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World Europe Italy Veneto Venice Events Festa della Salute

Festa della Salute

7.8 /10
Editorial rating

Quick Facts

  • Typical timing: November 21 every year
  • Typical duration: One day
  • Admission: Free

Price last verified August 2026.

Overview

Festa della Salute commemorates the end of the 1630-1631 plague, which killed a large share of Venice's population. In thanks, the Republic of Venice built the Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute at the mouth of the Grand Canal, and the city has marked its completion with an annual pilgrimage there every November 21 since.

A temporary pontoon bridge is built across the Grand Canal at Santa Maria del Giglio so pilgrims and visitors can walk to the basilica on foot. Many Venetians visit to light a candle, and the traditional dish associated with the day is castradina, a slow-cooked mutton stew.

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