Is this the end of gondola rides in Venice?
Is this the end of gondola rides in Venice?
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Synopsis
Venice's smaller canals have dried up, leaving tourists and gondola operators frustrated. Experts have linked this to the high-pressure weather conditions in many parts of Italy. If you thought this is unfortunate for the city’s t … Read more
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If reports are to go by, this unfortunate dry spell is due to a prolonged spell of low tides. Experts have linked this to the high-pressure weather conditions in many parts of Italy.
If you thought this is unfortunate for the city’s tourism scene, imagine what this means for a larger part of the city, since these canals also serve as streets.
Did you know that there are no cars in the city of Venice? With several canals connecting different parts of the city, there is no room or need for cars in Venice.
Normally, gondolas and vaporettos or water-buses take the residents as well as the tourists around the city. The erstwhile canals are now reduced to mere trickle and muck.
Many of the affected canals are under some of the most scenic bridges in the city. Meaning, a lot of the scenic gondola rides on these smaller waterways are not happening anymore right now.
This high-pressure weather condition has also led to lesser alpine snow melt, which is one of the main reasons for drying up of important lakes and river systems in several parts of the country. Experts hint that the situation is a result of global warming and unprecedented weather changes; it was only in 2019 that Venice also saw severe floods, which was also the worst flood in 50 years for the city.
Read more: Venice reeling under severe flood, St Mark’s Basilica flooded; Mayor cites climate change as cause
But hope is not all lost. Even though the smaller canals in Venice are in a mess right now, the wider and main waterways like Grand and Giudecca canals are operating normally.
Fun fact: The city of Venice was a marshy lagoon which was later turned into a safe sanctuary. People fled to this lagoon to avoid barbarian conquerors! This safe sanctuary is the present-day city of Venice. Also, Venice is made up of a total of 118 islands, all connected by 400 bridges and 170 waterways. Another interesting fact about Venice is that, during peak season, tourists easily outnumber the residents.
St. Mark's Square is one of the most common and popular spots to find gondolas. Venice's peak months are from April to June and September to October.
If you do get to Venice, do the walking tour of the port city. There are themed tours as well as free tours for visitors.
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