The Best Of Bel Paese
Are you yearning to explore the vineyards for the best wines or wishing to explore the bustling cities? Are you on a limitless budget or looking to backpack on a shoestring? Do you want to celebrate a special holiday in native Italian fashion? The options are endless regardless of what your tastes may be!
The Best Of Bel Paese
Planning a trip to Bel Paese, or the ‘beautiful country’ of Italy can seem overwhelming at first, but with the right timing and knowledge of your own tastes, it is more than possible to plot the trip of a lifetime! Are you yearning to explore the vineyards for the best wines or wishing to explore the bustling cities? Are you on a limitless budget or looking to backpack on a shoestring? Do you want to celebrate a special holiday in native Italian fashion? The options are endless regardless of what your tastes may be!
Spring, summer, and autumn, as long as you arrive early in the season, are commonly referred to as the best times to visit Italy. If you are planning a trip later in the spring and summer seasons, you may become lost amongst a sea of tourists and vacationing Italians where beach amenity rentals can be expensive with many of the hotspots overcrowded.
For the budget traveller, Meridiana Airlines offers extremely affordable round trip flights between May and October from New York City to Rome, Naples or Milan for less than $500.
If you are looking to take advantage of the booming wine industry in Italy, Villa Cappelli offers wine tastings with regional sommeliers, cooking classes, and cultural tours of Puglia. If you plan on visiting in the autumn specifically, Venissa, a small boutique resort on the islands of Mazzorbo and Burano, will be celebrating the harvest of their Dorona vineyard where owner, Matteo Bisol, hosts wine dinners and tours of the oldest church in Venice, The Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta.
Photo: Isoladiburano.it
If you would like to travel the very popular region of Tuscany, November - April are considered off peak months, and will provide you with a less crowded experience. By booking a reservation at the Monteverdi (for those with a larger budget), which is an easy day trip from destinations like Pienza and Florence, travelers can experience truffle hunting, wine tasting, and cooking classes.
Photo: Monteverdituscany.com
Rome, like Florence, is flooded with tourists almost anytime of year except for the winter months. Despite the occasional bout of rain, the city’s main attractions are easily accessible during this time of year. If Naples is on your radar, inexpensive tickets can be acquired from Rome if booking online in advance. Native Italians make the trek just for the Christmas markets (some of the largest in Europe) during this most wonderful time of the year.
We hope you've enjoyed learning about when and where to explore The Best Of Bel Paese! Want to forego the translator app when making your trip? Our native instructors and immersive group classes will ensure you are prepared to enjoy Italy, no matter where your tastes take you!
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!