Squero di San Trovaso

Email them in advance to arrange a captivating 30-minute tour inside the historic shipyard.

After seeing how they're crafted, you might just want to hop aboard. After all, a gondola ride is the quintessential Venetian experience - timeless, romantic, and unlike anything else.

The most atmospheric rides usually take place along quieter side canals, where the city feels slower and more intimate. Some routes also pass along the Grand Canal or under the Rialto Bridge, where larger boats pass close by and the water feels busier and more dynamic.

Gondola rides can be booked on the spot at a fixed city rate: €90 for a 30-minute ride during the day and €110 in the evening or at night. The price is per boat, not per person, and each gondola can carry up to five passengers. Payment is cash only.

If you're set on a gondola ride, we recommend booking one on the spot and deciding then whether you have enough time to spare.

With plenty of gondola stations along the walk, you can easily make the decision as you go.

Alternatively, if you don't like leaving anything to chance, you can book a shared gondola ride online.

These are more budget-friendly for solo travelers or couples willing to share the boat with other passengers, and they also eliminate the need to handle cash.

Behind the boatyard stands the Church of San Trovaso, notable for its twin facades: a rare feature in Venice.

The two identical entrances were designed to accommodate the city's historic rivals, the Nicolotti and the Castellani, allowing each faction to enter with equal status.

Their fierce rivalry famously spilled over at Ponte dei Pugni, the 'Bridge of Fists', where organised fistfights once took place.

Today, you can still stand on the four stone footprints where the fighters took their positions before the clashes began.