Press Release: Launch of the Contessa

February 2013:

Venice-Built Contessa Joins Gondola Adventures®’ Newport Beach Fleet

The Contessa

Newport Beach, CA February 1, 2013 – Just in time for Valentine’s Day, Gondola Adventures®, Inc. welcomes the Contessa to her Newport Beach, CA fleet.  The Contessa is a pupparin, a member of the sandolo family of Venetian boats.  Pupparini are traditionally used to train young gondoliers in the Venetian style of rowing.  In Venice, they generally only take passengers on special occasions, and these passengers are often modern-day Venetian nobility.  They are also used in racing; typically, young men race them in the annual Regatta Storica in the Grand Canal of Venice.

The Contessa is one of only two pupparini taking passengers in the United States.  While a pupparin is only 4-feet shorter than the traditional 36-foot Venice-built gondola, this boat is well equipped to take romantic cruises with either one or two couples aboard.  With sleek lines and a beautiful varnished oak deck, she is sure to delight her passengers.

Greg Mohr, President of both Gondola Adventures®, Inc. and of the Gondola Society of America, launched the Contessa into the Newport Beach fleet on January 31, 2013.