The gondola is an Italian icon, and tourists around the world dream of taking a trip on one of the traditional Venetian boats, courtesy of a gondolier dressed in a striped shirt and straw hat. For years, rowing was the only way to get around the lagoon city, but many don't realize that the technique used in Venice is unique.

It may look as if gondoliers propel the boat forward by pushing against the canal bed, similar to a punt, but the city's canals are too deep for that. Instead, the voga alla venetarowing technique uses an oar to guide the boat through the ancient waterways. "It's the closest you can get to walking on water," laughs Nan McElroy, an American who has called the city home for 13 years and now teaches tourists how to row like a Venetian.