At first glance these pictures look like they are capturing a river carnival, but the truth is that it’s nothing else than the Historical Regatta, also known as the most traditional event in Venice, held every year on the first Sunday of September. It has a tradition way back in 1315 when Venice was under the rule of doge Giovanni Soranzo. It is a spectacular and colorful event that celebrated military victories and honored the foreign dignitaries, but today it is become a wonderful historical parade with rowing boat races.
The boats are driven by gondoliers that are beautifully dressed up in historic costumes to give the right mood to the happening. Years ago the price for winning a boat race used to be a living pig until PETA forbid it, so today there are mostly flags that are used as “medals”. The parade is really worth seeing both if you are a tourist or not. Another attraction in Italy is the twelve overgrown pink snails in Plazza Scala.
via planetoddity
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