This is what it takes for a gondolier to qualify to work in Venice – and they can earn up to €150,000 a year

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Andrew Feinberg

White House Correspondent

Venice is calling out for more gondoliers to train up and join the centuries old profession, steering tourists along the city waterways.

But while you may think that all it takes is a little hand-eye co-ordination, becoming a gondolier is an arduous process and not all applicants succeed.

For the job that could pay up to €150,000 a year, depending on demand, Venice City Hall is asking applicants to undergo a series of tasks.

First, there’s a pre-selection assessment, where prospective gondoliers are assessed on their skills on the water.

Those who demonstrate the required level of competence are invited to take a comprehensive theoretical course covering the history, art and culture of Venice and, above all, the complex regulations of the city’s waterways. For this applicants have to pay €400 (£340) and undergo 30 hours of tuition.

After completing the theoretical training, candidates must demonstrate their practical skills during a 10-hour course, also at the price of €400 (£340). Under the supervision of experienced gondoliers, candidates learn the art of moving the elegant boat with a single oar.

A mandatory medical exam is also required to ensure that candidates working it Italy’s “floating city” are physically fit to perform this demanding role.

Those who have successfully completed the theoretical and practical courses and passed the medical exam will have to take a final exam to assess their general skills. Only after completing this final step will they receive the prestigious gondolier license.

With an estimated 30 million visitors a year, gondoliers are much in demand in Venice. There are currently only 433 trained gondoliers.

As the licenses used to be passed down from father to son, many gondoliers are nearing retirement age which is why there’s now a recruitment drive.

Prices for gondola rides are determined by the Venice council with a 30-minute ride before 7pm costing €90 (£76) per gondola, which can hold up to five passengers. This increases to €110 (£93) after 7pm.

With tourists numbers rising every single year, which is leading the city to introduce a tourist tax from 2025, any gondolier who passes the tests and is granted a license has a captive market. In high season, where a gondolier may make six or more rides a day, they can earn more than €500 per shift.

But applicants will need to apply fast and submit their interest on the Venice City Hall website by 27 August. Gondoliers must also be EU citizens.