Venice's boat festival

Venice’s Regata Storica – Historical Regatta, staged annually on the first Sunday of September got underway in the Grand Canal drawing thousands of spectators. Consisting of boat races, the regatta isn’t all about the competition for German tourist Patric Scherzinger who prizes the parade’s pageantry whilst resident Martina Eckel basks in the beauty of the annual event.

Patric Scherzinger: "It's really all about the presentation of the boats, the historic ones. The regatta itself, yes, is not that impressive. But the historical part with all the costumes and the preparation of the boats, that is of course ingenious, you really have to say that."

Martina Eckel: "Very beautiful as every year, and as a Venetian, it is always a wonderful experience every year to see it."

The Grand Canal played host to dozens of sixteenth century styled craft rowed by gondoliers donning costumes of the said period. The Historical Regatta includes a parade of the city’s historic ruler, the Doge, his wife and Venetian dignitaries being transported in a colourful host of gondolas. The occasion commemorates the uniqueness of Venice, a city spread across 118 islands connected by a network of canals, making boats the primary mode of transport.

Dating back to 942 CE, the boat races originated from a local folklore which recounts the kidnapping of some Venetian women by pirates during a festival. A boat chase ensued whereby the Venetian men pursued the pirates and brought the women back to safety.

Venetian resident Lidiano Enzo considers the regatta great marketing for the city.

Lidiano Enzo: "We do these events to promote Venezia football and Venice because it is a unique city in the world and so it is beautiful."

The stereotypical image of a gondola ride has been a serene romantic cruise under the ancient Venetian bridges with a serenading gondolier at the helm. Nevertheless, French tourist Emmanuel Granat opines that the Regata Storica’s pageant epitomises Venice.

Emmanuel Granat: "The boats are magnificent, the costumes are magnificent... There's an atmosphere, a little bit of music, it's Venice." View Less