Venice’s Historical Regatta, this year with a new Initiative

Yes! For all the people who love Venetian traditions this is the right moment for coming in the city of Venice: as a matter of fact, the Historical Regatta of Venice comes back on 5th September 2010 in the lagoon of the so-called Serenissima.

This year there will be new initiatives: 20 seats will be available on the “Machina”, the structure placed on the Canal Grande that will host some great personages personally invited by Venice’s mayor. Such 20 seats will be available only for Venice citizens and will be selected by lot.

We think that’s a really good idea. The initiative has been called “Veneziani in platea” (“Venetians on stalls”) and it is organized in cooperation with the local newspapers (Il Corriere del Veneto, Il Gazzettino, La Nuova Venezia-Mestre) that on 18th, 19th, 20th, 21st, 22nd August (more…)

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Venice Architecture Biennale. The World of Architecture comes back in Venice

From Sunday 29th August, architecture will come back in the Serenissima – the city of Venice, for wondering us and showing new, innovative creations.

We are talking about the 12th International Architecture Exhibition, known also as the biennale, which will take place in Venice in the autumnal season until 21st November 2010.

The 12th International Architecture Exhibition will be held at Palazzo delle Esposizioni of Biennale (Giardini), at the Arsenale (preview August 26, 27 and 28, 2010) and in other venues of Venice historical center.

Such an event will be directed by the architect Kazuyo Sejima, the first woman who will direct the Architecture Biennale.

This year, the exhibition will be entitled (more…)

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Fireworks and Events in Venice: Festivity of Redentore 2010

Every third Sunday of July, the city of Venice celebrates the Festivity of Redentore, which it is both a religious and a profane event that is very appreciated by Venetians.

This year the event will take place on Saturday 17th and Sunday 18th July 2010, in the charming background of the Lagoon of Venice. On Saturday night, the scenery of San Marco dock will turn into a world of wonderful fireworks, which every year gather thousands visitors.

You will marvel at colors and light plays moving through spires, domes and bell towers of the city. The fireworks will begin at 11.30 pm and will continue until 12 pm and longer.

And as tradition says, at dusk enlightened boats decorated with colored air-balloons come in the San Marco dock and in the Giudecca Channel.

The traditional Festivity of Redentore dates back to 1577, a year reminding the end of a terrible disease, which was celebrated with the construction of the basilica of Palladio on the Giudecca Isle, where visitors nowadays can go and visit by crossing a 330 m long bridge made up of boats. Celebrations include also a religious procession.

Finally, the week-end ends up with the final regatta of gondolas.

Here are the events scheduled for the Festivity of Redentore 2010 in Venice:

SATURDAY, JULY 17th
7.00 pm Celebratory opening of the Thanksgiving Bridge, connecting the Zattere to the Church of the Redentore on the island of Giudecca

11.30 pm Fireworks in St. Mark’s Bay

SUNDAY, JULY 18th
Redentore Regattas, organized by the Municipality of Venice
4.00 pm A children’s twin-oared “pupparini” boat regatta
4.45 pm Twin-oared “pupparini” boat regatta
5.30 pm Twin-oared gondola regatta

7.00 pm
Thanksgiving Mass at the Church of the Redentore on the Giudecca presided over by His Eminence Cardinal Patriarch Angelo Scola, with the city authorities in attendance

Other Events

FRIDAY, JULY 16th
9.00 pm Concert “Mottetti per il Santissimo Redentore” by the Ensamble Barocco Il Sistro, music by Monteverdi, Cavalli, Castello and others - Church of San Salvador (San Marco 4835)

SATURDAY, JULY 17th
9.30 pm Concert by Banda Musicale di Tessera C.C.R.T., traditional venetian music - Fondamenta Zattere (Chiesa dei Gesuati)

8.00 pm Redentore at Forte Gazzera
8.30 pm Fireworks

9.00 pm Redentore in the arena of Piazza Mercato in Marghera

SUNDAY, JULY 18th
11.30 am Marinaressa Gardens opening ceremony, Riva Sette Martiri

Further information about the city of Venice and events in Venice are available on the website www.abouvenice.org

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The Sensa Festivity 2010: a new wedding between Venice and the sea

Among the numerous events organized in the city of Venice during all the year, the Sensa Feast is surely one of the most important and interesting since it represents, more than others, the union between the city, the sea and the practice of the rowing so called “Voga alla Veneta”.

The Sensa Feast came to life as a festivity celebrated by the Venetian Republic on the Christ’s Ascension day (the meaning of the word “sensa” in Venetian dialect means exactly ascension), to commemorate two important events linked to the Serenissima’s history: 9 of May 1000, when the Doge came to rescue of the Dalmatian people who were under the Slav menace, and the signing in 1177, of the peace treaty created to put an end to the long diatribe between the papacy and the empire.

The city of Venice began to celebrate Ascension Day again in 1965, to highlight the dominion of the Serenissima over the sea, their special union and the activities linked to it. The Sensa Feast presents a program that, more than re-evocation, includes several meetings and cultural events that started yesterday (more…)

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On April 25th 2010, Venice celebrates the Feast of Saint Mark

Since always, on April 25th Venice celebrates the Feast of Saint Mark, the patron of the city.

In fact, also this year venetians and people from every corner of Italy and the world will gather in the stately and famous St. Mark’s Basilica at 10.30 am in order to celebrate, as tradition says, the procession led by the patriarch of Venice, the cardinal Angelo Scola, the representatives of ecclesiastic orders and the most important city authorities.

St. Mark the Evangelist, worshipped as a Saint by all the religious orders that allow the (more…)

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The XII Italian ‘Week of Culture’ is upon us!

Italy, world renound for its incredible history and dedication to the arts, is opening the doors of its countless and historically important state operated sites including museums of art and history, monuments, archaeological areas, archives and libraries … for FREE!

For the next ten days (April 16-25th) Italians and foreigners alike will enjoy this unique opportunity to experience the beauty and culture that exists within the walls of its most prestigious and visited locations without having to pay a dime.

Each city has its gems, and here’s a breif description of a few: Click on the citiy names for a more in depth description of the museums, monuments and more!

Florence: City of Renaissance art. He’re you’ll find the incredible Uffizi Gallery with its incredible collection of famous art from the middle ages all the way through the 18th century (featuring two of Botticelli`s greatest works), the Galleria dell’Academia – with Michelangelo’s famous statue of  ‘David’ …

Venice: The city of Venice is basically a museum its self, but it you’re in the area and looking to visit some interesting places, be sure to see the Peggy Guggenheim Museum which is the most important museum of European and American contemporary art in Italy …

Siena:  Looking for museums filled with fine examples of paintings and sculpture from the Romanic, Gothic and Pre-Renaissance periods? Be sure to see Siena’s wide array including the Museo Civico (Civic Museum) where a great selection of incredible frescoes are displayed…

Milan: This city has much more to offer than just fashion! When in Milan you will want to be sure and see the Brera Art Gallery - one of the greatest galleries containing several masterpieces of Italian art from the 14th to the 20th century such as: Raphael’s “Marriage of the Virgin” …

Turin: the fourth largest city in Italy, Tourin, holds within its land some incredible places to visit. Among them you will find the Museum of Contemporary Art, Castello di Rivoli (which has a permanent collection that gathers works of great European and American artists), and yearly exhibitions with prestigious and international artists.

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About Italy is on Facebook! Become our FAN!

Of course, also the original and up-to-date Blog about all the news & events in Italy and the main Italian cities is now on the most famous social network in the world: Facebook!

Now you can find all the information you need also on the page of About Italy on Facebook! It’s really easy, become our fan and you will receive real-time updating about events, exhibitions, performances, sport and cultural events in the most beautiful Italian cities: Florence, Milan, Pisa, Rome, Siena, Turin, Venice…and don’t forget about the valley of Mugello, the Versilia coast and the Region of Liguria!

Italy is full of wonderful places to discover and visit among mountains and the sea, from the North to the South…you will be spoilt for choice! In order to know the events of the week, you need just (more…)

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Mapping the Studio in Venice: a François Pinault’s Collection

Punta della Dogana, the triangular-shaped Center for Contemporary Art located in Venice, since last June 6th has been hosting many works belonging to François Pinault’s collection.

The former monumental port of the city will host a permanent exhibition entitled “Mapping the Studio: Artists from the François Pinault Collection” until June 6th 2010. Therefore, visitors will still have a few months to go to the stunning and picturesque city of Venice in order to visit Palazzo Grassi, which together with Punta della Dogana, will be the background (more…)

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“Sensation”: Venice Carnival 2010

6 senses for 6 districts - Venice Carnival 2010 this year have begun its edition on February 6thn and will end tomorrow February 16th, 2010. Like every year, there’s a long list of sensational happenings organized all over Venice. Some of them are to discover, some are already announced, others are to be created by yourself, simply putting on a mask and letting yourself be overwhelmed by carnival spell.

This fascinating city revives every year the ancient tradition from the time of Serenissima. It is believed that the year of 1296 is the one when the famous Carnival became an official festivity. At the beginning, the Carnival lasted much longer, about 6 weeks, or even a couple of months. Venetians bore masks in many occasions and, hiding their identity, they felt free to do all sorts of things, which presented Venice as a city of unrestrained pleasure and party. And they had that much of a fun that Serenissima had to (more…)

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Celebrate this New Year’s Eve in Italy!

Where are you gonna spend this New Year’s Eve?

In the Belpaese, you will be spoilt for choice! We would like to remind all our visitors the best events and parties organized in the most beautiful Italian cities, where you will find great celebrations, fireworks, music at full volume, dances and delicious wine and food.

The cosmopolitan city of Turin, in the region of Piedmont, in 2010 will be elected “European Capital of Youth”. In order to show such a merit, the young city of Turin for the New Year’s Eve 2010 organizes a special evening with loud music, a concert which will take place in Piazza Vittorio Veneto from 9.30 pm, an event dedicated to people under 35! The absolute protagonists of the night will be the famous English group Groove Armada and the American group Juliette Lewis and New Romantics, followed by many other artists until midnight, when it will be time for spectacular fireworks.

In Milan on the other hand, (more…)

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