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Squero di San Trovaso : The workshop and living quarters, resembling an alpine chalet, are quite unusual for Venice
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Squero di San Trovaso

Gondola Boatyard

One of the last few workshops building traditional wooden gondolas.

Naval Heritage

What makes it special

The gondola factory

A squero is a shipyard for small wooden boats, including gondolas. The name derives from the square tool, called 'squara' in Venetian dialect.

A stray alpine chalet

Its architecture is unusual for Venice, resembling a mountain chalet. That’s because many of the original carpenters, and the timber they used, came from the Alps.

A chance to observe this unique vessel

The gondola is unlike any other boat in the world: long, narrow, and surprisingly agile, it can be gracefully steered by a single person with just one oar.

Squero di San Trovaso : Flipped over and likely due for a paint job, these gondolas expose their flat-bottomed hulls — an essential feature for navigating Venice’s shallow canals

Open Gallery for more insights

Your experience here

  • Watch skilled artisans craft and repair gondolas by hand.
  • See this iconic vessel up close and out of the water.
  • Do all of this while enjoying cicchetti and a drink from Osteria Al Squero — conveniently located just across the canal.

Open Gallery to get the feel

Guided visit

Email them in advance to arrange a captivating 30-minute tour inside the historic shipyard.

Tempted to ride one?

Riva del Vin : Come summertime, the place bursts with visitors and leisurely gondola rides

After seeing how they're crafted, you might just want to hop aboard. After all, a gondola ride is the quintessential Venetian experience — timeless, romantic, and unlike anything else.

A 30-minute gondola ride has a fixed price set by the city: €90 during the day and €110 in the evening or at night.

This price is per boat, not per person, and each gondola can carry up to 5 passengers.

Just keep in mind: payment is cash only.

Traveling solo or without cash? Shared gondola rides can be booked online for a more budget-friendly option.

Why two identical facades?

Behind the boatyard stands the Church of San Trovaso, notable for its twin facades — a rare feature in Venice.

These identical entrances were designed to appease the city’s historic rivals: the Nicolotti and the Castellani, allowing each faction to enter with equal status.

Their fierce rivalry famously erupted at Ponte dei Pugni, the "Bridge of Fists", where brutal fistfights once took place.

You can still stand today in the stone footprints where the battles began.

Ponte dei Pugni : Stone footprints marked the start of the fights, but contestants often ended up in the murky canal as the bridge lacked railings

What to see nearby

These top spots are just a short walk from Squero di San Trovaso:

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