Six days paddling
A full week’s paddling in Venice will leave few canals in the city unexplored. With six paddling days in Venice there’s enough time to explore most of the city, and still have time for Murano, Burano, Torcello, the lagoon and an evening paddle through the Canal Grande after dark and even a visit to a local rowing club to learn to row standing up, like in a gondola.
After six days kayaking in Venice you will have seen more of the city and its surroundings than many of its inhabitants.
Below is an example program for a kayaking week in Venice. It is quite a full program, and it requires good technique and endurance. It is, however, an example of what can be done in a week.
- Venice – easy paddle in the in the sestieri Castello and Cannaregio, passing the Rialto Bridge but avoiding the areas with the most traffic;
- Venice – more challenging paddle in the sestieri S. Marco, S. Polo and Dorsoduro, where there are many gondolas and more traffic;
- Lagoon paddle north to Sant’Erasmo, Burano and Torcello;
- Afternoon visit to Murano with half a day off, dinner in the lagoon, and night paddle through Canal Grande;
- Venice – the lesser known parts in Giudecca, Dorsoduro and S. Croce with a visit to a squero, a gondola shipyard;
- Lagoon paddle south with Voga alla Veneta trial in a rowing club on the Lido.
All Venice Kayak trips start from the Certosa island. Click here for instructions on how to find us.
A day trip with Venice Kayak is a full day’s paddling. We normally meet at 10 AM in the bar at the Certosa hotel, so we’re ready in our kayaks before 11 AM. We’ll paddle through the day, in a relaxed pace with a good lunch break and pauses as needed. Lunch is either sandwiches or we’ll eat in a café or bar along the way. We typically start turning back at 3-4 PM with the intent of being back on the Certosa island around 5 PM and in any case before sunset.
In the above program the days in the city are around 15-20km, but the days in the lagoon can be up to 25km.
For evening paddles we usually start later, then have dinner together in a restaurant in the lagoon, before the evening paddle through the city and back to the Lido, where we’ll arrive after midnight.
Each day’s route is agreed with you before we start, based on your wishes, desires and skills and on external factors such as traffic, weather and tide. A planned route isn’t immutable, and if necessary we’ll change or adjust it along the way.
Groups can be up to 6 persons. Larger groups can be arranged, but must be agreed upon well in advance, as we have to have an assistant guide with larger groups.
As you need to be on the Certosa island every day during the week, it makes sense to chose accommodation at or near the Certosa island.
Required skills
We expect our guests to have basic paddling and rescue skills, to feel safe close to water and to know how to swim.
If you haven’t paddled a sea kayak before, but still want to try, we’ll start with a short tour in the lagoon, before we enter the canals of the city.
Practical information
Venice Kayak supplies kayaks, paddles, spraydecks, life vest (PFD), paddling jackets and drybags for change of clothes and valuables. The price also includes maps, use of toilets and showers at the camp site, and insurance.
All tours are guided by experienced Italian and English speaking kayak coaches.
Guests should bring sports clothes and shoes suitable for paddling, a change of clothes for afterwards, and protective items for outdoor activities, such as sunscreen, a hat and sun glasses. Water and snacks can be bought on the camp site.
Don't bring cameras that aren't waterproof. It only takes a few drops of salt water to ruin a camera or other electronics. Venice Kayak has one or more waterproof cameras suitable for taking pictures while kayaking. We will send you the photos we take afterwards.
