Marcello is the most seasoned member of La Gondola Providence's talented group of gondoliers, as well as the company's owner, president, and spokesperson.
He started rowing gondolas in 1999, while still in college at Lehigh University. A career in teaching allowed him to keep his his summer job as a gondolier while still working full time. After eight seasons of working for his former employers, he purchased the company and two gondolas, and La Gondola Providence was born.
Marcello has been a mainstay on the river ever since, training an excellent crew of gondoliers, singing at every opportunity, and both marveling at and showing off the amazing Renaissance City of Providence to locals and tourists alike. He lives in Foster at the international headquarters of La Gondola Providence with First Gondolady Bryna and their children, Aine and Aelyn, affectionately nicknamed Moonbeam and Little Star.
“I’m not a businessman - I’m a gondolier. I tell people that I bought this company so I’d be able to row forever, and it’s been worth every penny (and turned out to be a bit more complicated than that). Still, with my own unique set of talents, there isn’t an occupation more perfectly suited for me than this one.”
“To me, there is no better city outside of Venice for doing what we do. The conditions on the river, the complete renovation of the city of Providence and its strong ties to the Italian culture, & the magic of WaterFire make the gondolas perfect for this place. We lend authenticity to the city, and it lends authenticity to us.”
Photo credit: John Simonetti