Stand-up Paddleboarding in Venice!
SUP in Venice
If you are a stand-up paddleboarder and you happen to find yourself in Venice one day . . . you know what you’re going to do!
I had no choice - the temptation was too great.
Stand-up paddleboarding in Venice
As you might imagine, the are a number of rules and restrictions to be aware of when stand-up paddleboarding in Venice. SUP is allowed on some waterways but not on others. Paddling is permitted on some canals on some days of the week, or at some times of the day. The canals of Venice are equivalent to the road system in other cities throughout the world, and of course, you don’t want to upset the Gondoliers! For those reasons, we booked a guided tour with Eliana of SUP in Venice. I can highly recommend Eliana if you want to paddle this beautiful city.
Stand-up paddleboarding in Venice
Venice is known to be a busy place, crowded with tourists during the summer months, but that is only half the story. For sure, the areas around Piazza San Marco and Rialto Bridge can be exceptionally busy - but walk for five or ten minutes away from the tourist hotspots and you are likely to find peace and quiet. We met Eliana at the Chiesa della Madonna dell'Orto, which is well off the beaten track and we enjoyed some time exploring the quieter waterways in this area.
We did encounter a few gondolas and some other water traffic but generally all was quiet. Inevitably we were on the receiving end of a few strange looks from passers-by and tourists atop the many bridges we passed under.
There is no doubt in my mind that Venice is one of the most iconic SUP spots anywhere in the world.
TOP TIP: It’s illegal to swim in the canals of Venice. Try not to fall in!!
