We start our ARTS & CRAFTS IN VENICE tour with a private water taxi ride to the extreme western end of Venice.

Here we meet Roberto Tramontin, the brightest star in the world of gondola makers.

With his witty Venetian style and great professional competence, Roberto will guide us into this fascinating world.

We will visit his “Squero,” where gondolas and other traditional Lagoon boats (such as sandoli, pupparini, scioponi and more) are still crafted according to non-written techniques that were passed down from one generation to another.

Roberto learned from his father, Nedis, that continued to be active in the workshop him until the age of 82 – he passed away in 2005.

Nedis had a conservative approach to the art of gondola-making, and would often repeat this phrase: ‘Dear Sirs, let’s go back to the past and that will be progress!’

Nedis had inherited the activity from and his grand-father, Domenico, founder of the company and celebrated for having redesigned the gondola in 1884…

You’ll learn the reasons why it was decided to review the gondola’s traditional shape and measures, and you can still see in the workshop the actual template (still used today) readapted by Domenico Tramontin for the shaping of his ‘new’ gondolas.

Since that day, materials, measures, proportions, shape, and color of the proverbial Venetian boat are strictly agreed by the few boatyards left in the city.

You’ll learn why the bizarre asymmetrical design and why the black color. You will be surprised to hear that each gondola is customized according to the gondolier’s weight!

At the end of the lecture you can ask, of course, all the questions about the gondola that come to your mind.