Venice brought centuries of rowing tradition back to the Grand Canal on Sunday, September 6, with the 2026 edition of the Regata Storica, one of the city’s most important historic events.
The event combines history, culture, sport and spectacle, drawing residents and visitors to the waterfront for a celebration of Venice’s long relationship with the sea and rowing. Historical evidence of Venetian regattas dates back to the mid-13th century, although the tradition may be even older.
The afternoon program opened with the Historic and Sporting Procession, featuring traditional boats, gondolas, rowing associations and participants dressed in period costumes moving along the Grand Canal.
The Regata Storica is more than a historical reenactment. Venice presents it as a living tradition passed from one generation to the next, with younger rowers continuing skills that have been part of the city’s identity for centuries.
For Venice, the annual regatta remains one of the clearest symbols of a culture shaped by water, boats and generations of rowing.
Source: City of Venice, Regata Storica 2026
By NJ RADAR Team