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Festa della Sensa

6.8 /10
Editorial rating

Quick Facts

  • Typical timing: The Sunday after Ascension Day, in May
  • Typical duration: One day
  • Admission: Free

Price last verified August 2026.

Overview

Festa della Sensa recalls the Republic of Venice's former ceremony of "wedding the sea," in which the Doge would cast a ring into the Adriatic to symbolize the city's dominion over, and dependence on, the water. The modern observance, revived in the 20th century, includes a procession of boats from St. Mark's Basin toward the Lido, where a ring is dropped into the sea in a scaled-down version of the original rite.

It is a smaller, more civic event than Redentore or Carnevale, drawing rowing clubs and local associations more than large crowds.

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