Leisure activities list of what to do in Venice and nearby islands, including entertainment tips, romantic places, activities for children, themed itineraries and shopping.

• Take a Gondola Ride through the canals of Venice. It’s better take a gondola ride on the quiet, back canals than on the crowded Grand Canal. The official rates is 90 euros during the day (from 9am to 7pm) and 110 euros at night time (from 7pm to 3am) for up to 5 people. Here you can book the cheapest gondola ride.
• A walk along the Zattere promenade. The Zattere runs the length of the south side of Dorsoduro district along the Canale della Giudecca. The promenade offers splendid views over to the Giudecca island and a wonderfull ice-creams in Nico’s Gianduiotto.
• On the island of San Giorgio Maggiore, the bell tower (campanile) offers spectacular views over Venice and it's lagoon, and has a lift to the top.
• Take a guided tour of Basilica San Marco with biblical interpretation of the mosaics. Book here.
• Take a guided tour of the secret trails at Palazzo Ducale. Book here.
• Take a guided tour at the Ca’ Foscari University, in a famous building overlooking the Canal Grande, considered among the finest examples of Venetian Gothic architecture.
• Take a guided tour of Wagner halls in Ca’ Vendramin Calergi Palace.
• Visit the machines of Leonardo da Vinci at Chiesa di San Barnaba, different models faithfully reproduced from the original drawings. Book Leonardo Da Vinci Museum Entrance Ticket.
• Try a Spritz, the most popular drink in Venice, a mix of wine, seltzer, and liquer. A good place is just off the Rialto Bridge.
• Dinner at a restaurant with magnificent views over the Canal Grande or Canale della Giudecca.
• Take a guided tour of Teatro La Fenice. Book La Fenice Opera House Tour (Campo San Fantin).
• Enjoy a classical music concert with orchestra and singers in XVIII century costumes in Scuola Grande di San Teodoro (Campo San Salvador). Book Vivaldi’s Four Seasons Live Classical Music Concert.
• Enjoy a choir show at Chiesa di Santa Maria dei Miracoli with a programme performed by various choirs.
• Enjoy music in masks: musicians and singers offer the most beatiful opera arias embellished by 18th century costumes and handcrafted masks at Scuola Grande dei Carmini (Campo Santa Margherita).
• Enjoy music at the palace: Musical evenings in the atmosphere of a venetian palace overlooking the Grand Canal at Palazzo Barbarigo-Minotto (San Marco 2504).
• Enjoy a performance every night at Teatro San Gallo (Campo San Gallo) with audio guides.
• See in San Maurizio Church the Music Museum, hundred-odd musical instruments and a few works of the Venetian Baroque period. Admission free.
• Shopping in the street Calle Larga XXII Marzo, where you'll find Venetia Studium with precious Fortuny designs.
• Shopping laces and art handicraft at Burano Island.
• Take a look at Murano art glass and see glassblowing in a factory (Vetreria) in Murano Island.
• Visit the art galleries around the Peggy Guggenheim Museum. You can find glass works of great contemporary artists, paintings and jewels.
• Visit the original Fortuny showroom at Giudecca Island, beside Molino Stucky.

The Venetian gondola is first mentioned in an ancient document from 1094. Initially somewhat crude, it developed into a beautiful, elegant and delicate vessel. Today it is probably the most famous boat in the world. There are currently 405 of them.

Take a Gondola Ride through the canals of Venice. It’s better take a gondola ride on the quiet, back canals than on the crowded Grand Canal. The official rates is 90 euros during the day (from 9am to 7pm) and 110 euros at night time (from 7pm to 3am) for up to 5 people. Here you can book the cheapest gondola ride.

The Venetian Gondola

Of unknown origin, the name could come from the Latin term cuna, cradle, and from there cunula, or small rocking boat.

In the beginning, each owner of a gondola chose its own colour. Over time, due to the excessive magnificence used by some nobles in their decoration, the Provveditore alle Pompe (established from 578 to check the excesses in the behaviour of the Venetians in the way of dress and luxury) decreed that the gondolas had to be compulsorily black.

The gondola has a number of details in its construction that make it suitable for the waters of the Venice lagoon. It has a flat bottom, so it can float in very little water. It is a long, narrow boat, with a single oar and asymmetrical: the left side is 24 centimetres wider than the right, to allow it to be handled by a single gondolier (the first gondolas were not asymmetrical and needed two oarsmen). Its length changed over time, becoming established at 11.50 metres long by 1.40 metres wide. Between 8 and 13 different types of wood are used for its construction and it is made up of 280 elements.

Previously, gondolas had a removable cabin in the center called a felze, to protect passengers in winter or for eventual concealment.

Ferro della Gondola

The bow has a serrated iron (ferro della gondola) that evokes Venice itself:

• The top evokes the Corno Ducale, the doge's hat.
• The curved mast recalls the undulation of the Grand Canal.
• The semicircle under the Corno Ducale evokes the Rialto Bridge.
• The six prongs represent each of the Sestiere of the city, in this order: San Marco, San Polo, Santa Croce, Castello, Dorsoduro and Cannaregio.
• The isolated prong in the opposite direction represents the island of Giudecca.
• The decorated tips between prong and prong represent the largest islands in the Lagoon: Murano, Burano and Torcello.

Take a Gondola Ride along the most beautiful part of the Grand Canal and its hidden waterways.