Emma Impavido, ATA’s Senior Program Manager for Italy programs, shares a bit of the magic of Venice in her latest post from Italy, where she is spending time this summer.
The highlight of our weekend in Venice was by far the Festa del Redentore and I might add it is what shaped our itinerary this summer. The church of the Redentore on the Giudecca was built by Palladio to give thanks that the Venetians had been saved from the Plague. Every year – on the third Saturday of July–a bridge of boats is traditionally built across the canal of the Guidecca. Today the bridge is a more solid construction that is set up temporarily for the feast and connects the Zattere to the Giudecca.
Venice lays on the most spectacular firework display in the Bacino di San Marco as part of the festivities. All terraces, restaurants and vantage points are booked up. We decided to do it the Venetian way and hired a water taxi with our friends. Having feasted
on a seafood extravaganza we boarded our boat. Our driver, a Redentore veteran, told us it was early at 9:30 pm to head to the bacino and so gave us a beautiful tour of Venice by night. There is something special about cruising down the Grand Canal in your own boat with hardly any other boats around. We were overwhelmed upon arrival in the bacino – it was filled with boats of all shapes and sizes. I had expected a lot but not the party atmosphere. We moved from the small family boat gatherings to the pirate ship. Then there were the disco ships to the fishing boats partying away and finally the seriously rich yachts moored up near the Giardini. I am not sure if it was the heat or tradition but there were also people taking a dip in the water.
It was still too early to hang around so we paid a visit to a gelateria. At 11:20 pm we were racing down the Grand Canal with all the last arrivals to the party, including a few gondolas. A few moments later a couple of warning shots were fired and total silence and darkness descended on the city. Venice was ready for the show to begin. And what a show we were treated to. Forty minutes of pure magic.
There is something amazing about being in such an open space with fireworks raining down on you. The scene was Turneresque: the foreground was filled with the silhouettes of people and boats and then bursts of light and color beyond. There were loud cheers and applause as the effervescent sky faded to night, and the boats started to file home – priority given to the gondolas, followed by the smaller boats. The party boats and fishing vessels disappeared out into the lagoon, perhaps to party on, take a dip in the cleaner waters of the Lido or head off for tomorrow’s catch. What a night. Truly memorable!
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