Many towns and cities in Italy have famous annual celebrations for their patron saint’s day that are rooted in centuries of tradition. These celebrations usually involve some religious ceremonies through processions and masses as well as other kinds of commemorations but they have evolved throughout the ages to become larger parties and events that even non-believers and those of different faiths can enjoy as well. Filling historic centres with colour, excitement, sound, great food and wine, music, excellent parties, and all sorts of special events, these saint’s day celebrations make for a particularly special time to be in a place.
Venice is no exception to this and the romantic city is all the lovelier when it celebrates Saint Mark on the 25th of April each year. So, if you were considering booking a vacation rental in Venice and were wondering when you should go, then you might think about coming to celebrate with locals and tourists alike this spring!
The Festa di San Marco, or Feast of Saint Mark is also known as the festa del bócoło, or the rosebud festival, due to the presence of a vast number of roses in Saint Mark’s Square – really adding to beauty of this part of the city and to that sense of romance for which it is famous. It’s certainly a blooming charming time to vacation in Venice!
One might wonder why roses are associated with the local celebrations of this biblical author, saint, and early follower of Jesus. According to local legend, in the 8th century, a storyteller named Tancredi of humble birth fell in love with a Venetian noblewoman named Maria who was the daughter of the Doge Orso I Partecipazio. In order to prove himself to her father in the hope that he might acquire his blessing, Tancredi joined Charlemagne’s war against the Moors of Spain, where he became famous for his bravery in battle.
Unfortunately, despite proving himself with his great acts, Tancredi also then sustained a fatal injury in one of these battles. Before he died, with the one he loved back home ever in his mind, he was able to pick a white rose from a bush nearby. This single rose was dispatched back to his beloved in Venice, stained red with his very blood. The rose arrived in Venice on the 25th of April and Maria was then said to have died of grief the very next day, still holding the rose in her hands. Afterwards, the incident and the tale became inextricably tied to the Feast of Saint Mark and from this melodramatic tale of romance, a tradition later developed of men giving the women they love a single red rose. Saint Mark’s Square is taken over by this tradition, in fact, with a vast number of roses gathered in the square to be distributed and couples congregating to share a kiss. It might be a perfect time to ask your love a very special question or to simply join in on the excitement. Either way, browse our holiday rentals in Venice if you want to experience it for yourself!
Of course, this curious tradition is one of the more unique and eye-catching elements of the festival but religious celebrations are also key to the core of the Feast of Saint Mark. To celebrate this aspect, there is a procession that heads to Saint Mark’s Basilica, where there is a special mass that is attended by the civil and religious authorities of the city.
The entirety of the celebrations of the festival, however, are not merely relegated to land but also occupy the canal with traditional rowing regattas that animate the waters as well. An amazing thing to watch, these competitions display the incredible skill and passion of the rowers and are something quite special to take in if you are enjoying a stay in one of our vacation rentals in Venice.
Another arena of celebration is on the plate, with some traditional dishes connected to the holiday. On the savoury side there is risi e bisi, literally meaning rice and peas. This simple soup is said to have been introduced during the Byzantine period in Venice and was traditionally served to the Doge on the 25th of April. It is also a celebration in its own rite of the spring and the arrival of wonderfully fresh ingredients. Contrasting this is the traditional dessert, fugassa venexiana, a cake that is quite similar to panettone and which is seen as a symbol of abundance in the city. Other dishes that are traditionally served on the Feast of Saint Mark include lasagnette al nero di seppia, sarde in saor, and fritoe, which are pancakes covered in sugar and made with sultanas that you’ll find being served up at stalls throughout the centre as you celebrate on holiday in Venice.
So, if you have been dreaming of booking a villa in Venice and coming to see famous City of Canals, beautiful architecture, and romance for yourself, why not do so while the whole town is celebrating? Join in on the fun, excitement, unique traditions, beautiful spectacles, romantic gestures, and culinary delights and then go and explore all of the other multitudinous wonders that the city has to offer.