Are there female gondoliers?

Giorgia Boscolo! It was her! For over 900 years, only men could hold the gondolier position. Then in 2010, Giorgia Boscolo became the first gondoliera in Venetian history.



Yes, there are female gondoliers in Venice, but they remain an extremely small minority in a profession that has been male-dominated for nearly a millennium. In 2026, Giorgia Boscolo continues to be the most famous, having become the first woman to pass the rigorous licensing exam back in 2010. While a few more women have since entered the ranks of the 425 licensed gondoliers, the numbers remain in the single digits. This is due to the intense physical demands of the job and a historically insular guild system. However, there is a separate category of rowers called "Traghetto" operators and private hotel gondoliers where you might find more female representation, such as Alex Hai, who famously fought for years to operate privately. Additionally, a new wave of female-led associations, like "Row Venice," now offers lessons in the traditional voga alla veneta style, aimed at preserving the craft for all genders. While still rare, seeing a woman in the striped shirt and straw hat steering a gondola is no longer an impossibility in modern Venice.

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In August 2010, Giorgia Boscolo became Venice's first fully licensed female gondolier. Before becoming a gondolier, Hai had aspired to be a filmmaker.

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In the old days, four gondoliers typically shared ownership of a single gondola, with three oarsmen to row the boat and an additional person on a dock who helped bring it ashore again. But modern gondolas and gondoliers are strictly controlled by a guild that oversees the boats' production, maintenance, and licensing.

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In order for you to become a gondolier you need to get a permit. There would be around 433 Gondoliers with a permit today. There is a limit of permits and Venice reached it. The number of gondolas was estimated to 10,000 in the 16th century and the gondoliers were a separate group in society.

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How much can a gondola driver expect to earn? This is one of the most highly-regarded and sought-after professions in Italy. Its training may be rigorous, but it's certainly worth it - a Venetian gondolier can expect to earn around $150,000 each year.

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In the old days, four gondoliers typically shared ownership of a single gondola, with three oarsmen to row the boat and an additional person on a dock who helped bring it ashore again. But modern gondolas and gondoliers are strictly controlled by a guild that oversees the boats' production, maintenance, and licensing.

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While tipping is not required, a 5% tip is appreciated if your gondolier is helpful and informative about local attractions and monuments.

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The ornament on the front of the boat is called the fèrro (meaning iron) and can be made from brass, stainless steel, or aluminium. It serves as decoration and as counterweight for the gondolier standing near the stern. Gondolas at their moorings 5-toothed fero on old gondolas.

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The Gondoliers were dressed mostly in black to match the color of the Gondola. Some wore all white. After World War 2, The stripes became a part of the uniform. Some say they were to match the striped poles in front of the Palazzo's on the Grand Canal.

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$31,500 is the 25th percentile. Salaries below this are outliers. $64,000 is the 75th percentile.

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The answer is: electric motors. Due to the limited space available, the gondolas are fitted with small motors. They're used primarily to help launch the boats. Once they're moving, they are, actually, partly propelled by the gondoliers using their paddles, but they're powered mainly by the motor.

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Gondoliers must wear a standard uniform consisting of a shirt in either blue or red stripes. “It used to be that those on the right side of the Grand Canal wore blue and white, and the other side wore red and white, but now we can choose the color we want,” Alberto said.

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Weddings on our iconic gondolas are a special setting that can't be duplicated anywhere else. No matter what you're looking for in your wedding day – the grandiose or the simple and dignified – we can help you achieve it at The Venetian Resort. *Weddings booked within 7 days will incur a booking fee.

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The keel, thus, is not straight but it bends to the right, so that the gondola floats particularly tilted on the right-hand side. That allows the counterbalancing of the push of the only oar which would tend to carry it to the left side. It has got a flat bottom which let it sail in shallow water.

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What you can negotiate is the duration of your gondola ride. If you'd like a lengthier trip, just ask your gondolier if they would be willing to take you around the canals a bit longer. The price, in that case, is still regulated: a 45-minute ride costs €120 and an hour-long gondola ride runs €160.

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And, given that it's bound to happen, the best time to do it is in the morning, and for many reasons: your gondola pilot will be freshened up after a good night's sleep, the canals won't be so full and you won't have any midday sun beaming down on you as you scramble for shade on a boat that provides nada.

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These places are best for gondola cruises in Paris: LPO Holidays. Opatrip.com France.

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Good to know: Unless you pre-book a gondola tour, you'll have to pay cash for your gondola ride. So make sure you have enough money on you. Private Venice gondola tours that you can pre-book online are usually more expensive than the official rates.

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