La Dolce Vita offers a cruise for one of the most attractive events in Venice: the Historical Regatta.

For this special occasion, the cruise program will slightly change, to offer the possibility to admire the Historical Regatta from the sundeck of La Dolce Vita on the Canale della Giudecca in front of Saint Mark's square, Venice.

The Historical Regatta takes place on a Sunday, and you will be met at 9am at the meeting hotel and transferred to La Dolce Vita. During the Sunday there will be a special program, including a very typical Venetian menu, and during the week it will be possible to visit a traditional boat building craftsman and see how a gondola is made out of wood and word-of-mouth know-how. Outlined below are some of the historical information regarding this exceptional event.

Every year, the first Sunday of September, the Regata Storica comes back in Venice, the most traditional among the Venetian events, which took place for the first time on the 10th of January 1315 under the rule of the doge Giovanni Soranzo. The sumptuous event, organized in the Serenissima times to celebrate the military victories or to honour the foreign dignitaries, today is made up of two different parts: the historical parade and the rowing boat races.

The festival starts out with the colourful procession on water, formed by the Bissone, the Bucintoro and the boats of the Venetian rowing clubs; the event commemorates the Queen of Cyprus, Caterina Cornaro, coming to Venice, which marked the beginning of the Serenissima rule over the Mediterranean island.

The historical parade has now just a picturesque significance, a memory of the distant economical and political greatness of Venice on the seas, while the regattas represent still today the climax of the agonistic season in the world of the rowing 'alla veneta': winning that day for the rowers means to become a part of the history of this sport and, to a certain extent, of Venice.

Here is some basic information about the races:

The first race after the historical parade is the Youngster Rowers; one, or two-oared 'pupparini', very technical boats that challenge the ability of the promising young men.

Then it's the turn of the Women's race on 'mascarete' (the name comes from their head looking like a mask, the ' bauta'), these are light two-oared boats used in the old days by the courtesans.

The third race to start is the Men's Race, on heavy six-oared 'caorline', these are river-transportation boats almost out of use nowadays that were often furnished with a sail while travelling through the lagoon.

The climax of the event is the champions' race on two-oared 'gondolini', light boats shaped as a very slim gondola. Unlike the regattas on the most popular lagoon boats, these competitions show off the rowers technical abilities more than their strength.

This is the challenge that is most anticipated by the rowing people, the one that lights up the Venetian fans and has been strengthening in time the myth of the Regata Storica from an agonistic point of view thanks to its main protagonists: Strigheta, Ciaci, Crea, the Vignotto brothers, Super D'Este... Winning in 'Canalasso', as natives call the Grand Canal, is still today the most aspired wish of every racer, besides being the impossible dream of many Venetians that are still rowing 'alla veneta'.

As the tradition of this sport goes, the first placed is awarded the red flag , the following three the white, green and blue flags, these are the awards that in Venice take the place of medals. Together with the symbolic prizes, there were traditionally also some "in kind" awards until a few years ago; the most famous of them was a little living pig that would parade on a gondola of its own in the historical parade. Its passing along the public ranks was like a thermometer of the Venetians reaction to the city government; when it wasn't satisfying, the pig would be acclaimed with whistles and screams such as 'here's the mayor, long live the mayor'. The pig ceremony has been abolished since a few years ago, officially after the protests of some animal protection organizations!

The last technical note is about the race route that goes from Riva degli Schiavoni, where the start is, to Punta della Salute where, after the 'cavata' (the start sprint), the public waits impatiently for the first boat entering the Grand Canal, since often that is the winning one. Then (except for the race on pupparini ending up in front of Ca'Foscari) the boats go up the 'Canal Grande' to the train station where the turning pole is, then they go back towards the finish line in front of the 'machina' ( the floating stage reserved to authorities and built for this occasion on the Grand Canal in front of Ca' Foscari ).

When the various usual accusations of incorrectness and protests are over, in front of the 'machina' the prize-giving ceremony takes place.

It's a great start to an amazing week and places are strictly limited.

Sunday, Malcontenta – Venice - Casone Zappa in the South Lagoon
Guests are met by the Captain at the meeting hotel at 9am and escorted to La Dolce Vita. Breakfast will be served on the La Dolce Vita sundeck. Two hours of navigation along the delightful Brenta river will take guests to the Canale della Giudecca in Venice where, waiting for the Regatta start, they will enjoy a traditional Venetian menu on the sundeck. Then after this amazing event we will descend into the peaceful Venetian lagoon where you dine in front of Casone Zappa, a masterpiece of early 20th century Italian Liberty style architecture. Dinner on board. 

Monday:  Torcello – Burano
In the morning La Dolce Vita hugs the coast of Sant’Erasmo with its orchards and vegetable gardens and arrives in Torcello, the first island of the lagoon to be colonised 2000 years ago. We see the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, a beautiful example of Veneto-Byzantine style. We have lunch while cruising on the Siloncello canal and in the afternoon we visit Burano, a picturesque fishermen’s island in the northern lagoon. We walk through the colourful streets of Burano and visit the Lace Museum. We moor for the night on the calm waters of Burano.  Dinner on board. 

Tuesday:  Burano – San Francesco – San Lazzaro – Murano
We start our cruise passing by San Francesco del Deserto Island, where we can moor and visit the monastery. We then proceed to San Lazzaro degli Armeni where we visit one of the most interesting libraries of Venice with 150,000 volumes and more than 4,000 Armenian manuscripts, some nearly 1,300 years old.  The monks of the San Lazzaro monastery have welcomed visitors for more than two centuries.  In 1816, Lord Byron visited the island twice a week for six months, studying Armenian and envying the monks' comfortable academic lifestyle. A plaque quotes Byron as saying, "The visitor will be convinced that there are other and better things even in this life”.  We end the day with a short cruise around Venice to reach Murano and moor for the night on the Grand Canal of the island of glass.  Dinner on board.

Wednesday:  Murano – Venice - San Giorgio
We visit a glass-blowing workshop in Murano. Then we move on for a tour of the Grand Canal in Venice aboard a water taxi and reach San Giorgio Island for our lunch facing Saint Mark. In the afternoon we take you on a guided tour of the Doge’s Palace and Saint Mark in Venice. Later you have some free time to visit Venice. We moor for dinner on board at San Giorgio Island.

Thursday:  San Giorgio -  Brenta River to Dolo
This morning we cruise up River Brenta to Mira, passing by Villa Foscari in Malcontenta, a masterpiece of the Renaissance architect Palladio. We visit Villa Widmann, a typical Venetian luxurious villa with wonderful frescos. In the afternoon we move on for 2 more hours to Dolo, where we moor for the night. For those who like cycling, it is possible to follow the barge on a bicycle today. Before dinner we take you for a glass of wine at the old water mill of Dolo. 

Friday:  Dolo - Stra - Padova
Further ascent of river Brenta to Stra, where we visit Villa Pisani, an 18th century masterpiece of Venetian architecture with frescos from Tiepolo.  Whilst we cruise you can follow the barge by bicycle along the river and by the afternoon our cruise brings us in Padua, where we moor at Portello gate, one of the best preserved parts of the ancient city walls. We then visit Giotto’s Chapel and then we walk into the centre, which is as full of history as Venice herself. The Farewell Dinner will be at a restaurant in the centre of Padova.

Saturday:  Padua - Venice
After breakfast at 9 am you are transferred to Hotel Villa Goetzen in Dolo, Marco Polo. If you have an early flight or if you are staying at a hotel in Venice, we can make custom arrangements for you at your expense

Note: This itinerary is subject to change.