Vogalonga: rowing on the Venetian Canals

The boat race known as The Vogalonga is one of the main events in Venice, the Queen of the Adriatic. Everybody gathers to see plenty of boats passing along 30 kilometers of canals and historical buildings. This competition offers the opportunity to visit Italy in a perfect way having fun in a Venetian Gondola.

Vogalonga is a rowing race that started on November 11, 1974. A gropup of Venetians, amateur and professional rowers, had a race in the island of Burano to protest against the use of powerboats in Venice since they could damage the historic city.
 

Each participant receives a commemorative medal and a certificate of participation: The Vogalonga is not a competitive race and there are no winners.
The numbers of participants has swelled to thousands over the years from all over the world. Some participants have brought their own kind of boats like the Chinese dragon boats.

In 2011 the Vogalonga is held on Sunday, June 12th.

There are some rules of conduct among participants to avoid problems; for example, no vessel can cross into the path of other boats. It is also forbidden to change the set of the race and it is not allowed the inclusion of advertising logos or trademaks.

What to do

In Venice, besides the famous and fun race, you can enjoy and explore all the  main sights from San Marco Square and its beautiful Basilica, the Doge’s Palace, the romantic city bridges, like Rialto and the Brigde of Sighs until picturesque Art galleries like the Gallery of the Academy and the Academy of Fine Arts.

It is also reccomended to watch a glass-blowing demonstration on Murano Island, enjoy the best view of the city at the top of the Campanile and wander around the Lido and its beach.

Where to stay

Venice is one of the most visited places in the world, so, there are plenty of hotels in Venecia among we can choose. There are options to meet the requirements of everybody, from cheap hotels like NH Manin or Hotel Locanda Salieri to luxurius and comfortable accomodations like Bauer Hotel and Hotel Al Ponte dei Suspiri on the banks of the Venetian canals.

Where to eat

One of the dilemmas when traveling to a city like Venice, is to choose the right place to eat, since many of the restaurants are quite expensive, taking advantage of the large number of tourists. If you are looking for good food at a cheap price, one of the best options is to choose the city’s osterie, taverns and trattorias.

Arte della Pizza is a great pizzeria that is usually quite busy, because of their exquisite products and budget prices.
However, we can find other places like Da Luca e Fred, a tiny familiar local hidden among channels you can taste the real Italian cuisine.