A small ferry is carrying busy commuters across the Adda River in northern Italy, giving them a few peaceful minutes on the water. A cable holds it in place while the river's current pushes it across. The ferry has become a useful route since a nearby bridge closed for maintenance and caused heavy traffic.

This kind of boat, known as "Leonardo's Ferry," was created about five centuries ago. Leonardo da Vinci, the Italian Renaissance genius, sketched it in 1513 while he was studying rivers and canals, though no one knows if he designed it himself. In any case, this is now the last ferry of its kind on the Adda.

The ferry links the town of Imbersago with Villa d'Adda. It almost disappeared in 2023, when the company that ran it stopped the service. To save it, Imbersago's mayor obtained a ferryman's license and formed a team of volunteers. Since 2024, they had mostly carried weekend visitors, but they began serving commuters this spring.

The ferry now runs from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. every day, with a break at midday. Some local people have started using it to get to work. A few bring their bikes and use the ferry as a shortcut. For many of them, the short trip across the river is not only quick but also a calm and pleasant way to begin the day.