Venice is preparing to celebrate one of its most spectacular traditions: the Regata Storica, which will take place on Sunday, September 7, 2025. A centuries-old event, the regatta brings together Venetians and visitors alike, filling the Grand Canal with history, color, and passion.
The origins of the regatta date back to at least the 13th century, when it was linked to the Festa delle Marie. Over time, it became not only a festive spectacle but also essential training for crews in a city that lived by and for the sea. The earliest visual record appears in Jacopo de’ Barbari’s 16th-century map of Venice, and since then, the regatta has been immortalized by countless painters as a symbol of Venetian vitality. The very word regata, likely derived from the 16th-century aurigare (“to compete”), spread across Europe to define competitive boat races.
The festivities begin with the historical procession, recalling the grand welcome of Caterina Cornaro in 1489. Dozens of 16th-century-style boats, lavishly decorated and rowed by costumed gondoliers, parade down the Grand Canal, carrying the Doge, the Dogaressa, Venetian officials, and nobles. Spectators can admire vessels such as the Bucintoro, the disdotona, the dodesona, the swift bissone, and of course the gondolas, gondolini, and caorline.
The heart of the event is the series of rowing competitions, divided by age and boat type. The most thrilling is the Gondolini Regatta, where champion rowers sprint from the Lido to St. Mark’s Basin, then race up the Grand Canal to the finish line before the machina at Ca’ Foscari.
A blend of history, sport, and spectacle, the Regata Storica is the ultimate celebration of Venice’s maritime soul.
Website: www.regatastoricavenezia.it
Location: St. Mark’s Basin and Grand Canal, Venice
Schedule: September 7, 2025
