During my gondola ride in Venice, I discovered that business class does not always need wheels—sometimes a single oar and the Grand Canal are enough.
A gondola ride in Venice is probably the only form of business-class travel where there are no wheels, no seat belts and absolutely no chance of asking the driver to take the motorway. Sitting comfortably among the red cushions, I travelled along the Grand Canal while my gondolier handled the traffic with nothing more than a single oar and generations of Venetian experience.
The photograph was taken near Ponte degli Scalzi, one of only four bridges crossing the Grand Canal. The elegant stone bridge connects the districts of Cannaregio and Santa Croce and stands close to Venezia Santa Lucia railway station. Completed in 1934, it provides a striking architectural frame for one of the most traditional experiences Venice has to offer.
From the gondola, Venice looked completely different than it did from its narrow streets and crowded bridges. The façades appeared to rise directly from the water, boats replaced cars, and every turn revealed another palace, canal or scene from everyday Venetian life.
It may not have had wheels, an airport lounge or priority boarding, but with this much red upholstery and the whole Grand Canal ahead of me, it certainly felt like business class.
- Date
- 2026-01-01