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Every day in Venice can be a magical exploration of all of her six districts. There are more than 400 bridges connecting 117 bodies of land and 150 canals, with hidden corners and dedicated artisans in every nook and cranny. Whether you're interested in paintings, sculpture, the famous paper-mâchè masks, hand-printed or hand-woven silk and velvet fabrics, the designs of a steel foundry, jewelry, bags, mosaics, or our world-famous Murano glass, Venice delivers. It is a city made legendary by her own maritime history and opulence, and immortalized in poems, plays, and music by the works of William Shakespeare, Thomas Mann, Ezra Pound, Igor Stravinsky and many more. This is a place of time-honored traditions that pay tribute, glory and respect to this rare and ever-evolving microcosm of life. Here are a few Venetian favorites:
April 4 - 5
Easter Holidays
April 25
Liberation Day and the Feast of St. Mark. A celebration in honor of the city's patron saint, St. Mark with a procession to the Basilica. It is a Venetian tradition for men to give a red rosebud to the woman they love the most.
May 15 and 16
The Festa della Sensa celebrates the relationship between Venice and the sea. A procession of boats regally progress along the Grand Canal into the Lagoon and throw a wreath into the sea. In days gone by, it was the Doge who led the procession and a ring that was thrown to symbolize a marriage between Venice and il mare (the sea).
July 17 and 18
Festa del Redentore is truly a local favorite. Every year, Venice gives thanks for surviving a severe outbreak of the plague in the late 16th-century. A temporary bridge of boats is built crossing the Giudecca Canal to the Church of the Redentore. Religious celebrations are held the third Sunday of July and many make a pilgrimage across this bridge to give thanks. The Saturday evening before is a "no holes barred" celebration with every size and shape of boat making its way down the Grand Canal in route to the Lagoon for an evening display of fireworks lighting up St. Mark's Basin. Each is uniquely decorated and pulsing with music, energy and the joy of people being together. It truly is spectacular.
Aug. 29 - Sept. 8, 2010
65th International Venice Film Festival ...an exciting, celebrity-filled event held every year to introduce new talent, recognize the brilliance of film production, and provide a significant stage to launch leading international productions.
September 5
Regata Storica is a local boat racing event dating back to the middle ages proceeded by a procession of historic Venetian boats lavishly decorated as a representation of the city's former maritime dominance. Traditionally, the most-awaited race is that of the gondoliers...all vying for the illustrious #1 finish.
October 24
The Venice Marathon has become a sports event of international standing, attracting over 6,000 runners from all over the world every year. Covering the Olympic distance of 42,195 kilometers (26.224 miles), the course begins in Stra and runs along the Brenta River and ends after the runner crosses a floating bridge over the Grand Canal to St. Mark's Square.
November 21
The Festa della Salute evokes strong religious feelings among the city's inhabitants. The holiday commemorates another bout of the plague, which lasted for two years from 1630-31. The Doge at the time requested mercy from the Virgin Mary and built the Salute as a thankful gesture for her divine intervention and the city's salvation.
December 8
Feast of Immaculate Conception
April 4 - 5
Easter Holidays
April 25
Liberation Day and the Feast of St. Mark. A celebration in honor of the city's patron saint, St. Mark with a procession to the Basilica. It is a Venetian tradition for men to give a red rosebud to the woman they love the most.
May 15 and 16
The Festa della Sensa celebrates the relationship between Venice and the sea. A procession of boats regally progress along the Grand Canal into the Lagoon and throw a wreath into the sea. In days gone by, it was the Doge who led the procession and a ring that was thrown to symbolize a marriage between Venice and il mare (the sea).
July 17 and 18
Festa del Redentore is truly a local favorite. Every year, Venice gives thanks for surviving a severe outbreak of the plague in the late 16th-century. A temporary bridge of boats is built crossing the Giudecca Canal to the Church of the Redentore. Religious celebrations are held the third Sunday of July and many make a pilgrimage across this bridge to give thanks. The Saturday evening before is a "no holes barred" celebration with every size and shape of boat making its way down the Grand Canal in route to the Lagoon for an evening display of fireworks lighting up St. Mark's Basin. Each is uniquely decorated and pulsing with music, energy and the joy of people being together. It truly is spectacular.
Aug. 29 - Sept. 8, 2010
65th International Venice Film Festival ...an exciting, celebrity-filled event held every year to introduce new talent, recognize the brilliance of film production, and provide a significant stage to launch leading international productions.
September 5
Regata Storica is a local boat racing event dating back to the middle ages proceeded by a procession of historic Venetian boats lavishly decorated as a representation of the city's former maritime dominance. Traditionally, the most-awaited race is that of the gondoliers...all vying for the illustrious #1 finish.
October 24
The Venice Marathon has become a sports event of international standing, attracting over 6,000 runners from all over the world every year. Covering the Olympic distance of 42,195 kilometers (26.224 miles), the course begins in Stra and runs along the Brenta River and ends after the runner crosses a floating bridge over the Grand Canal to St. Mark's Square.
November 21
The Festa della Salute evokes strong religious feelings among the city's inhabitants. The holiday commemorates another bout of the plague, which lasted for two years from 1630-31. The Doge at the time requested mercy from the Virgin Mary and built the Salute as a thankful gesture for her divine intervention and the city's salvation.
December 8
Feast of Immaculate Conception
