Venice is looking for new gondoliers: how do you become one?

The application process is now open to officially become a gondolier, transporting tourists through Venice‘s fascinating and much-envied canals. However, the available spots are very limited, the selection process is stringent, and the requirements are numerous.

Obtaining the certification is not for everyone; the ancient tradition of Venice cannot be entrusted to just anyone.

Fierce competition and selection tests: the challenge for apprentices

Becoming a gondolier is far from an easy task. This historic profession, always a symbol of the city on the water, was once highly coveted and particularly lucrative. Positions were limited and had little room for maneuver: licenses were passed down exclusively from father to son, and female gondoliers were not allowed.

Today, there are only 433 gondoliers, but a massive generational shift is underway, requiring the training of new aspiring workers to ensure that the symbol of Venice does not become just a distant memory.

Gondoliers Venice — Traditionally, the gondoliers always wear horizontally striped shirts in Venice

What does the application process entail?

To replace gondoliers with their typical horizontally striped shirts, aspiring workers must first pass a pre-selection test, which consists of a rowing exam. Judged by four commissioners, the minimum required score is 28 points. Once this first phase is passed, they can proceed to the theoretical and practical courses.

The candidate must still meet the following requirements:

Be at least 18 years old
Hold a diploma
Meet the moral suitability requirements
Have obtained a valid swimming certification
Possess a certificate of good health
Pay €400 for the theoretical course and €400 for the practical course
Be an EU citizen (not necessarily Italian)

However, there is a significant change compared to the past. While historically, women were not admitted to the sacred art of gondoliers, there has recently been an important shift. The first female gondolier was admitted only in 2009, but today, there are as many as 14 female gondoliers in Venice!

Practical and theoretical course to become a gondolier

Those who meet the requirements and pass the pre-selection can move on to the next phase: participating in the theoretical and practical courses.

Female gondolier in Venice — One of 14 female gondoliers currently in service

The theoretical course consists of a total of 30 hours of lessons, focused on the most important topics for aspiring gondoliers:

8 hours on safety and navigation law
8 hours on the history of Venetian art
6 hours of English language
8 hours on ethics and behavior with tourists

The practical course, on the other hand, is limited to 10 hours of rowing lessons. To be eligible for the final exam, candidates must achieve 80% attendance in both courses.

At the end of the training, a practical rowing test judged by four expert commissioners is required. The worthy candidates will then receive the professional certificate as a public transport conductor, in the gondola service section.

However, even once certified, it is not easy to secure a job and start working. An apprenticeship period of an undetermined length is expected: novice gondoliers always start as substitutes for professional gondoliers in case of need, and unless new positions are introduced, they will have to wait to take over when others retire.

In short, what some call the most beautiful job in the world, in terms of culture and tradition, is very unique. Gondoliers work an average of 10-12 hours a day, the selection process is highly competitive, and the positions are few. Furthermore, while centuries ago they only worked in the summer as a secondary job, today they are required to be available all year round.

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