When in Venice, one must take a gondola ride. Not because it’s cliché, but because there’s no better way to feel like Casanova’s heiress gliding through a city carved from dreams. This isn’t your average canal cruise. It’s the catwalk of water. The red carpet floats. And in the summer heat, with paparazzi drones possibly overhead (especially if your name is Lauren Sánchez-Bezos), it’s time to style like you just stepped off one of the ninety private jets circling Italy for that wedding of the decade.
Yes darling, welcome to Venice, where even your gondolier is wearing stripes and singing for tips.
Gondola Style: Choose Your Ride Like You Choose Your Lover With Taste, Intent, and a Little Drama
Not all gondolas are made equal. Some are simply practical, some are romantic, and others are dripping in black lacquer and gold carvings worthy of Versailles. The traditional gondola is hand-crafted, sleek and asymmetrical – built to handle the narrow waterways and turn heads, quite literally.
Types of Gondola Rides to Consider:
- Private Romantic Gondola (classic): For €90-120 you get 30 minutes of peace, serenade optional. Perfect for couples or those faking a romance for Instagram.
- Group Gondola: Less expensive, less exclusive, and often packed with sweaty tourists wearing bumbags and Crocs. Not recommended unless you enjoy a noisy splash.
- Luxury Gondola with Serenade: Yes, it’s real, and yes, it’s theatrical. Imagine you and your linen-clad love drifting through canals with a tenor belting “O Sole Mio” like you’re Sophia Loren in a 1950s film.
- Gondola with Aperitivo: Yes. Yes. And yes. Sip prosecco as the gondola glides. It’s the floating lounge you never knew you needed.
For true billionaire energy, rent the boat from Hotel Danieli or Gritti Palace, where the boarding point is as elegant as the rooms. It’s the style equivalent of arriving to a party in a Rolls-Royce Phantom – instead of a Fiat Panda.
What to Wear on a Gondola – Opulence Meets Humidity
It’s summer. Venice is humid. The canals are steaming. The romance is real. But sweat and silk are not friends. Here’s how to sail stylishly without melting.
For Women:
- Wide-Brim Hat: Straw is your savior. It shades, it styles, and it screams “I lunch in Capri.” Make sure it’s secure – wind off the Grand Canal can turn your hat into a flying saucer.
- Linen Palazzo Pants or Maxi Dress: Floaty, breathable, and goddess-like. Think Bianca Jagger meets Monica Bellucci. Choose whites, soft pastels, or a bold red to channel La Dolce Vita.
- Flat Sandals or Wedges: Gondolas require elegant entry. You don’t want to do a pirouette into the canal in heels. Woven leather slides or gold-detailed flats are ideal.
- Statement Sunglasses: Vintage Dior, oversized Gucci, or those MOD FAIT MAIN French wraparounds you thrifted in Milan – the bolder, the better. You’re here to be seen.
- Fan or Silk Scarf: It’s hot. Be your own breeze. Or use it to subtly wave off that shirtless gondolier offering you his number.
Once a year there is a fest called Redentore where Gondoal racing happens on the famous Giudecca.
Where to Board Like a Venetian Queen
The worst place to take a gondola? Right outside St Mark’s Square. Unless you enjoy paying €20 more for a view that’s already jammed with phones, pigeons, and kids with melting gelato. Instead:
- Squero di San Trovaso (Dorsoduro): It’s quieter, with views of artisans repairing gondolas and a slower, more serene canal route.
- San Polo (near Campo San Tomà): Less tourist traffic and more of that tucked-away Venice magic.
- Giudecca Island departure: Exclusive, peaceful, and often the choice of A-listers avoiding the crowds.
Don’t just drift. Glide strategically.
Vintage Green Dress
People have been traumatised by the loss of loved ones, and being isolated for so long regarding public behaviour. The owners of businesses are having a hard time getting people legally back into the workforce, as opposed to staying home. If you are a photography company then wear what she is below. In fashion your options are endless when attending catwalks and fashion weeks.
Like Brad Pitt wearing bottle green, women look great too.
For Men:
- Linen Shirt, Unbuttoned: Channel that Mediterranean nonchalance. Roll up the sleeves, flash some forearm. Pair it with a leather bracelet or two if you must.
- Tailored Shorts or Slim Linen Trousers: No cargo shorts. You’re not in Disneyland. You’re in Venezia, and the ghosts of Italian style legends are watching.
- Espadrilles or Leather Moccasins: Waterproof enough if you’re clumsy, but elegant enough to lounge like a yacht-owner.
- Sunglasses with Character: Think Persol, not petrol station Ray-Bans.
Bonus points if you both coordinate. Power couple status is earned, not inherited.
Style on the Streets – Walking Venice Like a Jet-Set Heiress
Now let’s get real. You’ll be walking. A lot. Venice is cobbled, uneven, and steps are everywhere. There’s no Uber. Only vaporettos, gondolas, or your feet.
Style Tips for Roaming Venice in Summer:
- Invest in Stylish Sneakers or Designer Slides: Think Golden Goose, Hogan, or even a luxury Birkenstock. Comfort with flair.
- Breezy Layering: A lightweight kimono, cotton blazer, or oversized shirt makes for easy transitions between sun, shade, and surprise museum chills.
- Crossbody Bag or Small Backpack: Keep it chic and safe. Pickpockets love a distracted tourist. Go for leather, canvas, or straw. Prada makes a great city backpack if you want form and function.
- Avoid Long Black Garments: They soak up heat. Unless you’re going full Sicilian widow, keep it fresh.
Channeling the Bezos Wedding Vibe
Let’s not pretend. You heard about it. The Lauren Sánchez-Jeff Bezos wedding extravaganza – a billionaire bash with nearly 100 private jets, two mega yachts, and a guest list glittering with the world’s rich and richer.
You might not have flown into Venice on a Gulfstream, but you can certainly dress like you stepped off one.
- Jewellery That Talks: Chunky gold hoops. Stacked bangles. A vintage brooch. Venice is about drama. Don’t let your accessories whisper.
- Bold Lip, Minimal Base: Humidity melts makeup. A red lip survives. It’s your signature. Be your own Lauren Sánchez moment.
- Polished Nails & Fresh Hair: Because when you lift that camera for a selfie on the Grand Canal, every detail matters.
Final Tips for the Gondola & Grand Tour Experience
- Take the Gondola at Sunset: The light bounces off the water like gold dust. Less heat, more magic.
- Avoid Eating a Gelato on the Gondola: It’s not chic when it drips on your silk dress or down your man’s espadrilles.
- Tip Your Gondolier, Smile Like You Own the City, and Take Photos With Elegance.
Because style is about confidence. And Venice is your stage.
