Can you hire a boat in Venice like hiring a car anywhere else?
Nov 5th, 2003, 02:03 AM
#1
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Can you hire a boat in Venice like hiring a car anywhere else?
Since canals and waterways are the "roads" of Venice, is it possible to hire a boat and "drive" to the various islands etc independently? Are there boat hire companies like Europcar, Avis and such?
Nov 5th, 2003, 02:18 AM
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Hi,
If you go to www.google.com and enter "Venice boat hire" you will find
http://www.europeafloat.com/itvl.htm
If you go to www.google.com and enter "Venice boat hire" you will find
http://www.europeafloat.com/itvl.htm
Nov 5th, 2003, 06:33 AM
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You might want to think twice about doing that. First, I'd only cosider it if you are an experienced boater. The lagoon gets very rough at times with all the traffic.
Secondly I had friends who did this, and everytime they started down smaller canals they'd get yelled at mainly by gondola operators or delivery boats. It seems there is a "known" system of which way boats normally go through canals. Everytime they'd head down one, they'd meet another boat in a narrow spot and get yelled at in Italian. After about an hour they returned the boat and gave it up. Some are actually marked as one way I guess, but most are not. Still the locals "know" the system and don't appreciate the tourists being in their way. At least that's the impression they got.
Secondly I had friends who did this, and everytime they started down smaller canals they'd get yelled at mainly by gondola operators or delivery boats. It seems there is a "known" system of which way boats normally go through canals. Everytime they'd head down one, they'd meet another boat in a narrow spot and get yelled at in Italian. After about an hour they returned the boat and gave it up. Some are actually marked as one way I guess, but most are not. Still the locals "know" the system and don't appreciate the tourists being in their way. At least that's the impression they got.
Nov 5th, 2003, 07:37 AM
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Would you want to hire a car to see the sights of London or Paris ? You'd be too busy looking at other vehicles to spend any time gazing at the sights. It's surely much better to rely on people who know what they're doing - the gondoliers, vaporetti skippers and taxi boat owners know all the ins and outs of the Venetian waterways.
Nov 5th, 2003, 07:44 AM
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You can hire one but exactly like a car you need a proper valid in Venice boat license. Unless you hire a dingy under 4.5 mts and below 20hp horsepower.
But I don't think that is very romantic.
Take boat taxis and enjoy.
But I don't think that is very romantic.
Take boat taxis and enjoy.
Nov 5th, 2003, 07:54 AM
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I agree that it really takes a lot of skill to navigate the waterways of Venice. I couldn't imagine "driving" a boat there without the proper training.
Enjoy the beauty of the city in the numerous other ways there are to get around.
Enjoy the beauty of the city in the numerous other ways there are to get around.
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