About 8 years ago, our family took a trip to Sicily and then stopped for a few days in Venice. We landed in Venice in early June before the masses of summer crowds arrive. Unbeknownst to us, we arrived in time to witness a unique event called the Vogalonga. The Vogalonga is an annual boat race (or regatta) with a couple of special rules: first, it’s generally non-competitive and focused on enthusiasts; and second, the boats need to be self-powered -- no motors allowed! Literally thousands of teams and rowers from all around the world descend on Venice. In a city famous for its gondolas, this seems entirely appropriate.
On that Sunday wandering through the Cannaregio neighborhood, we crossed a canal and saw an amazing mix of different types of rowing boats: gondolas, English style rowing boats, Venetian style rowing boats, kayaks, so-called “dragonboats” (that hold up to 20 rowers sitting 2 across), canoes, and a few others I could not identify. But if you can row it, there’s a good chance you’ll see one in the Vogalonga.
Here are a few clips of the Vogalonga 2017:
My two sons -- then teenagers -- suggested that we needed to enter this race at the earliest possible opportunity. Fast forward to 2025. Those two boys are now men and decided the time was right to rent a two-man kayak for the 2025 Vogalonga. They entered themselves in the race and made their way to Venice. What follows is a quick summary of their experiences:
“Navigating Venice and renting a kayak in Italian was as chaotic as one would expect. Getting to the start line at the beginning of the race was the hardest part of the whole thing. Not surprisingly, the scene at the start of the race was a bit chaotic. Imagine a thousand odd boats off Punta Della Dogana all bumping into each other waiting for the starter’s pistol. Many different types of people enter the race. There were some father/son kayaks, some Indiana Jones-looking British explorer types in a wooden canoe, teams of older women on big row boats, many international rowing clubs rounding out the field. And, of course, many local Italian teams who participate every year. The larger boats often feature a coxswain pounding out a perpetual rhythm on a drum.”
“There were also boats organized by tour groups with a guide at the front with a megaphone calling out rowing cadence to the rowers. One of these boats with 30 people onboard flipped over shortly after the start ... which may not have been in the brochure but certainly added to the experience.”
The route of the race take the rowers 30 kilometers around the lagoon from the beginning at the Punta Della Salute, proceeding out past the fortifications of the island of Sant'Erasmo, then through the outer islands Burano and Murano before returning to Cannareggio and the finish back on the Grand Canal.
In the spirit of Farm Table Italy, I would be remiss if I didn’t encourage visitors to Venice to venture out to Burano, Lido, as well as the *sestieri* (districts) like Cannaregio (the old Jewish quarter) around the main islands. The tourists hoards typically, and with good reason, focus on St Mark’s, the Piazza San Marco and the Palazzo Ducale but the true charms of Venice are found in its remote corners. The vaporetti (water taxis) are inexpensive, relatively easy to navigate, and provide the best means of getting around the Venetian islands. But even if you just want to stay in the San Marco area, wander off and follow the canals around the city. Remember, it’s an island -- how lost can you get?
Back to the race report from my boys:
“The water on the way out was calm and the boats were bunched up together; but on the way back toward the main islands of Venice, the afternoon winds kicked up and the water became more choppy separating the participants. At Burano and the start/finish, there were race support stations (punti restori) where rowers could grab water and bananas to refuel.”
“There were many locals rowing on gondola style boats using their distinctive rowing motion. The last stretch (through Cannaregio) was probably the prettiest; kayaks could sneak through the narrow bridges fastest so we got the Grand Canal basically to ourselves.”
Watch & see …
La Vogalonga is the type of event which shows that even in its larger cities and tourist hubs, Italy continually offers opportunities to experience her beauty and traditions like a local. Seek them out and be rewarded with great memories … and much better travel.
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A presto …
CREDITS:
Photos: Jack Gabrieli
Descriptions: Lucas Gabrieli