Venice And The Festa del Fedentor
Festivals in Venice are a serious business. They are opulent and very classy so to be there for a summer festival is an experience of a life time. Its medieval splendour is breathtaking and there’s so much to experience in a relatively small space. If you are thinking of marking a special celebration or anniversary – consider a trip to Venice. There are plenty of great flight deals out there too. Coming up soon is one of the key calendar events of a venetian summer – The Festival of Redeemer (Festa Del Redentore), which celebrates the saving of the city from a year of Plague in 1576 – so it’s not a recent happening! On the third Sunday of July, tradition and extravagance come together in spectacle that goes back nearly five hundred years! Two days of festivities includes some major walking across a hand made pontoon – boat racing, concerts, costume balls and of course a firework display to beat them all!
Festa del Fedentore
Visitors and Venetians settle in for family picnics all along the waterfronts – Zattere and the Sant’ Elena Park are very popular. And it’s worth noting that all the water borne taxis or vaporetos call it day at 6.00pm to get ready for a night of revellery. It’s a busy, noisy time, with the scent of Italian picnics hovering in the air, and thousands of people getting onto the water in decorated boats, dripping in coloured lanterns.
And if you are into boats – this is the time to visit. Every type of super yacht, down to the smallest rowing boat will be out on the water, jostling for position to get a good view of the loaded Fireworks Barge which is usually in Bacino di San Marco. Not that many visitors to the city will be bringing their own boat, but tour operators hire out boats, or host excursions on the water. The firework display starts at about 11.30pm and is a good half hour affair – the explosions reflected in the water and the medieval buildings lit up….pure romance!
Where To Watch
For great views of the fireworks, try Piazza San Marco, Riva degli Schiavoni, or Giardini. You’ll need a map! It hasn’t rained at this time of year in living memory so the show has never been cancelled. If you are lucky enough to be staying in a hotel with a view of the bacino – you might have a chance to get in on one of the terrace dinners and parties – just make sure you have booked a reservation and be prepared for an extravagant night out! After the firework display you have a choice, sleep or keep the party going. This is not the night for sleep – most of Venice is wide awake until dawn, so you go all out and greet the sunrise on the Lido beach!
If you have a special holiday or anniversary to mark, Venice is the place to be. It won’t be a low cost option, but you can find a cheap flight to help stretch your holiday fund. Stroll through the squares and narrow alleyways – revel in the Doge’s Palace, stroll through St Marks Square and watch the glorious gondolas drift by….one for the memory bank!
