The private guided tour Venice Craft Heritage offers the opportunity to appreciate the skills and traditions of local dockyards. You will discover the world of the most typical vessel in Venice: the GONDOLA.

For centuries the gondola was the chief mean of transportation. The rich  families had several gondolas tied-up by the water door of their houses, as  paintings by Canaletto show. Today in Venice only few Squeri (or dockyards)  produce gondolas, though they are quite important for Venetian economy. Venice Craft Heritage tour includes the experience of a private exclusive visit to the oldest dockyard in activity.

A gondola, however, is not just a boat, it’s a “system” combining many different elements. These are the oar, the forcola, the ferro, the carved gilded decorations, and more. Therefore it requires the contributions of many different craftsmen, each one with his own specialization.

Gondolas owe their exclusive shape and features to a scrupulous and elaborate building process, based on the same techniques used since the early days. They are made with eight different kind of wood.

After  the gondola dockyard, we will take you to the workshop of a carpenter specialized in making oars and forcole. These two elements are essential to provide the dynamic balance of the gondola.

At the end of the tour, with all the experience you had, you’ll be ready to cross the Grand Canal on a gondola ferry!

DURATION: 2 hours

THE PRICE OF VENICE CRAFT HERITAGE  TOUR INCLUDES:

• the service of a certified tour guide for 2 hours
• the admissions to the craft workshops
• the gondola ferry fee