Italian Culture - A Guide for Visitors
Thinking of making a trip to Italy, but don’t want to be the typical tourist?
Thinking of making a trip to Italy, but don’t want to be the typical ignorant tourist? Perhaps you’re wishing to be able to take in all of the sights and sounds to their fullest extent? While it’s obvious that becoming proficient in the language is the easiest way to improve your trip, having some insight into the overall history of the country will aid you in appreciating every site you plan to visit!
Language
The official language of the country is, you guessed it, Italian. About 90% of the country’s population speaks Italian as native language with many dialects including Sardinian, Friulian, Neapolitan, Sicilian, Ligurian, Piedmontese, Venetian, Calabrian, and Milanese. Other languages spoken by native Italians include Albanian, Bavarian, Catalan, Cimbrian, Corsican, Croatian, French, German, Greek, Slovenian and Walser.
Family and Religion
Family is an extremely important value within the Italian culture and family solidarity is focused on extended family rather than the immediate family of just a mom, dad and children. Most families in Italy also happen to be very religious with the major religion in Italy being Roman Catholicism. This seems pretty obvious considering that Vatican City is the hub of Roman Catholicism.
Roman Catholics and other Christians make up 80% of the population while Muslim, agnostic and atheist make up the other 20% according to the Central Intelligence Agency.
Art and Architecture
Italy is home to many classic architectural styles, including classical Roman, Renaissance, Baroque and Neoclassical and is home to some of the most famous structures in the world, including the Colosseum and the Leaning Tower of Pisa to name a few. The concept of a basilica — which was originally used to describe an open public court building and evolved to mean a Catholic pilgrimage site was born in Italy.
Additionally, Opera has its roots in Italy and many famous operas including "Aida" and "La Traviata," and "Pagliacci" which are still performed in the native language to this day. In the world of fashion, Italy is home to some of the most famous fashion houses, including Armani, Gucci, Benetton, Versace and Prada to name a few.
Cuisine
Italian cuisine has influenced food culture around the world and is viewed as a form of art by many. Wine, cheese and pasta are important part of Italian meals. Pasta comes in a wide range of shapes, widths and lengths, including penne, spaghetti, linguine, fusilli and lasagna.
Wine is also a big part of Italian culture, and the country is home to some of the world's most famous vineyards., and in fact, the oldest traces of Italian wine were recently discovered in a cave near Sicily's southwest coast. Wine is produced in every region and is home to some of the oldest wine-producing regions in the world. Currently, Italy is the world's largest producer of wine.
We hope you’ve enjoyed our Italian Culture - A Guide for Visitors! What aspects of Italian culture would you like to learn more about? Join the conversation below!
5 Phrases You Need to Know If You’re Spending Time in Italy This Holiday Season
The holiday season is a hoot and a holler wherever you are, but if you’re lucky enough to find yourself in Italy from December to early January, get acquainted with the language of their favorite traditions.
By Brian Alcamo
Buone feste, ragazzi! The holiday season is a hoot and a holler wherever you are, but if you’re lucky enough to find yourself in Italy from December to early January, get acquainted with the language of their favorite traditions.
Panettone
Panettone is a sweet bread originally from Milan that can be embellished with fruit, nuts, or chocolate. It’s a super popular desert around the holidays. Since it’s a super popular desert, and since you’re in Italy, it’s also a super popular breakfast. All you have to do is dip it in your caffè (link to coffee article) while you say buongiorno.
La Vigilia di Natale
Source: http://www.grandvoyageitaly.com/piazza/feast-of-the-seven-fishes-on-christmas-eve-la-vigilia-di-natale
La Vigilia di Natale means Christmas Eve. Now, now, now. You might think I’m about to tell you about the wonders of a big Italian Christmas Eve dinner composed of exactly seven fish that each represent a Catholic sacrament. Unfortunately, this Christmas Eve “Feast of the Seven Fishes” is an Italian-American tradition. You’ll still find big Christmas Eve dinners all over the boot-shaped peninsula, but don’t expect to eat seven scrumptious swimmers plucked straight out of the Adriatic.
La Befana
La Befana is Italy’s answer to all this Santa Clause (babbo natale) nonsense. She’s a witch who rides her broomstick over Italy on January 5th, the night before the Epiphany, to dole out gifts to all the well-behaved bambini. It’s pretty chic that La Befana takes Christmas Eve off for herself, since every witch needs to spend some of the holiday season relaxing with friends and family.
Cioccolata Calda
If you don’t want to dip your panettone in an espresso, try una cioccolata calda, or hot chocolate. In Italy, hot chocolate is typically made with melted chocolate instead of powder, so you’re in for a real treat.
Il Capodanno
Capodanno is how you say New Year’s Day. It’s a compound word meaning “leader of the year,” since capo is the italian word for “leader,” and anno means “year.” Il Capodanno is lovely, but if you’re more of a festaiolo (party animal), you may be more interested in La Vigilia di Capodanno. It’s celebrated similarly to how it’s celebrated in the US, with bonfires and fuoco d’artificio (fireworks), and is a whole lot of fun. When you wake up on capodanno, be sure to remember to wish your friends and family a buon anno (Happy New Years).
If you’re flying to Italy this holiday season, make sure you bring all the regular items on your your linguistic checklist: your sure-fire indicativo, your ever-necessary bagno, and your most apologetic scusa. In addition, make sure you bring these couple words with you in your carry on. And, if all else fails, don’t be afraid to simply employ your best “Panettone, per favore?”
Our Guide to the Feast of San Gennaro 2019
Here is your guide to the Feast of San Gennaro in NYC for 2019
Every Year, the San Gennaro Festival comes to Little Italy (right next to JP Linguistics), bringing out the best Italian food in Little Italy along its scenic ferris Wheel, and all the best Italian Culture New Yorkers can ask for! But what is San Gennaro exactly and what should you do to celebrate?
Mulberry Street is in Love for San Gennaro
What is San Gennaro?
San Gennaro is an Italian-American Festival which started in September 1926 by a group of Italian immigrants from Naples who gathered in New York, on Mulberry street and wanted to continue the celebration of Saint Januarius, the Patron Saint of Naples.
The tradition would have people gather and bring donations that they would pin on streamers that were attached to a representation of the Saint. The money was to be distributed to the poor of the neighborhood.
When is San Gennaro in NYC?
This Festival is held in September, around the 19th of September (official date in the calendar). In 2019, the Festival is from September 12th to September 22nd and start every evening around 7:30pm.
Where is the Festival in NYC?
The Feast of San Gennaro is held in Little Italy, mainly on Mulberry Street, but visible on Grand Street as well.
What can I do for San Gennaro?
Our Italian food recommendations:
M’O Gelato: Our favorite stop in the summer for Gelato.
Caffè Palermo: The Cannoli King of Little Italy with Cannolis that are world famous. It is worth the detour!
Margherita: If you have had pizza, and not Neapolitan Pizza, this is your go to place.
Our recommendation for the festival:
We also recommend for you to take time to watch to the Grand Procession which takes place on the last Saturday of the Festival.
This year, it should take place on September 21st after mass, around 2pm.
Little Italy ready for the 2019 San Gennaro Feast
Whether you you love Italian food or not, San Gennaro is a time that marks the beginning of Fall down in Nolita/SoHo/Little Italy. It is the time where we all party one last time to the sound of Italian music and the taste of wonderful Gelato!
We hope you’ve enjoyed Our Guide to the Feast of San Gennaro! If you are looking to check out the festival this Fall and learn Italian for your next trip to Naples, We can help make the process easier with our native instructors and culturally immersive group classes! Click below to learn more.
Exploring The Origins of the Vespa
Over the years, they have become an icon of Italian culture…
Vespas are more than just scooters. Over the years, they have become an icon of Italian culture and of the term "made in Italy" as a whole. They have been featured endlessly on the big screen in movies like Fellini's "La Dolce Vita" or "Roman Holiday" with Audrey Hepburn.
"Vespa is an extraordinary story," Piaggio Group design director Marco Lambri recently stated in an interview adding that "It's a story that was born in 1946, after the Second World War thanks to Enrico Piaggio's intuition and the genuis of an engineer, Corradino D'Ascanio. At the time, Piaggio was building in the aeronautical and naval field and the owners decided to reconvert the company in a new field: personal mobility. After the war, Italy had to start up again. And through this vehicle, simple, cheap, and for everyone, they thought they could give a significant contribution."
Vespa debuted in 1946 at the Rome Golf Club, and it quickly gained popularity as it went from selling 2,500 scooters in 1947 to more than 20x that in 1950. The first models were sold for 55,000 lire, or about $245 USD at the time. Vespa prices were very competitive, and this, together with its sleek design, is what turned it into a success. Vespa has made and sold over 1.6 million scooters all over the world. Vespa differs from other scooters in that its body frame is made entirely of steel stampings that are welded together, which is exactly how Piaggio made its airplanes when it launched the scooter in 1946.
Corradino D'Ascanio, the engineer of the bike, actually didn't love motorbikes, so he designed this Vespa based on who was supposed to drive it but without the constraits of motorbikes back then. It had to be easy to use, protective, comfortable.. It’s name comes from Enrico Piaggio's exclamation when he saw the first prototype as it’s shape resembled a wasp (vespa in Italian). When he said it, he said, "It looks like a wasp!”
All of this combined makes it easy to understand why Vespa has made and sold over 1.6 million scooters all over the world - thus making it the go to for Italians who want to take on the open road sans the windshield
We hope you’ve enjoyed Exploring The Origins of the Vespa! Looking to rent one of these iconic motorbikes on your next trip to Italy? We can help make the process easier with our native instructors and culturally immersive group classes! Click below to learn more.
Remembering Andrea Camilleri
We will miss the intellectual, the free person who spoke freely, who said things that pleased and did not please…
Remembering Andrea Camilleri
A private funeral was held in Rome today for the famed Italian author Andrea Camilleri, who earned worldwide acclaim for his series of detective novels featuring inspector Salvo Montalbano.
Friends and family gathered for the ceremony at Rome's Protestant Cemetery, where many famed artists and poets are buried, including Percy Shelley and John Keats and was attended as well by several hundred well-wishers were allowed to enter the cemetery in small groups to pay tribute to the author.
The celebrated author died at the age of 93 in Rome after a period of intensive care. News of Camilleri's death sparked a outpouring of tributes for the author, who never shied away from criticizing those in power.
Italian Culture Minister Alberto Bonisoli stated that "we will miss the intellectual, the free person who spoke freely, who said things that pleased and did not please”.
Camilleri became a novelist later in life, publishing his first book at the age of 57 and would go on to sell over 20 million books in Italy with around 30 novels featuring Montalbano which were translated into at least 30 languages up until 2006, with instructions that his final novel be published only after his death.
We hope you’ve enjoyed Remembering Andrea Camilleri! What was your favorite of his novels featuring Salvo Montalbano? Join the coversation below!
Present Day Pinnochio
This is one tale that is being taken on in a much more intense fashion…
Present Day Pinnochio
Many Americans recognize Pinocchio from the classic Disney film. While Disney is on a streak of making live-action remakes, this is one tale that is being taken on in a much more intense fashion with director Matteo Garrone at the helm.
Garrone, best known for his gritty 2008 crime drama Gomorrah, is making an Italian language version of the tale, penned in the late 1800s by Italian writer Carlo Collodi.
With lavish make-up and scenery, it appears this is not quite the family-friendly adaptation that Walt Disney gave us in 1940.
Garrone has also specifically stated that it will be faithful to Collodi's original text but added that he 'would certainly like children to be part of the audience'.
Italian screen veteran Roberto Benigni will portray the carpenter Geppetto, who makes the marionette in his Tuscan workshop, dreaming that he would one day become a real boy an is Benigni's 1st since the Woody Allen comedy To Rome With Love in which he appeared in in 2012.
Interestingly enough, this isn’t the only new version of Pinocchio that has been announced as Guillermo Del Toro is set to make a stop-motion animated Pinocchio movie for Nexflix, which will be decidedly not family friendly.
We hope you’ve enjoyed the look at the new adaptation of the Present Day Pinnochio! Want to get rid of those pesky subtitles while enjoying your favorite foreign films? Our native instructors and culturally immersive group classes are sure to have you singing along seamlessly at your next viewing! Click below to learn more.
The Best In Italian Street Art
The 400 mainly elderly residents openly embrace the thousands of visitors that arrive each June…
The Best In Italian Street Art
2019 will mark the fourth year of the CVTà Street Fest in Civitacampomara - a depopulated village in the Campobasso just under 200 km east of Rome.
Photo: Alessia di Rissio
The goal of CVTà Street Fest is to bring new life into the largely abandoned village. The 400 mainly elderly residents openly embrace the thousands of visitors that arrive each June. Festival-goes will be treated to 4 days of live mural painting, street art tours, live music, amongst many other arts based workshops.
Photo: WideWalls
The entire concept was brought to life In 2014 when Ylenia Carelli, president of Civitacampomarano's cultural organization, wrote to celebrated street artist, Alice Pasquini, inviting her to paint in the village not even knowing that Pasquini's grandfather was actually one of the village's 400 residents. While the town continues to see a decline in inhabitants, there are signs of change. A new ice-cream shop has opened, there’s an AirBnB in the town’s center, and more and more people are seen walking through Civitacampomarano as a result of the artistic spectacles put on by well known Italian and international street artists.
Travelers should note that the village is a 3.5-hour drive away from Rome, and can only be reached by car, so those relying on public transit in Rome will need to plan to rent a vehicle to attend the festival.
We hope you’ve enjoyed learning about how the CVTà Street Fest is helping create The Best In Italian Street Art! Looking to take a trip to see the pieces yourself? Our culturally immersive group classes and native instructors can put you on the path to fluency faster than you may think! Click below to learn more!
Move To Italy (And Get Paid To Do It)
Locana is offering foreigners up to just over $10,000 to make this seemingly dreamscape a home…
Move To Italy (And Get Paid To Do It)
Have you ever imagined waking up surrounded by lush meadows, snow-peaked mountains, and chestnut forests? Well imagine getting paid to move there. Giovanni Bruno Mattiet, the mayor a tiny village of Locana is offering foreigners up to just over $10,000 to make this seemingly dreamscape a home. Locana is the latest in a list Italian towns offering unbelievable property deals in a bid to revive their depopulated communities.
Photo: Homes & Property
Amazing, right? There must be a catch, right?
Of course there is.
Those wishing to take advantage of this offer must have at least one child and a minimum annual salary of $6,800.
Locana’s population has shrunk from 7,000 residents in the early 1900s to barely 1,500, after people left looking for a job at Turin’s big factories. The village school also faces the risk of shutting down due to so few pupils, so the aim is to draw mostly young people and professionals who work remotely or are willing to start a life in Italy. The $10,000 payout will also be payed out over the course of 3 years rather than a single lump-sum payment.
Photo: vallesoana
Every year in the town there are only 10 births but 40 deaths, thus making it very hard to sustain a population, so while the offer was first only for Italians or foreigners who already live in Italy, the program has been extended to also include foreigners living outside Italy.
There are dozens of closed shops, bars, restaurants and boutiques just waiting for new people to run them. The country has already seen success stories, like Ollolai on the island of Sardinia, which sold dozens of properties for around $1, which have already been refurbished by young professionals and more Italians relocating to the village.
We hope you’ve enjoyed learning about how to Move To Italy (And Get Paid To Do It)! Ready to make the big move? Our native instructors and culturally immersive group classes are sure to put you on the path to fluency so you can enjoy all that Italy has to offer (along with your brand new picturesque dwelling)! Click below to learn more.
3 Must See European Year of Culture Heritage Events
Italy has plenty to offer for the European Year of Culture Heritage 2018 which is hosting 1,136 events as part of the EU-wide ceremony. We’ve listed the 3 events you absolutely MUST SEE if you plan on being in attendance.
3 Must See European Year of Culture Heritage Events
Italy has plenty to offer for the European Year of Culture Heritage 2018 which is hosting 1,136 events as part of the EU-wide ceremony. We’ve listed the 3 events you absolutely MUST SEE if you plan on being in attendance.
Chiaravalle Milanese
New Cultural Landscape is running until December 31st, 2018.
An interactive project that involves residents, city-users and tourists in a "performative event" geared at regenerating this area on the outskirts of Milan. Chiaravalle is the name Saint Bernard of Clairvaux gave to the area when he founded the Cistercian abbey in 1135. Before 1923, Chiaravalle was an autonomous comune, named Chiaravalle Milanese, and despite being annexed to Milan, Chiaravalle has maintained the character of an autonomous town. The park that embraces the district also separates it from the urban agglomeration of the city. This isolation is reinforced by the scarceness of public transportation to the centre of the district.
"In a 1100-inhabitant-village, Chiaravalle’s old school gym has been transformed into a community hub, which aspires to become the local community’s hybrid cultural space dedicated to the landscape. terzo paesaggio’s goal is to provide workshop, based on the monks’ ancient tradition of cantieri scuola and memorable experiences," say the organizers.
Palermo
Italian Capital of Culture 2018 is running until December 31st, 2018. The city of Palermo is noted for its history, culture, architecture and gastronomy, that has played an important role throughout much of its existence; it is over 2,700 years old. Palermo is located in the northwest of the island of Sicily, right by the Gulf of Palermo in the Tyrrhenian Sea.
Palermo is hosting 132 concerts, 132 exhibitions and 12,151 programs by artists as part of its designation as Italian Capital of Culture 2018. Dance, photography, architecture, street art, lectures and so much more in the Sicilian capital.
Venice
Venice Time Machine is running until December 31st, 2018.
Venice is situated across a group of 118 small islands in northeastern Italy that are separated by canals and linked by over 400 bridges. and is renowned for it’s beautiful architecture and artwork. The lagoon and a part of the city are listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
"The Venice Time Machine project, based on historical and cultural data from important archives and libraries and strengthened by advanced software and cutting-edge visualization methods, aims to build an interactive model of Venice and its social, economic and political environment during the centuries," according to MIBAC.
We hope you’ve enjoyed learning about the 3 Must See European Year of Culture Heritage Events! Planning a trip to be in attendance? Our native instructors and culturally immersive group classes can help you get the most out of all of the wonderful cultural celebrations taking place in Italy this year. Click below to learn more.
An Italian Sabbatical
Airbnb will be recruiting 4 people to move to the village of Grottole in the region of Basilicata for a 3 month Italian sabbatical…
An Italian Sabbatical
The American owned home-share company, Airbnb has been hit with many controversies over the last few years surrounding the issue that it’s customers have turned once residential areas into tourist hotspots. Critics say that this model has driven up property values and in essence made it impossible for residents to continue living in areas they have called home for most of their lives. The company, however, is seeking to make amends with locals with a new project in the sultry south of Italy by recruiting 4 people to move to the village of Grottole in the region of Basilicata for a 3 month “Italian sabbatical”.
Photo: Airbnb
During this trip, the participants will become part of the fabric of the community and to help revive the village. Like many places in Italy, particularly in the south, Grottole suffers from chronic depopulation to the point that the current population is 300 and there are around 600 empty homes in the town. The chosen candidates will enjoy an all-expenses-paid stay in the village, where they will be responsible for helping a local NGO, Wonder Grottole, revitalize the community. In exchange, the candidates will be offered free accommodation, up to €900 in expenses per month & given the opportunity to enroll in cultural classes.
Dying towns and villages across Italy have come up with a variety of novel solutions to avoid extinction. Some have offered empty houses for sale for just one euro (as you may remember in our article ___, including the hilltop towns of Gangi and Sambuca in Sicily, on condition that newcomers spend substantial sums restoring the properties.
The deadline for applications to this exciting opportunity will be on February 17th 2019.
We hope you’ve enjoyed learning about how you can be paid to take An Italian Sabbatical! If you’re planning on applying, why not already have a head start with being able to communicate with your new potential home? Our culturally immersive group classes and native instructors can put you on the path to fluency faster than you may have every thought possible. Click below to learn more!
Cioccolata Calda
Not for the faint of heart, Cioccolata Calda is rich, thick, and full of real chocolate...
Cioccolata Calda
While it may not have the same recognition as Chocolate Cliente Mexicano, cioccolata calda is the decadent Italian chocolate treat you never knew you needed during the holiday season, until now. Unlike gelato, which is available year-round, cioccolata calda is only readily available in most Italian restaurants when the weather turns cool. If you aren't currently finding yourself at Catinari, where you can find arguablly the most decadent cioccolata calda, you can follow this recipe to get your chocoalte fix for the winter!
Not for the faint of heart, Cioccolata Calda is rich, thick, and full of real chocolate.
Cook Time: 15 mins Yield: Serves 2 to 4
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons to 1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 cups milk
4 tablespoons sugar
1 cup chopped chocolate or chocolate chips
Instructions:
Melt butter in a medium saucepan over low heat.
Whisk in cornstarch until combined and melty. If you want the hot chocolate thicker, use the maximum amount of cornstarch.
Add in milk and sugar. Increase the heat gradually to medium-high. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Mixture will start to thicken.
Once the mixture begins to thicken, turn the heat down to low and add in the chocolate chips. Stir constantly until well melted.
Serve hot. Keep the leftovers because it is also amazing, if not better cold!
We hope you enjoyed learning how to craft your own Cioccolata Calda! To learn about all of the decadent offerings the Italian culture encapsulates, be sure to check out our full immersive Group and Private Classes!
Remembering A Spaghetti Westerner
While his name may not be at the forefront of the cinematic world, there is no denying that Bacalov has and will continue to impact the modern movie-goer through his timeless compositions...
Remembering A Spaghetti Westerner
Luis Bacalov, whose work is remembered from Italian crime movies, to spaghetti westerns, and more contemporarily, Quentin Tarantino films, died Nov. 15 at a hospital in Rome at the age of 84.
Bacalov was born near Buenos Aires but spent almost his entire life working in Italy, where he fused his take on the tango into many of his scores including “Il Postino” which would earn him not only an Oscar for best original dramatic score, but a permanent place in the hearts of spaghetti westerners around the world.
Though he was often overshadowed by famed composer and good friend, Ennio Morricone, who famously composed theme of the spaghetti western classic,“The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly” Mr. Bacalov composed some of the most memorable tracks of Italy’s 60s and 70s western boom.
Possibly the best example of his timelessness in composition is the title song for “Django” (1966), a Franco Nero movie that was so violent that it was banned in England for nearly 30 years. Quentin Tarantino took such a liking to the song that he came to be used it in the title sequence for his smash revisionist history hit, “Django Unchained,” thus joining the pair of Bacalov’s compositions used in the “Kill Bill” series.
While his name may not be at the forefront of the cinematic world, there is no denying that Bacalov has and will continue to impact the modern movie-goer through his timeless compositions.
We hope you enjoyed learning about one of the most influential spaghetti westerners, Luis Bacalov, and how his compositions changed the Italian cinema and culture. For more Italian culture, be sure to check out our highly rated, fully immersive group and private classes!
How to Become a Gondolier
You have to prove your seriousness, knowledge of boating, willingness to clean the boat, but also your willingness to help tourists to settle and feel confortable.
How to Become a Gondolier
It is not possible to think about Italy, without thinking about its famous Venetian Gondolas. Gondolas are ancient, so ancient that the trace of its official inventor is hard to find. Indeed, this flat-bottom boat is around a thousand years old! There is a first mention of a Gondola in a correspondence from Doge Vitale Falier who was a Duke in Venice in 1094 where he used the word gondulam. Weather it is old or pretty recent, everyone loves a nice gondola ride on the venetian river where you can fill your eyes with wonders and your ears with beautiful and melodic Italian songs. Today, we are taking you to Venice for your first (or second) gondola ride... Enjoy!
What is a gondola?
A gondola is a boat that has a flat bottom and it is about 10,85 metres (34ft.) about 1,40 metres (4.5 ft.) in width. The boat is made with several kinds of wood such as fir, cherry, chestnut, elm, oak, linden tree and many more. It can take up to 2 years to build it, using about 280 wooden pieces, and its weight ranges about 350 kg to 600 kg or about 770 to 1300 pounds. It is not until the 15th Century that we will see the "modern" gondola that we know today. The color black was imposed to refrain an unfair competition with the rich Venetians who would ornate the boat with gold and other treasures. Up until the Second World War, gondolas were guided by 2 gondoliers and they were used by people as a private mode of transportation. Kind of like Uber, without the app!
How to navigate a Gondola
Gondolas are a very interesting kind of boat. It is propelled by a person who stands facing the bow and rows with a forward stroke followed by a backward stroke in order to compensate the movement. Because of its flat bottom, the gondola can also be drifted sideways if it is necessary.
Funny fact, the gondolas were equipped at some point with a little cabin from the passengers to protect them form the weather or people looking at them. It even had windows with blinds (original Venetian blinds!) to offer you the perfect intimate moment. This cabin, or "felze" disappeared in the early 20th Century.
how to become a gondolier
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. The knowledge was passed from one generation to another, from father to son. This system disappeared in 1980 and you can now take the exam. You have to prove your seriousness, knowledge of boating, willingness to clean the gondola, but also your willingness to help tourists to settle and feel confortable. The first women to obtain her permit is now working in the area of Dorsoduro. She passed her exam in 2009. Are you ready for the exam?
We hope you enjoyed reading about How to Become a Gondolier! One thing we must add that is the number one goal for gondoliers is the Regata Storica. It is an annual race that will allow winners to belong to a family (of gondoliers)! Do you have pictures of your recent trip in Venice? Don't forget to add them in the comments' section below. Looking for more Italian language & culture? Check out our Italian Group Classes and Private Lessons at JP Linguistics taught by native instructors. Grazie mille!