Travel to venice on a stand-up paddleboard

Jean-Baptiste and Emmanuelle share the story of their adventure in Venice. This article provides advice and recommendations for sup trips!

Our dream: to discover Venice and its lagoon in a different way
Emmanuelle and I definitely wanted to glide through the canals of the mythical city, but also - and above all - to enjoy real SUP sessions in the natural setting of the lagoon, paddle from one island to another, and be free to pause and explore.
With just a dash of audacity, a drop of madness, to live the dolce vita!

Access and accommodation

"There are no cars here, you definitely have to take your inflatable board bag. However, if you don’t want to leave your hard board behind, you can travel from the French mainland, but it is further and less accessible.
The inflatable board allows you to take the bus in Venice and go wherever you want with your backpack. There will always be a pontoon, step, quay or embankment from which to launch.
The bag fits on a plane as well as on the night train. The paddle can be separated into three parts and fits in the cabin.

Regarding accommodation: we tried three different places: our little colourful house, close to the quay at the Island of Burano; a bedroom in the lively Canareggio quarter in Venice, and finally the “Il latto Azzuro” guesthouse on the Island of Sant Erasmo. You can leave your boards anywhere overnight without deflating them. The water is always nearby."

Equipment

I love turning around and taking photos, so I’m often uncomfortable. I don’t like coastal waves, which are rare at Marne and Deûle! This is where our Homeric training session to Wimereux began. But these boards are great; they respond much better for crossing paths with boats or surfers, with the wave at your back. It’s fun! Possibly the ideal board for Venice is the new “Race”, with a wider deck (14’x27”). If these inflatable boards are “Racing”, they retain the advantage of being able to attach a pump, bag, water bottle and waterproof bag."
With boats at sea: there’s no problem. In the wild lagoon, they slow down for you. In Venice, it’s not always the case. In busy canals, there’s no time to daydream!

Several of you asked us why we chose two racing boards - the 14’ x 25” and the 12.6’ x 26” boards.
The answer is simple: to make progress! And to better deal with the waves from boats, choppy waters and to withstand the wind.
I love turning around and taking photos, so I’m often uncomfortable. I don’t like coastal waves, which are rare at Marne and Deûle! This is where our Homeric training session to Wimereux began. But these boards are great; they respond much better for crossing paths with boats or surfers, with the wave at your back. It’s fun! Possibly the ideal board for Venice is the new “Race”, with a wider deck (14’x27”). If these inflatable boards are “Racing”, they retain the advantage of being able to attach a pump, bag, water bottle and waterproof bag."

Rules

"Watch out, the rules can change year on year; we’re keeping our fingers crossed that Venice never allows "leisurely” paddlers, for example, with children on the board or in groups. There’s a risk that our sport could be banned.
Here’s the map from 2018, but the caption has changed since 2019: remember that, as a general rule, you can paddle in Venice on Sundays and Saturdays from 3pm, and every weekday from 5pm, except on the red and purple canals, where there is public transport and heavy traffic. That suits us, the best light is from 5pm to 9pm."

Discover venice engine-free

"The grandson of a coal merchant who used to make deliveries by paddleboat, Stefano teaches us the magical technique of gondoliers. His nifty organisation “Venice on board” restores traditional boats (oar and sail) and lambastes the noisy and polluting engines that destroy the banks. Otherwise, in Venice, and in the lagoon and the shallow waters, we had to pay close attention to the direction: we therefore paddled in front and standing up, in the direction of the boat, on a flat base. What is the secret of a good paddler? According to Stefano, it is to perform the movement slowly.

Our number one tip (not to repeat to your friends)is:
to use the quiet and beautiful Island of Burano as your base; the starting point for trips through nature and to historical sites. It is also where the birds live and has areas where you can swim. We even met a seahorse! You can get to Venice from the Island if you are sporty, but it is also possible to use the Vaporetti bus for all or part of the journey."

Three examples of our dream trips

Drinking a Spritz at the Venetian Arsenal in the evening light:
In Venice, to follow the rules, you can only paddle on the waterways after 5pm. This is ideal when paddling from Canareggio towards Arsenal. Watch out when crossing the Noal and Dei Gesuiti canals as there is heavy traffic. Paddle alongside the Santa Maria Dei Miracoli Church, a magnificent white marble church, and then by the gondola of the Acqua Alta bookshop. When passing a gondola (or any other traditional rowing boat), keep left. Finally, depending on the tide level, take the path underneath the marbles steps of the Arsenal gate on your knees or lying down. Leave your board on the esplanade between the bridge and the tree, not far from a quiet large café-bar-restaurant with seating on the terrace. Perfect for that much anticipated Spritz. The way back is along the same route, unless you fold your board and take the Vaporetto from the Arsenal stop, located at the end of the canal on the Ca’ di Dio bank.

Between Lido and Giudecca, the challenge of the six Islands
You can try out a part of the lagoon that feels like the sea by setting off from la Guidecca and making a loop linking the Islands of San Servolo, San Lazzaro degli Armeni, Lazaretto Vecchio, Santo Spirito, San Clemente and la Grazia. The best Vaporetto stop for this is Zitelle, which is serviced by lines 2 and 4.1. You should then head to the southern bank of la Giudecca; there is a pontoon at the end of the Michel Angelo street. Vecchio, Santo Spirito and La Grazia will soon be abandoned islands. San Clemente has a five-star hotel, as does Sacca Sessola, which can be added at the end as it is very close. The most daring paddleboarders will add on the Island of Poveglia, which is also deserted, to the south of Santo Spirito. It is possible to make this journey from Lido, but we haven’t tried it. In any case, there are waves, and the wind often changes direction around midday.

Lagoon and culture, a tour around the north of Torcello
We stayed at Burano, a great starting point for a trip to the north lagoon, with the foreshores and birds. You can also make the journey by taking the Vaporetto line 12 to Fondamente Nove or Murano, depending on where you’re staying. Head down to Burano (option: a little tour of the canals of this island with its colourful houses).
To get back to Torcello, we head down a large canal, often rather busy, and take the first canal on the right, then the right-hand fork again. It’s a quiet canal not often used which wanders through cultures and leads you to the back of la Basilique. Carry on until you reach a much wider canal, then take a left. There are pontoons for boats but they are only accessible for paddle boards at high tide. Carry on to find the entrance to a canal which will take you inside.
You can leave Torcello via the route you entered. Take a right at the large canal and you’re heading for a great trip into nature. Towards Sant’Ariano, La Cura and an ascent to the edge of the inland area. It’s very tranquil. A beautiful loop which saves some good surprises for the return trip: sacred ibis and, in a very quiet and bucolic channel on the other side of Torcello, a seahorse!
If you have any, bring your binoculars!
If you have to return to Venice or Murano, you can take the Vaporetto back to Torcello (watch out for the hours in this case) or to Burano.

Travel to venice on a stand-up paddleboard

A trip to venice