Romancing the Gondola

We’re guessing that Venice’s famous canals had something to do with its ranking as most romantic city. So we called on local gondola builder Andrea Bacciolo to tell us the best way to experience Venice’s 177 canals. His response? To set sail during the winter on a foggy day “where you can’t see anything, but you can really feel the city.” For those who can manage to stop gazing into each other’s eyes long enough to actually see something, he recommends a visit of the Castello district, a romantic Venetian area far from the madding crowds.