Romantism is in the air.... and waters and other Venice, Italy General Tips

Favorite Thing: This place is so romantic that even the Gondolas seem to gather in couples...


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Favorite Thing: Even when it rains, they get together...


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Favorite Thing: When I first arrived in Venice not only it was raining cats and dogs but I also found out that the day before had been the day of the Regata Storica.... and I missed it! I went there just in time to watch the dismantling of the structures...

( This kind of things hapens to those who travel without knowing about VT and its helpful tips .... I had no idea )

This is one of the most traditional Venetian celebrations. It began in 1315 with the Doge Giovanni Soranzo to celebrate the glory of the Serenissima. The festival was a way to honour foreign dignitaries visiting the city, or celebrate a military victory.

Today the Regata Storica takes place on the first Sunday of September and has two different components: the Historical Procession and the 'Regata' races.

So, if you are visiting Venice this year and are interested in the Regata, do not forget....
Regata Storica:
Sunday - September 5, 2004


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Favorite Thing: The gondolas are, undoubtedly, the most typical symbol of the city. Before being used exclusivelly for tourism as today, they were born as private means of transport for rich people but due to their manoeuverability they became being employed for transporting people.
By tradition, they have their dimensions, colour and appearance strictly regulated.


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Favorite Thing: The gondolas are built under strict rules and using the same material and yet each one of them is a unique masterpiece, a work of art.

They are built using eight different kinds of wood (fir, oak, cherry, walnut, elm, mahogany, larch and lime) and are composed of 280 pieces. The wood is still mostly worked by hand. The curved shape of the boat is achieved by bending boards of seasoned, dry timber which are wetted and then heated continuously.

The main characteristic of a gondola is its longitudinal assymmetry. Since 1890 gondolas have been built this way so as that one single gondolier - whith one single oar - is required to row the boat from one of its sides and it will still go straight !


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Favorite Thing: Concerning the "ferro", the decorative iron work on the front of the gondola....

The Venetians like to inform us, tourists, that its shape comes from the Doge's crown and the six fingers in it represent the six sestieri ( neighborhoods ) of the city, but it seems that there is no written proofs of this.
Once upon a time... tourists started taking rides in the gondola and asking what the decoration on the front stood for...

By the way.... this misty picture was not taken by me... My brother took it in 2002


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Favorite Thing: ( my brother's carnival pics - 2002 )

The Carnival is a century-old tradition in Venice and reached its maximum splendour in the 18th century. it was celebrated from December 26 and reached its climax the day before Ash Wednesday, also known as "Mardi Gras". During the period of Carnival it seems that every excess was permitted and the fact that everyone wore masks seemed to abolish all social division and to set aside the rules of behavior.

The Carnival was restored to life since 1980. People come from all over the world to enjoy private and public masked balls and masked revelers of all ages invade the campi


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Favorite Thing: ( my brother's carnival pics - 2002 )


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Favorite Thing: ( my brother's carnival pics - 2002 )


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Favorite Thing: ( my brother's carnival pics - 2002 )


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