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Regata delle Befane: A Venice Epiphany Tradition
Jan 4, 2010 Events & Offerings 1 Comment
At 11 a.m. on Epiphany, Wednesday, January 6th, the 32nd annual Regata delle Befane will be held on the “Canalazzo,” the Grand Canal. This is not an official Comune sporting event, but rather annual festivity organized by the historic Cannotieri Bucintoro (a rowing club founded in 1882).
Just for the heck of it, five males over 55 will don haggy, witchy costumes to race their single-oared mascarete boats from the Palazzo Bilbo at San Tomà to the Rialto Bridge.
It will be worth bundling up against the cold to see these colorful, hefty befane (traditionally, the good-natured if plug-ugly witch who brings children gifts on Epiphany while sweeping up a bit with her broom) racing frantically up the canal. The mascareta, a small, light craft that unlike the classic gondola, has no bend to help it stay on course when being rowed by single oar. So for every forward stroke which propels the boat forward, a reverse stroke must be employed to hold the boat on course. Che fatica, how exhausting! But great fun.
Here’s the schedule for the regata and the festivities to which everyone is invited:
- 8:00 At the Magazzini del Sale, the Befane don their costumes
- 9.30 The rowers head up the Canal Grande.
- 10.30: Festivities begin on Riva del Vin at the Rialto (the San Polo side, below the bridge), with Venetian music, chocolate and vin brulè for all, and a candy-toss from the giant stocking hanging from the bridge.
- 11.00: The regata departs from the Palazzo Balbi at San Tomà.
- 11.15: Estimated finish at the Rialto
- 11.45: Coronation of winning Befana 2010.
The Epiphany is the Day of the Befana in Italy – and in Venice, a regata is the only way to celebrate!
* photo courtesy e-venise.com
Splashing in the Venetian New Year
Jan 1, 2010 Vita venexiàn 4 Comments
An estimated 30,000 people, undeterred by the high-water forecast, amassed to joyfully herald in the New Year yesterday evening as the ankle-deep tide washed over Piazza San Marco. Half of the revellers came from the mainland, the Comune surmised; the other half were locals and in-town lodgers. From the photos it looks like most donned rubber or plastic boots or even garbage bags to ward off wet feet while enjoying the festivities and the spectacular midnight fireworks display.
Here are are the photos from New Year’s Day Gazzettino. Now, don’t you wish you were there?
AP photo credit Luigi Costantini
Ba-aaaah-uon Anno!
Dec 31, 2009 Vita venexiàn 1 Comment
A friend from Greece (Mama Mia was shot on her island, for heaven’s sake) just sent me this photo. What it has to do with New Year’s, I’m not sure, but aren’t they the cutest things?
So, bah-ba-ah-ah-aah, 2009, and best wishes to all of us for a happy, properous – or maybe just even less challenging – 2010.
(Ba-aah…)
The sounds of sirens: acqua alta or Santa’s sleigh?
Dec 25, 2009 Vita venexiàn 3 Comments
The traditional, all-fish feast at a friend’s 4th floor home on Christmas Eve was interrupted by the audio warning for the event we’d already prepared for: the arrival later that evening of the 150cm (five-foot) tide:
“Disquieting,” was the word they used to describe the sound; inquietante. Fortunately, the sirens were followed not long after by bells from the San Marco campanile signaling the beginning, consecration, and end of midnight mass. Much more hopeful and comforting, they were. Between them and the capesanti, spaghetti con peoci, gamberi, tonno, pesce spada (scallops, spaghetti with clams, shrimp, tuna, swordfish), and Pan d’Oro, our spirits were lifted in short order.
By the time I left at about 1:15 am, the water was ankle-deep at the Ponte dei Giocatoli. It deepened just before I crossed into Campo Santi Apostoli, dried up along the Strada Nova, approached calf-high on the Misericordia.
The water’s still rising as I write, and will be til about 4:30 a.m. Good thing I’d taken my boots with me to dinner…
As I nod off to sleep, I can’t help but think of all the trash left on the streets that will be floating through the city canals on Christmas Day. Now, that’s disquieting. There oughta be a law.
In the meantime,
Merry Christmas to all…
and to all a dry night!
Does the Venetian lagoon ever freeze?
Dec 20, 2009 About Venice 2 Comments
In 1929, it did. How cold was it?
This cold. Walk-from-Fondamente-Nove-to-Murano cold.
1929 was a harsh winter for all of Europe…Venice included. A voga friend uploaded this archival video of Frozen Venice; they’d not experienced anything like it for over 100 years. (Check his YouTube site for more historic footage.)
Can you spot the vaporetto di una volta, from once upon a time?
After running a few errands and making it back inside just before my nose fell off, I’m still refusing to believe we’re gearing up for a similar experience this winter.
Speriamo bene (Hoping for the best)…
Michela’s gone iPhone with Venice eatery on-”tap” app.
Dec 10, 2009 Vita venexiàn 8 Comments
We knew she’d do it; it was only a matter of time. Michela Scibilia, one of our most reliable go-to girls for Many Things Venice has made it that much more convenient to have her eating and drinking preferences at the tip of your fingertips…if you have an iPhone, anyway.
TapVenice Eating may not be the most imaginative title ever, but it certainly forthright and more English and SEO friendly than Osterie e dintorni. That’s the perfectly logical title of the first Italian pub by Michela that I picked up over fourteen years ago to find my way around consumable Venice (the English title is Venice Osterie). Since she has also penned Venice: Botteghe and A comprehensive guide to the island of Murano. TapVenice could be the first in a series…ya think?)
Not surprisingly, the app is very well-organized and quite navigable: her recs are listed in alpha order, but you can also perform a multiple-criteria search: look for something near your current location, with outdoor seating or good wines or a kid-friendly spot, say; and of course, set your language for English or Italian (that’s right, locals rely on her too). There’s also a glossary for any “foresti” – Italian or otherwise – who might not be familiar with Venetian foods and dishes.
From the list, you can click on any eatery and discover a photo, description, relative price range, address, telephone number (reserve, please…and then show up), closing days, with both on- and offline maps, which means you don’t have to be online to get a locale’s location.
I’ve downloaded and installed the TapVenice app, I’ll be testing it out in the next days and will note any idiosyncrasies, should I find any. With Michela’s track record I don’t expect to, however.
For more images and info, click through to the TapVenice Eating web site. The app is $2.99 and available on the iTunes Store.
Any plans for additional formats, Michela? IMWTK… 
