Resources - Venice: A Travel Guide to Murano Glass, Carnival Masks, Gondolas, Lace, Paper and More - page 75

January
La Regata delle Befane
January 6
If you see a group of gondoliers dressed like old women with bonnets and crocheted shawls, check your
watch. You've probably arrived in Venice on Epiphany, a national holiday in Italy celebrated on January 6. The
religious significance is typically overshadowed by the arrival of Befana, a witch-like, broom-riding old woman
who, according to Italian tradition, leaves candy in children's stockings the night before Epiphany. In Venice,
Befana not only powers brooms but also powers gondolas and other boats through the canals in this most
curious of Venetian regatte .
February-March
Carnevale (Carnival)
10 Days Before Lent
www.carnevaledivenezia.com
Arguably the world's most famous Carnival, Venetian Carnival is the best place to see traditional handmade
masks and costumes in action. If you want to splurge, procure a high-priced ticket to one of the official masked
balls like the Doge's ball or the Gran Ballo della Cavalchina. You can rent an extravagant costume and locate
a mask from one of the city's traditional mask makers.
April
Feast of San Marco
April 25
This celebration of the city's patron saint includes a regatta of historic gondolas between the Punta della
Dogana at the entrance to the Grand Canal and the island of Sant'Elena following mass in the basilica.
May
Festa e Regata della Sensa
(Feast and Regatta of the Sensa)
40 days after Easter
This particularly Venetian event, celebrated on Ascension Day, commemorates the city's close link with the
sea. Historically, the Doge of Venice would board the Bucintoro, the outlandishly ornamented state barge, and
travel to the island of Sant'Andrea, where he would cast a gold ring overboard to symbolize the city's marriage
to the sea. Today the mayor of Venice does the honors from a gaudy historical replica of the Bucintoro at San
Nicolò on the Lido. A regatta of historic Venetian boats follows.
June or July
Palio delle Antiche Repubbliche Marinare
(Race of the Maritime Republics)
In this heated race between Italy's four former maritime republics (Amalfi, Genoa, Pisa, and Venice), the Grand
Canal becomes a moving stage for historic gondolas and other boats carrying passengers with the traditional
costumes and masks of Venice. Each of the representatives of the four republics dresses in costume, and be-
fore the race you can watch the parade along the riva dei Sette Martiri and the riva degli Schiavoni.