Vogalonga
Quick Facts
- Typical timing: A Sunday in May or June
- Typical duration: One day
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Admission: Free
Free to watch; rowers taking part pay a separate registration fee.
Prices verified August 2026.
Overview
Vogalonga ("long row") began in 1975 as a protest against motorboat traffic and its erosive effect on the lagoon, and has since grown into one of Venice's largest rowing events. Thousands of rowers in gondolas, dragon boats, kayaks, and other human-powered craft cover a roughly 30-kilometer course from St. Mark's Basin out into the lagoon and back through the Grand Canal.
It is explicitly non-competitive -- there is no winner -- and open to registered crews of a wide range of skill levels. Spectators can watch for free from the banks of the Grand Canal and other points along the route.