Venice, here are the gondolas again, but without tourists they return to their old service: they ferry Venetians on the Grand Canal

In this period of travel restriction and prohibition to go from one region to another, following the restrictive measures due to Covid-19 health emergency, the city of the lagoon is traveled only by Venetians themselves. In fact, no tourist can visit one of the most beautiful cities in Italy and the world for the time being, allowing themselves to be transported on the canals by the typical boats to admire its beauty and to have one of the most characteristic experiences if one comes, at least for the first time, to Venice.

Starting today, May 18, the public service of traghetti da parada, special gondolas larger in size than those usually used for a romantic ride as a couple and which sail on the Grand Canal, resumes, but now carry only Venetians.

In the past, passage from one side of the Grand Canal to the other could only take place by means of a floating craft, and, according to chroniclers’ accounts, any water transit between island and island or between island and mainland was referred to as a “traghetto,” both to denote the transport service and the place of beginning and end of the ferry, as well as the vessel intended to carry out the transport of people or things on a defined route. And already in ancient times boatmen had organized themselves into fraglie, equipping themselves with specific bylaws, giving rise to urban public transport.

The parada ferries from Santa Sofia (Monday through Saturday 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. / Sunday and holidays 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.) and San Tomà (Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. / Saturday, Sunday and holidays 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.) are back in operation as of May 18: a maximum of six people may board, keeping a distance of one meter between them, and the use of gloves and masks is mandatory. The Customs, S.M. del Giglio and Carbon ferries are currently suspended.

For residents and IMOB card holders, crossing the Grand Canal on parada ferries will cost 0.70 euros, while for other passengers it will cost two euros.

“Today the two ferries of Santa Sofia, in the fish market area in Rialto, and San Tomà are finally reopening,” commented Councillor Delegate for the Protection of Traditions, Giovanni Giusto. “We are preparing the necessary devices to ensure the distance required by regulations both in waiting for the boat and in the operations of boarding and disembarking. This is good news, a sign of everyone’s desire to get going again so that we can return to normal as soon as possible, but without ever letting our guard down in order to finally defeat the virus.”

Ph.Credit

Venice, here are the gondolas again, but without tourists they return to their old service: they ferry Venetians on the Grand Canal

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