Venice
Castello: what to do in the Venice least known district
The district of Venice Castello may not be the city’s best-known area (sestiere), but it is the largest, and there’s plenty here to make it worth a visit. Even better, […]
The Festa del Redentore has been celebrated since 1576, founded as the Venetians’ way of giving thanks for deliverance from the ‘terrible plague’, so-called because it had been responsible for the deaths of 50,000 people. The end of such a disease was cause for much jubilation, and to this day the event is marked with awe-inspiring fireworks and waterborne festivities.
The celebrations kick off on Saturday, when boats and rooftop terraces are decorated with garlands and balloons in preparation. At 7pm, something to look out for is the opening of the temporary pontoon bridge – known as the Thanksgiving Bridge – which links Venice with the island of Giudecca.
As the sun goes down, the boats make their way to the water near San Marco while those on board are feasting. The fireworks begin at around 11.30pm, lighting up the night sky for nearly an hour, and the Venetians continue partying all night long.
The next day, the focus is on religious celebrations. From 4pm, spectacular processions of boats will be seen on the Canale della Giudecca, the last of which is the gondola regatta at 5.30pm. You’ll also see the twin-oared “pupparini” boats, including some crewed by children. After that, there’s a votive Mass at the Redentore Church on Giudecca, built at the same time the festival began.
If you’re planning to experience the Redentore as part of your Venice day trip, you’ll definitely want to make the most of the time you have available in this magical city. Wondering what to see in Venice? Here are some ideas for your day trip to Venice – and if it’s raining and you want to go indoors for a while, these are the best 5 museums to see in Venice.
Venice
The district of Venice Castello may not be the city’s best-known area (sestiere), but it is the largest, and there’s plenty here to make it worth a visit. Even better, […]
Experiences, Venice
When, after a long day’s sightseeing, you want to sip a cocktail in an atmospheric bar, Venice has plenty of choice. But there’s really one place to go if your […]
Travel Tips
You’d be forgiven for thinking that eating in Venice might be expensive, and if you go to certain places – like the famous Cafe Florian on St Mark’s Square – […]