.

Boat without licence - 5.95m — Yacht&Co - Adriatic 19.5  (2018)

From €280 per day, discover venice by yacht rental.

Welcome to Venice, the enchanting city of canals, gondolas, and rich history. A yacht rental in Venice is an unforgettable experience. It is a city like no other, with an intricate network of canals, making it a perfect destination to navigate by boat. Experience the charm of gliding through picturesque waterways, passing beneath ancient bridges and historic buildings. A boat rental in Venice gives you access to hidden gems in the Venetian Lagoon and nearby islands. Escape the crowds and discover secluded beaches, secret coves, and quaint fishing villages only accessible by water.

Explore the city's landmarks or venture further to explore the islands of Murano, Burano, and Torcello at your leisure. Witnessing the sun setting over the Venetian skyline from the comfort of your boat is a truly magical experience. Venice has a rich maritime history, and sailing enthusiasts can enjoy various experiences. From sailing regattas to romantic sunset cruises, there's something for everyone. Additionally, the city hosts several sailing events throughout the year, attracting sailors worldwide.

Types of boats available in Venice

Ideal for those seeking a tranquil sailing experience, a sailboat rental in Venice costs around €500/day and €3,500/week in the high season and €228/day and €912/week in the low season for 8 people.

For a faster and more exhilarating ride, a motorboat rental costs around €390/day in the high season and €300/day in the low season for 7 people.

A catamaran charter in Venice costs around €900/day and €3,498/week for 12 people, offering ample space and stability.

A yacht charter in Venice costs an average of €2,500/day and €17,500/week in the low season for 15 people, providing luxurious and comfortable accommodation.

Charter a yacht in Venice with or without a skipper

When planning a boating adventure, you must decide whether to charter a boat in Venice with or without a skipper. For seasoned sailors with ample experience and the necessary licenses, a bareboat charter provides the ultimate sense of freedom and independence. With this option, you take full control of the vessel, steering your course along the intricate canals and exploring the stunning Venetian lagoon at your own pace. On the other hand, if you prefer a more relaxed and carefree experience or lack the necessary sailing expertise, a skippered charter might be the ideal choice. The skipper's knowledge of the waterways ensures you will be aware of Venice's iconic landmarks and hidden treasures.

Where to sail with your Venice yacht charter

Venice offers a multitude of captivating destinations to explore by boat. Here are some highlights:

Grand Canal

Embark down the iconic Grand Canal, passing by historic palaces and magnificent churches like the Rialto Bridge and St. Mark's Basilica.

Murano and Burano

Visit the famous islands of Murano, renowned for its glassblowing artistry, and Burano, known for its colourful houses and intricate lacework.

Lido di Venezia

Head to Lido di Venezia, an 11-kilometre-long sandbar, and enjoy the beautiful beaches and vibrant atmosphere.

Explore the tranquil island of Torcello, home to ancient churches and a serene, unspoiled landscape.

Explore this charming fishing town called "Little Venice" for its similar canal-laden layout.

Pellestrina

Enjoy the laid-back atmosphere of this narrow island, known for its sandy beaches and charming fishing villages.

Discover the vibrant coastal town of Jesolo, with its sandy shores and lively beach clubs.

Best things to do in and around Venice

Aside from sailing, Venice offers a plethora of activities:

Explore St. Mark's Square

Visit the heart of Venice and admire the majestic St. Mark's Basilica and the imposing Campanile.

Take a Gondola Ride

Experience the city's iconic gondola rides and glide through enchanting canals serenaded by gondoliers.

Visit Doge's Palace

Immerse yourself in Venetian history by touring the opulent Doge's Palace, a symbol of the city's former political power.

Indulge in Venetian Cuisine

Treat yourself to delectable seafood dishes, fresh pasta, and traditional cicchetti (small snacks) at local eateries.

Best time to rent a yacht in Venice

The ideal time to rent a boat in Venice is spring and summer when the weather is warm and clear skies. May to September offers the best conditions for smooth sailing and pleasant temperatures. Spring is a lovely time for a Venice yacht charter. The weather is mild, and the city is less crowded than the peak summer months. Enjoy pleasant temperatures and explore the canals without the intense heat and tourist crowds. Springtime also brings blooming flowers and a refreshing atmosphere, making it an ideal time for leisurely boat rides.

Summer is the peak tourist season in Venice, and it's a popular time to explore the city by boat. The weather is warm, and the long days allow for extended boating excursions. Remember that the city can get crowded during this time, especially around major tourist attractions. Summer might be the best option if you prefer a vibrant, bustling atmosphere with numerous events and activities. Autumn is another excellent time to rent a boat in Venice. The weather is still pleasant, and the tourist crowds start to dwindle. You can enjoy the city's attractions and waterways more relaxed. The autumn colours also charm the city, making it a picturesque time for boating and sightseeing.

Advantages of sailing for a weekend in Venice

Sailing for a weekend in Venice offers a taste of the city's maritime allure in a shorter timeframe. Escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life with a rejuvenating weekend sailing adventure. Make the most of your time by efficiently exploring the city's highlights and nearby islands. Surprise your loved one with a romantic weekend getaway on the serene waters of Venice. A motorboat or RIBS is an excellent choice for a weekend getaway, offering speed and flexibility to cover more ground in a shorter time. Optimise your weekend by visiting the must-see spots. Marvel at the artistry of Murano's glassblowers and witness their craftsmanship up close. Admire the vibrant, picturesque houses and savour the delicious seafood in the charming island village of Burano.

Advantages of sailing for a week in Venice

A week-long sailing experience in Venice offers ample time to explore the city and its surrounding gems. Delve deep into the city's historical attractions, and venture further to less-visited islands. Take your time to unwind and soak in the unique ambience of the Venetian Lagoon. Visit a diverse range of islands with distinct characters and attractions. The cost of renting a boat for a week depends on the type of boat, duration, and season. A sailboat or catamaran provides comfort and stability for a week-long adventure, allowing you to savour the journey. Maximise your week in Venice with these unforgettable destinations. Discover the tranquillity of the ancient island of Torcello and admire the Byzantine mosaics of the Cathedral of Santa Maria Dell'Assunta. Bask in the sun on the sandy shores of Lido di Venezia, and explore its lively promenade and elegant historic hotels.

Boat capacity in Venice

The capacity of boats in Venice varies according to their type:

They can accommodate 6 to 8 people, with 1 to 3 cabins.

They are suitable for 2 to 20 people, with 0 to 2 cabins.

Offers space for 6 to 10 people, with 3 to 4 cabins.

Yachts can accommodate 10 to 15 people with 3 to 4 cabins.

Rent a boat near Venice

In Venice, privately owned yachts are available to rent. See other yachts in the area.

Venice, Italy – 15 Weird and Wonderful Types of Boats You Can Only See in La Serenissima

By Author Rossi Thomson

Posted on Last updated: 26th October 2021

Categories Lists , The Surprising Italy , Veneto , Venice

Boats are to Venice what cars are to the rest of the world.

In other words – a vehicle used daily to get you from point A to point B and to transport anything and everything you need.

Instead of roads built on terra firma , Venice has water and lots of it. Crisscrossed by canals and with narrow, curvy streets, the city is a car-free heaven. There you can go for a lovely stroll without worrying about stressed drivers, Chelsea tractors and road rage.

Still, have you ever wondered how do they make a city of just over 50 000 permanent residents and a yearly influx of 30 million(!) tourists tick like a clock and work smoothly without any cars?! Because, you know, lorries can’t really drive into Venice to deliver food and parcels don’t arrive on drones (just yet).

Well, for all of this and so much more, Venice uses boats.

It is quite incredible, really!

Boats have been adapted to serve any and all purposes that cars are used for in the rest of the world. You just need to stop and look at Venice’s canals for all of five minutes and you will glimpse a fabulous collection of boats which you won’t be able to see anywhere else.

Yes, gondolas are not the only type of boat they use there!

From policemen and firemen to TV crews, everyone in Venice uses boats to do his or her job.

So, just to give you an idea of the variety of boats you can see in Venice, here is a collection of photos. I took them over three and a half years of trips to La Serenissima. They show you the ingenious ways the local people have found to adapt to life on water. And are a testament to how special Venice really is. After all, its people have overcome the most inhospitable environment for human life and turned it into one of the most splendid places on Earth.

Venice, Italy – 15 Weird and Wonderful Types of Boats You Can Only See in La Serenissima

1. delivery boats in venice.

After all, if you live in Venice, how else would you be getting your new washing machine delivered to you?

Boats are used for all sorts of deliveries in Venice.

From DHL packages to food, everything has reached the shelves of the local shops by boat. No wonder then that sometimes the prices in La Serenissima can seem just a touch higher.

You will see delivery boats everywhere in Venice. Even on the Grand Canal.

And, when I say that everything is delivered by boat, I mean everything. Including gas bottles! Yes, see below!

2. House-moving boats in Venice

For one of those stressful occasions when you need to move home in Venice and your sofa just doesn’t float well. Then, you load all your earthly possessions on a boat, cover them with plastic sheets and off you go along the canals to your new abode.

3. Car-Ferrying Boats in Venice

Yes, you cannot drive a car in Venice, but you can do so on the Lido. This is the nearby island where the Venice Film Festival takes place each year. So, if you and your car want to reach Lido, then you two take a ferry and sail past Venice.

4. Family Boats in Venice

A few days ago I had the chance to be part of a guided visit for families in Venice. We toured Squero di San Trovasio – one of only two gondola-making and -repairing workshops still in existence in La Serenissima. When the master gondola-maker started his talk, the first thing he asked the children was: ‘So, do you have a boat?!’

And almost all of them said: ‘Yes!’

The most curious thing was that the children didn’t find the question strange or extravagant. For families in Venice have a boat the same way you and I may have a car. It serves them to get around, go on a nice day trip or, even, to watch events taking place in Venice from the water. I still remember seeing the Regatta of the Ancient Maritime Republics in Venice a few years ago. The press boat, that I was in, was surrounded by dozens of boats – from dinghies to proper yachts – with whole families (and a few dogs in them) enjoying the race.

5. Rubbish-Collecting Boats in Venice

For the amount of people who visit every day, Venice is a surprisingly clean and tidy town. All this is thanks to the very hard work of the local binmen. They push their metal trolleys with heavy bins on top, collect the rubbish left in plastic bags by the doors of the citizens of Venice and then take it all away in large boats designed to carry a metal rubbish container on board.

Next time that you are in Venice, spare a thought for them.

I spotted these two chaps removing an old sofa and an old Hi-Fi from a house in Venice.

Then, they lifted them one by one and threw them in the boat. Finally, they used the small hoist (that is mounted on the boat) to lift their metal trolley back on board and off they went to the next stop on their job.

6. Boats for Heavy Loads in Venice

Boats carrying construction materials (as well as other heavy loads) are a frequent sight in Venice. How else would you be getting the heavy bags of cement and the thick wooden planks to the centuries-old house or palazzo you are restoring, for example?

7. Refrigerating Boats in Venice

Because how else would you be getting a load of frozen meat and seafood to places around town. The curious thing is that I had never seen a refrigerating boat in Venice prior to this past Saturday. And then, the second that I spotted my very first one and snapped like a dozen photos of it, two more refrigerating boats sailed by.

Click here to discover the hidden gems of Venice – 101 Things to do In Venice, Italy Off the Beaten Track

8. boats for photoshoots in venice.

Well, this is a bit tongue-in-cheek, but it’s true, nevertheless! Venice is a rich playground for photographers. Here every corner and, ahem, boat have been captured on camera time and time again. Now, Venetian boats are being used as sets for photoshoots, too.

Focus on the tiny gondola above the large delivery boat in this photo. You will see the huge softbox that the photographer’s assistant is holding, while the photographer is happily snapping away underneath!

9. Vaporettos in Venice

Vaporettos are the Venetian public transport. They are veritable water buses and zip up and down the Grand Canal and all over Venice plus the nearby islands thus ensuring that locals and tourists can get around.

Tickets are expensive and queues can get really long but the views are magnificent. In fact, you haven’t been to Venice unless you have taken the vaporetto. At least once.

10. Water Taxis (Motoscafi) in Venice

Water taxis are shiny and speedy. Zipping up and down the canals of Venice on one must give you that amazing feeling  that film stars get on the red carpet. Unfortunately, the water taxis (or motoscafi as they are locally called) are quite expensive.

During my last visit to Venice a couple of days ago, I noticed lots of motoscafi being rented by large groups of tourists. Standing up at the back of the boat, then they proceed to film on tablets and snap on their mobiles the whole ride around the canals. I would imagine it’s speedier and cheaper per person than a ride on a gondola.

Still, if one day I can stretch as far as to rent a motoscafo in Venice, I would like it to be the full experience, i.e. me dressed in a lovely dress with a glass of sparkling juice in hand… You get the idea. Something like Amal Clooney, but rounder.

11. Press Boats

When a large event happens in Venice, the world’s press descends on it eager to capture it all.

What do you think?! How do journos and photogs get to follow the proceedings (which are usually on water)? Yes, you are right! They get in a boat. Just like in the picture above. This was the press boat at the Befana race  in Venice a couple of years ago.

And here is a boat with a TV crew broadcasting live. It looks so cool!

12. Police Boats in Venice

Policemen and policewomen of Venice get everywhere by boat. The first time that you see them riding around on the canals, you get this very difficult to put in words emotion. Like, for the first time you realise that Venice, for all its splendour and romance, is  a living and breathing city where actual people live. And it is not just set up for tourists.

13. Fire Engine Boats in Venice

You may think that by being built on water, Venice wouldn’t need firemen. Yet, this isn’t so. Venice not only needs to have firemen (as any other place on Earth), but they also get to ride on these swanky fire engine boats.

14. Ambulance Boats in Venice

The ambulance boats you can see in Venice are really amazing. Just imagine having to rush along long and curvy canals to save lives, dodging dozens of other watercraft. I have a huge respect for the people who drive and work on these water ambulances in Venice. It must be a really difficult job.

15. Hearse Boats in Venice

And when the time comes to leave it all behind, the last journey of the people of Venice is, once again, by boat. The hearse boat takes them one last time to church and then across to the island of San Michele, where Venice’s cemetery is.

You may ask: ‘But what about the gondolas, the traghetto, and all those fancy boats they use in Venice during their historic parades?’

Well, in this article, I wanted to show you and tell you a bit about the weird and wonderful boats which make it possible for Venice to live in our modern times. It is quite incredible, really, how people there have adapted the boats to serve them for any task and any type of transportation need.

If you want to learn more about the more traditional boats of Venice, please, explore the following links:

Venice Historical Regatta – giving you a first-hand account of this grand yearly event in Venice.

Sport, History and Men in Leotards – giving you a front-row, first-hand account of the 60th Edition of the Regatta of the Ancient Maritime Republics. There are lots of photos there of amazing boats and a story about the maritime rivalry between Venice, Genoa, Pisa and Amalfi.

Exploring Venice: Aresenale’s Porta Magna and the Ships Pavilion – giving you a peek into the Venetian Arsenal (the largest industrial complex in Europe prior to the Industrial Revolution) and the adjacent Ships Pavilion where you can see many different Venetian boats and learn about their history.

Traghetto – giving you the story behind this plain gondola-like boat which ferries passengers across the Grand Canal.

Gondolas and the Island of San Giorgio Maggiore – a little poetic piece I wrote about gondolas some time ago. I will be posting about my visit to the gondola-making and -repairing workshop Squero di San Trovasio in Venice soon, too. So, please, keep checking the blog.

Thank you for reading! Please, leave me a comment, pin the image below or use the buttons right at the end to share it on social media.

For more stories like this you can follow me on  Facebook  and  subscribe  to my weekly strictly no-spam newsletter.

Allan Williams

Thursday 5th of July 2018

Did you forget that there are several different types of boat in Venice which are rowed, and rowed the Venetian way?

Thank you for your comment. This article is not about the traditional Venetian boats but about boats which have been adapted (similarly to cars and vans) to serve several day-to-day purposes like delivering mail, transporting heavy loads and taxing people around the lagoon. Best wishes, Rossi

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Boats in Venice

Looking out on Grand Canal on any normal day, you see a variety of floating vessels. The boats in Venice are many, and Canal Grande is the main exhibition of all the different types you can find in the lagoon city. They are long, short, big, small, with a motor, or with single or double oars. The intense traffic would correspond to the Boulevard or central avenue of any other, dryer city.

The tourists ride the Vaporetto , they go by Taxi or by Gondola… But there is quite a lot of necessary service traffic too, mostly cargo boats. Then there are post boats, police boats, other law enforcement watercraft, ambulances, and the boats of the firefighters. And of course, there are a whole lot of private boats.  Venice is a well-functioning city and just like any other urban area, it needs transport of goods and people in every possible way.

Driving a boat on Grand Canal is reserved for Venice City residents. And only after 12 o’clock. To use a boat with a motor, you would need a license issued by the same city. The speed limit on Canal Grande is 8 km/h (4 knots) and on the smaller canals 5 km/h (2,5 knots). 

But this wasn’t meant to be a guide on how to drive a boat on the Grand Canal. What I wanted to do was just to explain the various types of vessels, you would see when looking down on the water from one of the bridges.

And as a list of the boats can be done in various ways, and as the most common way is to include all the traditional, historical boats of the lagoon… I will do it in a more contemporary, modern way. So, here’s a list and an explanation of the watercraft you are likely to see on a perfectly normal day in Venice. It is in no way complete, as many of the traditional boats have more or less disappeared from the lagoon. Some old vessels have evolved and now live on in modern versions.

All these boats are made of wood, if not described otherwise.

What are the boats in Venice called?

The Gondola is the most famous of them all, the symbol of Venice and the definite King of the Venetian waters. You see them all over with tourists eagerly inhaling the beauty of the city while the Gondoliere explains the sites in broken English. A few hundred years ago, they were even more frequent, as the Gondola in the past was in Venice what a horse-cart was in London… The normal way of transport within the city. At least for anyone with money. Here’s a complete Gondola guide.

The Sandolo is one of many very similar boats in the Lagoon… Boats of which a branch with the passing centuries developed into the Gondola. They were all small, narrow, and long. And propulsion was a single oar on the starboard side towards the stern of the boat. 

The name Sandolo obviously shares the same root as Sandal, the footwear. Sandalium , Latin for shoe, reflects the flat bottom of the boat. Like most vessels in the lagoon, one of the most important features was the capability to move when the water is low or very low… Thus the flat bottom.

It’s not always easy to distinguish what is a Sandolo and what is not. The boat type is so common, and with so many variations that distinguish it can be problematic. Especially when we look back on history. Almost all of the small boats are somewhat similar to the Sandolo.

The boat types that have survived until modern times are divided into subcategories, such as:

• Pupparino . 2 oarsmen. A very long (10m), narrow, and graceful Sandolo. Today they are used in regattas, as they are very fast.
• Sandolo s’ciopon . 1 oarsman with double oars. The samllest of the Sandolos. So light and flat that it can enter where other boats cannot. Used mainly for hunting in the marshlands. The name means burst as in rifle burst (Scoppio [skɔpiɔ] in Italian, S’ciopo [sʧɔpɔ in Venetian). 

• Sampierotto ,  Sandolo Buranello , and others are all fishing boats. 1-2 oarsmen They are simple but often a few centimeters wider and with a greater load capacity.
• Mascareta . 2 oarsmen. 6 to 8 meters in length and very light, low, and fast. Nowadays and almost exclusively used in Regattas.
• Sandolo da barcarole . 1 oarsman. This is the one you will likely first come across. It is used to scam tourists into thinking they’re going for a Gondola ride when actually they’re riding another boat. It might be equally pleasant, but it’s not a Gondola.
• … And many others .

Batela Buranela / Batela Coa de Gambero

The word, Batela, means just boat in Venetian. But the term comes with a baggage of history and tradition. The Batela is a wide wooden boat for transport and work. Normally rowed with two or four opposite oars. In the past, the Batela was the most commonly used of all the cargo boats in Venice. You could see them all over running back and forth with all kinds of merchandise. Now they are mostly substituted with motorized Topi. 

It is bigger than the Sandolo, up to 12 meters in length, with higher bords, but still kind of narrow and slender. It’s powered with manpower, so the resistance has to be small. Oars can’t do wide vessels.

Two versions exist, Batela coda di Gambero (Coa de Gambaro), and Batela Buranela (which obviously originates from Burano). The latter is wider and more of a transporter. Apart from that, the Batela coda di Gambero has a flat stern, while the Buranela has a pointed, elevated stern. This makes it easier to row but lowers the cargo capacity.

Rowvenice.org  uses the Batela coda di Gambero for their lessons in Voga Veneta.

Topo/Mototopo

When the modern Diesel engine entered Venetian everyday life, the Mototopo became the typical Venetian transport vessel. You see these motorized topos all over with the transporting company logo on the side. They bring food and beverages to the hotels and packages and other stuff to offices and private houses.

Topo means mouse, and before the mouse was equipped with an engine, they were equipped with other thrusters. The everpresent oars, but also sails. In the old days, the Topo was a versatile companion for transporting heavy goods out on the open lagoon and even out on the sea. The rounder boards with a less squared floor and the greater width for and aft made them much safer in open waters with stronger winds.

As with all the other boats, there are many variations, battello a pìsso, musséto, batèlo col fìlo. One recent development is the Topa (… as in a female mouse.). What happened was simply that they cut off the pointed stern and made it flat. In that way, you can put a small outboard engine there, and so it becomes a popular and simple transport vessel for private use.

All transporting of things with boats in Venice is regulated and controlled. You are actually not allowed to bring your own refrigerator home, the transporting consortium has the monopoly.

The modern Mototopos come in many forms and sizes, with a cabin or without. They can be as long as 14 meters, and as small as 6. They have a large beam and are incredibly stable. At the beginning of 1900, the heavy marine diesel came on board. That forced the already wide stern to become even wider, and the buoyance to increase further. The result was a vessel that is as stable as a lorry on dry land. That makes them very practical when it comes to loading and unloading directly on the Fondamenta.

Garbage boat

These are highly specialized ships, made in steel, or recently in fiberglass. Around 12 meters in length and with a net cargo capacity of 10 tonnes. The waste bins are picked up from the key with a crane mounted on the boat. If the vessel is equipped with a compactor, the waste is then compressed on board before it is transported to the recycling center.

The City of Venice has a total of 60 of them. Not all of them are in Venice. Many are in service around the other islands, Murano, Burano, Lido, etc. But they are quite common in Venice in the canals of medium size. All are colored in a light green hue, which makes them easily distinguishable.

Of the 60 vessels, 44 are powered by Stage V engines. Stage V is the latest stage of the European emission standards for Non-road engines. They are all from 2016 or later. Venice actually makes a great deal of effort to reduce the environmental impact of its service fleet. As another important step in that direction, two new electric/hybrid ships have been purchased and are now operational.

This is another traditional wooden boat nowadays used mainly for racing, especially in traditional rowing competitions, like  Vogalonga  and  Regata Storica. 

The name comes from the city of  Caorle  to the northeast of Venice, once an important and prosperous part of the Republic. The boat was once something of the standard fishing, and transport vessel in those parts, much like the Batela was in Venice. It could be well over 10 meters back then, but now they are smaller and less wide, to gain speed.

Because just like many other traditional Venetian boats, today they are used solely in regattas. In ancient times they were rowed with one or two oarsmen, but as it has become a race boat, nowadays it has 6 oars.

An interesting fact is that it is symmetric. The stern and the bow are identical, pointed, and bent upwards.

Barcheta a massoche

A bigger Gondola that can take up to 14 persons plus the two Gondoliers. It is made in the same manner as a normal Gondola, but it’s wider, more stable, and has a higher gross load capacity. It’s used for the Traghetto… The short ride from one side of Canal Grande to the other. 

The rowing technique is somewhat different, as you push on both sides. It is only the Gondolier at the stern that steers. The one at the bow is just pushing. Landing perfectly at the pier takes a little maneuvering back and forth, and that’s when both Gondoliers have to collaborate. Sometimes the collaboration can be audible.

Police / Ambulance

The  Ambulances and the Police-boats are the only Venice boats that are allowed to exceed the speed limits. When there’s an emergency they can reach incredible speeds leaving other boats behind, all trying to stay afloat in the wakes.

The top speed is up to 35 knots or 40 Miles/h.

The various Venice taxis come in wood, in wood/fiberglass, or fiberglass exclusively. The curious fact about the taxis is that, although they come from various shipyards, and there are both old boats and brand new ones, they are all exceptionally similar. The driver’s seat, behind which there’s the cabin. And at the back, there’s an open space for photo sessions and sunbathing. And the shape and size are almost identical. 

But it wasn’t always like that. The taxi era started in the late 1800s. At that time they could be different in shape and size. Then came the first motor taxis. They all had a petrol engine mounted in the bow. When petrol got too expensive, they started using diesel engines. These were so heavy that the boats couldn’t maintain the horizontal waterline with the engine in the bow. They had to be put in the stern.

But by doing so the taxis became stern heavy. And the disproportional weight distribution combined with the total mass of the engine, suddenly made the wakes dangerously large. And the whole controversy of the motor-driven boats in Venice that drained material from the delicate canal sides, and thus risked a complete collapse o the whole Venice foundation, started.

Nowadays that problem is not solved, but it is less evident. The taxis are wider with better buoyancy at the stern, and the engines weigh less. With added speed limits and regulated access to the canals, the high wake issues have disappeared from the newspaper’s front pages. Not everybody agrees with me on that one though…

The Vaporettos is the water buss, bringing people from east to west, from north to south. Made in metal with the typical entrance and exit midships (…If you could invent a system where people could enter and exit from different gates, but still with only one sailor handling the crowds, you would make a fortune.).They are mostly around 20 meters in length, but ACTV , the local public transport company, has many different kinds of Vaporettos.

The classical water bus, line 90, is the only one running the Canal Grande. Outside, circumnavigating the City, there are the smaller vessels, we call them Motoscafi… Which is just another name for a motorboat. Then there are bigger ones crossing the lagoon to Lido, Punta Sabbioni, and Burano.

And why are they called Vaporetto?

Vapore means steam, and although all Vaporettos are equipped with diesel engines, the name has remained from when they were all driven by steam. The very first line opened already in 1857 bringing people from Venice to Chioggia, and vice versa. And they continued to bring things and folks from here to there inside the city and towards the other islands as well as the mainland. The steam engines were weak in power but easy to maintain as the mechanics of the engine were quite simple and straightforward.

Not until after the second world war, the steam engines were finally sent to the scrapyard. And new modern diesel engines took over. The name remained though. Like so much in Venice, the people like to maintain the old names and traditions, even when they are outdated. That’s just the way we are.

The biggest of ACTV’s ships and the only car-carrier is the big Ferry from Venice to Lido di Venezia. There are a few different models. The biggest one takes 1250 passengers and 71 cars. It’s driven by two Caterpillar diesel engines each of 740 hp.

They depart from Tronchetto ( The first island on your right before you arrive at Piazzale Roma over the bridge from the mainland.), and they arrive at San Nicolò a kilometer to the northeast of the center at Lido.

The trip is very nice as it cruises along all of Canale della Giudecca. The shoreline of both Venice and Giudecca can be enjoyed from the sun deck. Take notice of the many extremely leaning belltowers while passing.

Sometimes you see a very small outboard motorboat with a teenager and his friend or girlfriend… Sometimes accompanied by the rhythmic bass drum of the latest song by the latest rockstar.

The boat has very low boards, and it’s narrow. That’s a Cofano. It’s a vessel for hunting and fishing in the shallow waters of the lagoon, as well as for fooling around in the canals, as teenagers do. It’s one of the most common of all the boats in Venice. 

It’s not something you would be able to see. Still, it was a sensational boat, full of the most precious materials, gold, jewels, and silk. It was the ceremonial boat that was used at the  wedding ceremony between the Republic and the sea , celebrated the day of the Ascension of Jesus. The last original boat was destroyed and stripped of its gold by the French after the  fall of the Republic  in 1797. A project to reconstruct her was started in 2004. Unfortunately, because of lacking funds, it’s put on ice.

The boats in Venice come in multiple various shapes, and forms, more or less traditional, as well as new and old boats that don’t have anything to do with the history of the lagoon. But Venice is and has always been a maritime hub. It has always attracted watercraft from near and far. 

And the craftsmanship of the Venetian boat builders was what made Venice, Venice. From the small boats, specialized to bring people and goods on the narrow canals, to the huge ships sailing out from the Arsenale to defend the Venetian trading routes.

In June, the  Venice Boat-Show  continues to demonstrate the importance of boat building in the lagoon city.

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In addition to the best offers we have for boat and yacht charters in Venice, Italy, see also options available for rent in these nearby locations:

• 3 boat rentals in Venezia, Città Metropolitana di Venezia, Italy
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Rent a Boat in Venice, Italy with Sailo!

What better way to discover Italy, than on a boat rental in Venice? With a perfect waterside location, choose to rent a boat in Venice from Sailo to enjoy an experience to remember. Venice is a great place to discover with a boat rental, no matter if you’re in town for a day or looking for a longer sailing vacation. If you’re looking for one of the best things to do in Venice, rent a yacht or a boat on Sailo.

Our premium selection of private boat rentals in Venice, Italy

One of the best things to do in Italy is to step aboard your own private yacht charter in Venice and go explore! You’ll find 5 boats to rent in Venice with Sailo, giving you plenty of choice to live the dream on the water. Hit the water with one of our several sailboats. Fans of catamarans will also find 2 options available. You’ll also be able to choose from 3 beautiful motor yachts in Venice, Italy. Party like a celeb with your own party yacht rental for 13+ guests, with various available in Venice.

How to find a boat charter in Venice?

When you want to rent a boat in Venice, Italy for a day, Sailo’s advanced filters are exactly what you need to find the best charter for your family or friends. Your search will be quick and easy when you use the proper filters to narrow your results. Start by setting the start date for your trip, duration (2, 4 hours, or full day) and the number of guests. When you use the 'Boat' filter, your options to choose from are beautiful sailboats, sleek motorboats or elegant catamarans, each offering a different kind of experience, depending on what you’re looking for. The 'Price' filter allows you to set your budget limits so you’ll be choosing from Venice boat rentals suitable to it. Are you planning to captain your boat or looking for a relaxed day while a licensed captain helps you make the best of your charter? Use the 'Crew' filter to see only boats with captain included in the price or optional (extra) or bareboats you’ll be driving yourself. Venice, Italy is a great boating destination so when you see a boat you’d like for your family or friends, click on it to see more photos, read a detailed description and see the reviews and price details. One of the most important features available to you on the boat page is 'Message Owner'. Start a direct conversation with the owner to ask any questions you might have about your rental, discuss the itinerary, or make special arrangements.

How much does it cost to rent a yacht charter in Venice, Italy?

Are you looking for the best deal for a yacht rental in Venice, Italy? Check out our inventory of beautiful boats with prices per day starting at €250! A day boat rental in Venice is the best if you plan for a city sightseeing tour from the water, a sunset cruise or an active fun day to spend outdoors with family or friends! Venice is also a great place to rent one of our more expensive yachts, going up to €6500 (service fee and mandatory extras not included).

Can I rent a yacht in Venice with a captain?

When you rent a Sailo boat with captain, you set yourself and your guests for a relaxed, worry-free trip, with a professional skipper making sure that you all have an amazing experience on the water. Currently we offer 1 boat and yacht rentals with captain in Venice.

Sustainable boating tips

Sailing is a great way to experience nature. So we like to remind everyone that keeping nature as beautiful as possible involves a little effort from all of us. Some of our tips for responsible boating include:

• Don’t litter or throw waste overboard - take rubbish home and dispose of it responsibly
• Eco-friendly sunblock can help prevent damage to marine life
• buy local and sustainable food products

However long you’re sailing for, a little goes a long way. Read more about responsible boating.

Popular sailing locations to rent a yacht charter in Italy :

• Positano boat rentals
• Amalfi coast yacht charters
• Sardinia yacht charters
• Yacht charters in Sicily
• Boat rental Naples, Italy
• Taormina yacht rentals
• FAQ and Policies
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• Boat Rentals
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• Vivre: Furniture & home decor
• British Virgin Islands
• La Paz, Mexico
• Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
• Key Largo, FL
• St. Vincent and Grenadines

experiences

Leave yourself immersing in the beautifulness of Venice, navigating within the Venetian’s lagoon discovering its uniqueness landscape on the comfort of our Luxury boats. Let yourself be guided to discover its blending history and art leisure with our guided tours and excursions.

Venice at its Finest

Experience Venice in the most innovative and sustainable way. Book your spot and enjoy the city from the comfort of our 100% electric boats. The silent cruising experience will allow you to enjoy the surrounding landscapes giving you the opportunity to live in the moment. Visit Venice.

Visiting Venice has never been so smart

Our experiences have been designed around you

Book. Ride. Enjoy

Forget the mass city tour. We have re-designed the concept of city tour to offer the most innovative and exclusive experience. 

Get on board and enjoy the ride.

Full Electric

Innovation. Comfort. Sustainability.

We combined the most advance electric tecnology and boat design with the social soul of city sightseeing for your exclusive and sustainable experience.

Our brand new 100% electric boats offer the higher standards of technology, comfort and sustainability. 

fully electric boats with the most advanced tecnologies and hull designed to reduce the swall and to provide top quality cruise.

comfortable seats with clear sky views, flexible circulation and easy step-in and step-out access

No water and air pollution from fossil fuels and hull made from recycled fabrics and sustainable products.

Welcome on Board!

Learn more about our boats. 

Loved by Friends & Families

It is an amazing idea to have a tour with an electric boat. I was inspired by this idea and loved the tour. It is challenging to be a pioneer in this, but it is an important contribution to the sustainability and will help to save the beauty of Venice. Thank you.

Karina, Jul 22

We love our Planet

Our Mission is to promote sustainable turism through innovation and electric technology to reduce the  environmental pollution and protect the ecosystem. 

If you are interest on us or want to learn more, be in touch with us.

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Our Location

Calle lunga dell'accademia dei Nobili 604/M

30133 Venezia, Italy

Email: [email protected]

Tel: +39 349 4640719 Andrea

Tel: +39 392 8146320 Alberto

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Experiences

Rent a boat in Venice

• Boat rental
• Rent a boat in Italy at the best price

Yacht &Co Voyage 18 bronze  (2019)

From $257 per day.

Yacht & Co Voyage 18  (2015)

Discover Venice Sunset Tour  (2015)

From $168 per day.

Crea - Barena 8m  (1999)

From $1,658 per day.

Hanse 371  (2004)

From $320 per day.

Sailboat BENETEAU CYCLADES 43.4 13.00m  (2007)

From $303 per day.

Boat without license Consorzio Cantieristica Minore Veneziana Topetta Bacan 6 40hp  (2023)

From $358 per day.

Lancia Sorrentina di Fabris Pierangelo  (1960)

From $403 per day.

Atlantic 20  (2011)

From $369 per day.

Motorboat Profilmarine Cherokee 35 540hp  (1986)

From $1,118 per day.

classic 16 m Schooner  (1987)

From $399 per day.

Boat without license Consorzio Cantieristica Minore Veneziana Gozzo 40hp  (2012)

Yacth & Co Adriatic 19,5  (2018)

From $313 per day.

Motorboat Colombo Super indios 24 350hp  (2001)

From $2,573 per day.

Classic Venetian Topa Boat  (2015)

From $548 per day.

Boat without license Cantieri di Pisa Comet 40hp  (1964)

From $1,398 per day.

Boat without license De Pellegrini Venezia Semicabinato 30hp  (1976)

From $1,119 per day.

Tour in the lagoon  (1996)

From $526 per day, boat rental in venice.

Welcome to Venice, one of the most beautiful cities in Italy, situated at the northwestern end of the Adriatic Sea. This stunning city is a true gem of the Mediterranean, with its charming canals and breathtaking architecture. Venice is truly unique, as it is built on 118 islets that are connected by a network of canals and bridges.

With its rich history and culture, Venice has been recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1987, making it a must-see destination for travelers from all over the world. Whether you want to explore the city's iconic landmarks, such as the Piazza San Marco and the Doge's Palace, or simply enjoy a leisurely boat ride through its winding canals, Venice has something for everyone.

At Click&Boat, we offer a variety of options for those looking to rent a boat in Venice or experience a Venice yacht charter. With our top-quality boats and expert team of professionals, you can explore this magical city in style and comfort. From romantic gondola rides to thrilling adventures on the Adriatic Sea, Venice is waiting to be discovered. So why wait? Book your boat rental in Venice today and experience this unforgettable city like never before.

How much does it cost?

If you’re considering renting a boat in Venice, the price will differ depending on the time of year, the number of passengers on board, and the size and type of boat you choose. Of course, additional amenities or services could also affect the price, such as having a skipper on board. Below are the average prices of a private charter in Venice by boat type.

• Sailboat : Set sail in style for just $212 per day.
• Motorboat : Enjoy a smooth ride on the waves for $600 per day.
• RIB : Zoom along the coast on a RIB for only $283 per day.
• Catamaran : Explore Venice’s waters in comfort for $849 per day.

What does this include?

When you rent a boat with Click&Boat, you can expect a fully equipped vessel that comes with all the necessary safety gear, navigation equipment, and amenities to ensure a comfortable and enjoyable sailing experience. Our boats are well-maintained and regularly serviced to ensure the highest standards of safety and reliability.

Best ports and docks to keep your boat

If you're planning a boating trip to Venice, knowing the best ports and docks in the city is essential. From marinas with stunning views to those with top-notch amenities, here's everything you need to know to make the most of your visit.

• Venice Marina : This marina is located on the island of Certosa and offers 180 berths for boats up to 328 feet in length. The marina has a restaurant, and bar, and offers electricity, water, and fuel.
• San Giorgio Maggiore Marina : This marina is located on the island of San Giorgio Maggiore and offers 250 berths for boats up to 195 feet in length. The marina has a restaurant, and bar, and offers electricity, water, and fuel.
• Vento di Venezia : This marina is located in the Dorsoduro district and offers 25 berths for boats up to 98 feet in length. The marina has a restaurant, and bar, and offers electricity, water, and fuel.
• Porto Turistico di Venezia : This marina is located on the mainland of Venice and offers 200 berths for boats up to 98 feet in length. The marina has a restaurant, and bar, and offers electricity, water, and fuel. Additionally, the marina offers rental gear for activities like diving, windsurfing, and sailing.
• These ports and docks in Venice offer various amenities such as restaurants, bars, electricity, water, fuel, and rental gear for activities like diving, windsurfing, and sailing. Whether you're looking for a place to dock your boat or simply enjoy some time on the water, these ports and docks in Venice have everything you need for an unforgettable boating experience.

What to see and do in Venice, Italy!

• Climb the Campanile di San Marco : Also known as the "Pizza Tower," this bell tower offers incredible panoramic views of the city. From the top, you can see the red rooftops, winding canals, and beautiful architecture that makes Venice so unique.
• Visit the Rialto Market : This bustling market is a must-visit for foodies and anyone looking to experience authentic Venetian culture. Here, you'll find vendors selling everything from fresh seafood to handmade pasta, along with souvenirs and local products.
• Explore the Doge's Palace : This impressive palace was once the seat of power in Venice and is now open to the public as a museum. You can walk through the ornate chambers and admire the priceless artwork, including works by Titian and Tintoretto.
• Go on a Wine-Tasting Tour in Veneto : Veneto is one of Italy's top wine-producing regions, and a wine-tasting tour is a great way to experience its rich culinary heritage. You'll visit local vineyards, sample delicious wines, and learn about the history and culture of the region.
• Visit Libreria Acqua Alta : This quirky bookstore is a hidden gem in Venice. Located in a charming canal-side building, it's known for its creative displays of books, which include stacks of books in gondolas and a bathtub full of books. It's a unique and memorable place to visit while in Venice.

Where to sail in Venice

• Murano: A group of small islands famous for its glass-making tradition, Murano is also a great place for sailing and boating with its calm waters and scenic canals.
• Torcello: An island known for its historic cathedral and quiet atmosphere, Torcello is a great place for sailing and exploring the lagoon.
• San Giorgio Maggiore: An island that offers beautiful views of Venice's skyline and the lagoon, San Giorgio Maggiore is a popular spot for sailing and water sports.
• Sant'Erasmo: The largest island in the Venetian Lagoon, Sant'Erasmo offers a peaceful escape from the crowds of Venice and is a great spot for sailing, fishing, and enjoying scenic views.

Rent with or without a skipper

Many of our boat charters in Venice come with the option of sailing with a skipper and/or crew. Although this may come at an extra cost, having a skipper on board can, no doubt, provide you with an even more enjoyable experience! Your skipper can adapt the sailing route so that your voyage best suits the desires of you and the rest of your party.

Additionally, setting sail with a skipper will make your voyage even more comfortable! The skipper will take care of all the technical aspects of sailing, so all you need to do is sit back and relax.

If you would like to take charge of your boat charter in Venice, then bareboat charters are the way to go. Enjoy a bareboat charter if you have a license and set sail at your own pace. You need a valid boating license to enjoy a boat this way so check with the boat owner beforehand to see that your license is valid.

Best time of year to rent a boat?

The best time to visit Venice and rent a boat is typically from late spring to early fall, which spans from May to September. During this time, the weather is warm and sunny with average temperatures ranging from the 70s to mid-80's°F. June, July, and August are considered the high-season months, with peak tourist activity and higher prices. However, it is worth noting that Venice can be quite crowded during these months.

For those looking to avoid the crowds and save money, the best time to visit is just outside of the high season, in late April to early May and September to early October. During these months, the weather is still warm and pleasant, with average temperatures ranging from 60 to 70°F. This is also a great time to enjoy the autumn foliage and harvest season in the Veneto region.

Good to know

Frequently asked questions about venice, how much does it cost to rent a boat in venice for a day.

The average cost of renting a boat in Venice is around $540 per day. Various factors can influence the cost of a boat charter, such as the season, the year the boat was built, and the equipment. The prices can vary between $120 and $6,000 per day.

How much does a skipper cost per day in Venice?

The price of a skipper varies depending on the destination and the owner of the boat. In Venice, you can expect to pay an average of $181 per day for a skipper.

How many people can sleep on a boat in Venice?

A boat in Venice has on average 2 berths. You can find boats with up to 10 berths.

What types of boats can I rent in Venice?

In Venice you can rent for example a Motorboat, Without license or even a Sailboat.

Can I add equipment like snorkel gear, SUP boards or a wakeboard to my boat rental in Venice?

Many owners offer various extras that you can add to your booking in Venice. This can be for example Bimini, Bathing or Bridge shower.

Rent a boat near Venice

In Venice, privately owned boats are available for rental. See other boats in the area.

Rent another type of boat in Venice

If you want to rent something different from the boat in Venice? Check out other boats on our website

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Sailing activities, joy sailing club, windjammer - january 27-28, 2024.

A Sarasota Bay Yachting Association WFPHRF Boat of the Year Event. The organizing authorities are the Venice Yacht Club and Venice Sailing Squadron. This Regatta is open to all offshore multihulls and self-righting, single hulled, enclosed cabin multihulls. This Regatta is an annual event held in January and all on land festivities are at the Venice Yacht Club.      Saturday - Gulf Race from Longboat Pass to Venice Inlet      Sunday - Buoy Racing outside the Venice Inlet REGISTRATION INFO INFO FOR REGISTRANTS  

Shark's Tooth - March 22-24, 2024

The 2024 Shark's Tooth Cup Regatta Hosted by the Venice Sailing Squadron and the Venice Yacht Club

Saturday & Sunday - Buoy Racing outside the Venice Inlet  This is a charitable event raising funds for the Venice Youth Boating Association

Please note VYC does not accept credit cards

Yuri Petunovs

Fleet captain - sail, valeriya minina, assistant fleet captain - sail.

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Killer Whales Sunk a 50-Foot Sailing Yacht in the Strait of Gibraltar

It's just the latest in a string of orca attacks on sailboats., tori latham, tori latham's most recent stories.

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Two sailors had a whale of a time over the weekend—but only in the technical sense.

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“This was a scary moment,” the skipper Jelmer van Beek said at the time. “Three orcas came straight at us and started hitting the rudders. Impressive to see the orcas, beautiful animals, but also a dangerous moment for us as a team.”

While that attack didn’t result in the sinking of the ship, another sailing yacht sank near the Tanger Med port in November, The New York Times wrote. The crew of that ship had to abandon the boat after a group of orcas slammed into the rudder for a whole 45 minutes. (The whales have seemingly been targeting sailboats in particular.)

Researchers don’t know for sure why the whales have been attacking boats, but they think it may be one of the ways the orcas play, the Times said—a pretty dangerous form of amusement, albeit. Others have theorized that it’s a short-term fad among the animals, or that one orca experienced a traumatic event that made it aggressive and other whales began to mimic that behavior. The incidents have become so common in recent years that sailors trade advice online about how to maneuver in the Strait of Gibraltar area, and the Spanish government issued a release that included tips for sailors.

Tori Latham is a digital staff writer at Robb Report. She was previously a copy editor at The Atlantic, and has written for publications including The Cut and The Hollywood Reporter. When not…

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The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office needs your help locating a suspected boat dock bandit

MANATEE, Fla. (WWSB) - The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office needs your help busting a suspected boat dock bandit. Authorities telling us someone allegedly burglarized a boat dock along shore drive in Ellenton last week. A video revealing him arriving by boat and getting onto the dock then what appears to be removing a hammock from the property.

If you know anything, please contact The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office or crime stoppers.

Copyright 2024 WWSB. All rights reserved.

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Two people were killed and five others were missing after a suspected collision involving a small motor boat and a cruise ship on the Danube River north of Budapest late on Saturday, Hungarian police said.

Britain will spend more than 10 billion pounds ($12.70 billion) compensating thousands of people who were treated with blood contaminated with HIV or hepatitis C in the 1970s and 1980s, the Sunday Times reported.

Russian airstrikes killed at least five people and injured 16 others in a recreation area just outside Ukraine's northeastern city of Kharkiv on Sunday, local officials said.

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The Democratic Republic of Congo's (DRC) armed forces repelled an attempted coup d'etat involving Congolese and foreign fighters on Sunday morning, a DRC army spokesman said in a televised address.