You haven’t really visited Venice unless you have taken a ride through the canals on a gondola and if you are lucky a singing one !.
The Gondola
A gondola is a traditional Venetian rowing boat. The gondolier (oarsman) stands at the stern (rear) of the boat and uses an oar to push the craft forward.
The use of the gondola has diminished over the centuries and today are used mainly as a tourist attraction than as a main form of transport for the locals.
Things You May Not Know About Gondolas
There was a law in Venice which required all gondolas to be painted black.
The ornament at the bow of the gondola is known as the ferro. The role of the ferro is several, firstly it is there to prevent boat damage if it happens to collide with a wall or another watercraft, secondly, it acts as a counterweight for the gondolier, and finally, it acts simply as decoration.