Italy Weekend: Vogalonga
Duration : 3 Days 2 Nights
Max People : 20
Start Location: Venice, Italy
Date Expired !
Italy Weekend: Vogalonga
In rowing travel circles, this event is legendary. How could it not be? Imagine Venice without motor boats for a morning. Thousands of rowed or paddled watercraft take to the waters for a 30 km “race”, which begins with a cannon shot from St. Mark’s Square. The route takes rowers through the lagoon to Burano, down to Murano and back along the famous canals to St. Marks to receive a participation medal. Rowers come from around the world, with quads, eights, various Venetian style rowing boats, plus kayaks, canoes, SUPs and anything else that moves forward with oars or paddles. Join us for a wonderful weekend in Venice and claim your Vogalonga story. Everyone has one.
Fun Facts And What To Expect
The history of the Vogalonga traces to 1974 with a first regatta of just a few traditional “mascarete” boats. The scope broadened the next year to allow any type of rowing boat and the event was billed as more a protest than a race. At issue was the growing number of motor boats in the lagoons and canals. It was not simply the sheer volume but also the impacts of the wakes on the historic structures and waterways. Now thousands of non-motorized water craft throng the winding 30+ km course, many sporting costumes, carrying picnic baskets or maybe pumping music from speakers. Organized chaos!
Our base for the Vogalonga 2024 is on Lido. We stay two nights in an excellent hotel a short walk from the vaporetti station. The rowing club on the island is where we and many others will launch from early in the morning. The warm-up row is to get to St. Mark’s Square before the cannon fires at 9 am, the official start. There is no timing and the point is to enjoy the experience of rowing through the highlights of Venice, a once a year opportunity. There is an advantage of being towards the front of the pack however. The last part of the race is through the Cannaeregio neighbourhood. The canal is narrow and everyone must pass under a bridge, one boat at a time. Frogmen control traffic but the wait can sometimes stretch to hours. Locals and tourists line the banks to watch the fun. Your boat will receive its package of medals and certificates, then a slow, cool down row back to Lido and a massive dinner celebration, perhaps with local specialties like grilled bream, sea bass, sole, and of course, loads of tasty and unusual pastas and risottos. Congratulations!
Trip Details
| Price Per Person | USD | CAD | EUR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rower | $1,645 | $2,225 | €1,495 |
| Single Supplement | $150 | $200 | €135 |
| Fully-Independent Non Rower | $800 | $1090 | €730 |
| Difficulty & Daily Distances | Boats | Group Size |
|---|---|---|
|
30 km + distance to and from start/finish – approximately 40 km |
coxed coastal quads | Maximum is 20 |
We have a coastal double available, but requires an experienced bow person – contact us if you are interested.
Included
- Two nights’ accommodation in an excellent hotel on the Lido
- Two breakfasts, one lunch and two dinners
- Seat in one of our four coastal coxed quads, including transportation fee, oars and life jackets
- Registration in the Vogalonga event
- Guide services and tour support by Catriona Cameron and a full support team
- Snacks during the event