Venice is most famous for her canals and most people will spend time on them during their stay in the city, even if they are avoiding the touristy gondolas. The canals are really the only way one can possibly manage to get around if they have found a vacation rental in Venice and plan on exploring the city.
However, if you do want to get a sense of the historic importance of the canals in Venice and a taste of how they used to be traversed before motorboats were invented - without paying an arm and a leg for a short spin on a gondola - why not check out the Regata Storica?
However, if you do want to get a sense of the historic importance of the canals in Venice and a taste of how they used to be traversed before motorboats were invented - without paying an arm and a leg for a short spin on a gondola - why not check out the Regata Storica?
Taking place each September, the Regata Storica, or Historical Regatta, is the main event in the annual "Voga alla Veneta" rowing calendar and has taken place in the Venetian lagoon for hundreds of years. It is a race but is preceded by a pageant that sees a fleet of 16th century-style boats, gondoliers in period costume, the Doge, the Doge's wife, and all the highest ranking Venetian officials head up the Grand Canal. An incredible and eye-catching display of pomp and ceremony, this perfectly evokes the grandeur, wealth and power of Venice in the past.
After this, there are four races, the most famous being the "Campioni su Gondolini" race, which sees a series of small, sporting gondolas race rapidly to the finishing line at the famous "machina", a floating stage located in front of the Ca' Foscari palace.
This year the event takes place on Sunday, the 2nd of September and is a must-see for those visiting this wonderful city in Italy. The official schedule is as follows and more details can be found on the website.
4.00pm: Pageant takes place, winding along St. Mark’s Bay, Grand Canal, Rialto and returning via the Grand Canal until Ca’ Foscari.
4.30pm: Maciarele and Schie regatta, a two oared regatta on mascarete dedicated to children.
4.50pm: Young rowers’ twin-oared pupparini regatta
5.10pm: Six-oared caorline regatta
5.40pm: Women’s twin-oared mascarete regatta
6.10pm: Twin-oared gondolini regatta
After this, there are four races, the most famous being the "Campioni su Gondolini" race, which sees a series of small, sporting gondolas race rapidly to the finishing line at the famous "machina", a floating stage located in front of the Ca' Foscari palace.
This year the event takes place on Sunday, the 2nd of September and is a must-see for those visiting this wonderful city in Italy. The official schedule is as follows and more details can be found on the website.
4.00pm: Pageant takes place, winding along St. Mark’s Bay, Grand Canal, Rialto and returning via the Grand Canal until Ca’ Foscari.
4.30pm: Maciarele and Schie regatta, a two oared regatta on mascarete dedicated to children.
4.50pm: Young rowers’ twin-oared pupparini regatta
5.10pm: Six-oared caorline regatta
5.40pm: Women’s twin-oared mascarete regatta
6.10pm: Twin-oared gondolini regatta