<P> An unofficial referendum to ban the huge cruise ships was held in June 2017 . More than 18,000 people voted at 60 polling booths set up by activists and 17,874 chose to favor the ban the ships from the lagoon . The population of Venice is around 55,000 . The organizers of the referendum back a plan to build a new cruise ship terminal at one of the three entrances to the Venetian Lagoon . Passenger would be transferred to smaller boats to take them to Venice proper . </P> <P> Venice is built on an archipelago of 118 islands formed by 177 canals in a shallow lagoon, connected by 409 bridges . In the old centre, the canals serve the function of roads, and almost every form of transport is on water or on foot . In the 19th century, a causeway to the mainland brought the Venezia Santa Lucia railway station to Venice, and the Ponte della Libertà road causeway and parking facilities (in Tronchetto island and in piazzale Roma) were built during the 20th century . Beyond the road and rail land entrances at the northern edge of the city, transportation within the city remains (as it was in centuries past) entirely on water or on foot . Venice is Europe's largest urban car - free area . Venice is unique in Europe, in having remained a sizable functioning city in the 21st century entirely without motorcars or trucks . </P> <P> The classical Venetian boat is the gondola, (plural: gondole) although it is now mostly used for tourists, or for weddings, funerals, or other ceremonies, or as' traghetti' (sing.: traghetto) to cross the Canale Grande in the absence of a nearby bridge . The traghetti are operated by two oarsmen; for some years there were seven such boats but by 2017, only three remained . </P> <P> There are approximately 400 licensed gondoliers in Venice in their distinctive regalia and a similar number of the boats, down from 10,000 that travelled the canals two centuries ago . Many gondolas are lushly appointed with crushed velvet seats and Persian rugs . Less well - known is the smaller sandolo . At the front of each gondola that works in the city, there is a large piece of metal called the fèro (iron). Its shape has evolved through the centuries, as documented in many well - known paintings . Its form, topped by a likeness of the Doge's hat, became gradually standardized, and was then fixed by local law . It consists of six bars pointing forward representing the Sestieri of the city, and one that points backward representing the Giudecca . </P>

Venice the city of canals is famous for its boats called