Sightseeing by gondola is the romantic, and traditional way to see Venice. But now you can do it yourself, paddling your own canoe along the serene city's canals with a kayak tour service.

Venice is a city without cars, where everything and everybody has to get around by boat.

But now there's a new way for tourists to see the Serene City - by kayak.

Forget the gondolas, paddling your own canoe is the latest and coolest way of seeing the sights of the city.

A Danish canoeist was so smitten by his first trip that he decided to stay. Setting up a kayak tour business is his way of indulge his hobby and his love affair with Venice.

Rene Seindal, Danish Kayak guide, said, "A license to sail a kayak in Venice is not required, but traffic regulations are completely different from general sailing regulations and even specific ones for sailing in a lagoon. Therefore it is necessary to behave differently. For instance, if you want to kayak the Grand Canal you must know the routes of all water buses, whether they stop on the right or on the left and the frequency between one and the other in order to cross (the canal) safely."

Venice Kayak offers both day and night tours of the city and out in the lagoon. A five hour guided tour, day or night, costs 100 euros. That's still cheaper than a standard 50 minute gondola ride, without the serenade and without the stress of haggling with the gondolier.

Tours can be arranged for as few as 2 or as many as 12 people at a time. Lunch is a break on the banks of a quiet side canal so kayakers get to see parts of the city where tourists hardly ever venture.

Etienne Menot, Swedish tourist, said, "I like the calmness, it's kind of calm when you do it. You're kind of, like, going and then you look around and see the beautiful environment and everything of this kind. Everything is great."

Tomas Hillyard, Australian tourist, said, "It is amazing. It is very good. I assume it is quite innovative for Venice at the moment. I haven't seen any other kayaking tour groups. It feels good to be, having people take photos of us as well."

When darkness falls, another side of Venice is unveiled. Equipped with a helmet flashlight, the guide leads the group across the glittering vistas of Venice by night.

Venice Kayak is based on Certosa Island just east of Venice, easily reachable by water bus from the center of the city.