Has anyone here been to the festa della Sensa in Venice? If so any advice for best place for viewing the spectacle? Is it insanely crowded? And is the market at San Nicolo afterwards fun, or just more plastic gondolas?

I haven't seen it in awhile, but it wasn't too crowded a few years back. They have some sort of ceremony by the Naval Museum down in Castello, and you can also see the boats go by from there. Then, hop on the vaporetto and go over to Lido to watch the ceremony there -- in fact, you will see whoever is the new mayor (or, if it is Cacciari, the old mayor again) toss the "ring" into the sea. I still have a beautiful tapestry hanging over my bed from the market at San Nicolo.

We enjoyed La Sensa the one time we were in Venice for it. We took a vaporetto to Giardini and watched the Bucintoro and dozens of other boats - many quite spectacular row past us on their way ot the Lido. As soon as they were past Giardini, several vaporettos which had been hovering near by pulled in and transported everyone who could pile on out to the Lido.
I think we took a bus for several blocks, and then everyone had to get off and walk or run hte rest of the way. We found good spots looking over a wall to the water and saw the ceremony. A bit further down in front of the church there seemed to be a variety of costumed clad performers twirling flags, doing acrobatics. etc. As we walked back to the vaporetto several boats past us in what may have been either a mini or perhaps even an impromptu race.
This year we were talking about taking a few days to go to Portugal to see my sister, but if the Sensa is on the 8th of May we will make sure we are back by the 7th. I'd enjoy seeing it a second time. I believe the date varies a lot because it follows Ascension Day and the date of that is determined by Easter which was very early this year. Ruth

thanks! this is exactly the kind of info I was looking for.

yes Ruth, the boats that went past you at the end were part of an official race: "in the afternoon a gondola regatta closes a day full of festivities."
And La Sensa is indeed on the 8th this year, so perhaps we'll pass each other in the crowd running the last few blocks to San Nicolo (I'll be the one at the rear of the pack!)

quote:

Originally posted by Erain:

And La Sensa is indeed on the 8th this year, so perhaps we'll pass each other in the crowd running the last few blocks to San Nicolo (I'll be the one at the rear of the pack!)

I usually bring up the rear as I am the world's slowest walker so I will look around to see who is near me. Ruth