Festa della Sensa in Venice

If you’re on holiday in Venice, the prestigious "Festa della Sensa" will take place on May 24th 2009, an important event that will lead to the opening of the rowing season. The origins of the event involve the historical past of the City on Water: a famous legend ties the "Doge Ziani" to the figures of Emperor "Federico Barbarossa" and Pope Alexander III, because of his role as mediator between the two. The privileges favoured the "Repubblica Marinara" facilitating maritime trade and military domination of the seas. During the celebration, the Doge used to go to the mouth of the port of "San Nicolò" to throw a ring into the sea in order to establish and confirm the link that irremovably bound the fortune of the city to it.

In times gone by the event was extended into a large exhibition in Piazza San Marco, which lasted two weeks. Today, during Ascension Day, costumed oarsmen row from St. Mark’s Square to the Temple of St. Nicholas on the Lido. During the festival you can enjoy a vegetable based menu, typical of the local culinary tradition.

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Feast of Redentore in Venice

Like Carnival, the Feast of Redentore is one of the most important celebrations for Venice and the Venetians, but while the carnival is a recurrence of character now "global", the celebrations for the Redentore are still deeply and specifically linked to the lagoon city.

Next weekend Venice will 'dress up' to remember the third Sunday in July 1577 when the Doge Sebastiano Venier announced that the Serenissima was finally free from the contagion of plague. According to the tradition, also this year, apart from the religious celebrations, there will be a firework show that, with the lights reflected on the lagoon, will be able to give truly magical emotions

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