Festa della Madonna della Salute

The festa

It began in 1631 as thanks for the end of the plague. Ever since, every 21 November, Venice walks to the Salute.

For one day the Grand Canal is crossed on foot: a votive bridge of boats links Santa Maria del Giglio to the tip of Dorsoduro, and Venetian families walk across it to enter Longhena's basilica, light a candle and touch the altar rail.

Outside, along the fondamenta, the stalls sell candles, balloons and the sweets of the festa; in the trattorias of the sestiere people eat castradina, the smoked mutton and cabbage soup cooked only on this day.

This is not an event for tourists and it costs nothing. It is the day the city belongs to Venetians again, and anyone who arrives quietly is welcome.

Organised by the Patriarchate of Venice with the city council. The bridge of boats is built by the city council two days earlier and stays open until the evening of the 21st.

The day's programme

Masses follow one another from dawn to evening; the bridge is open all day.

• Eve · 20 NovemberThe votive bridge opensFrom campo Santa Maria del Giglio to the Salute. Venetians already start crossing in the evening.
• 21 November · from 6amThe first massesIn the basilica, one every hour, with the Patriarch mid-morning. Entry is free, in an orderly queue.
• MorningThe queue for the candleOn the bridge and along the fondamenta: you buy the candle at the stalls, go in, light it and leave from the other side.
• LunchThe castradinaIn the trattorias of Dorsoduro and along the Zattere. Book ahead: on the 21st everywhere is full from 12.30.
• Evening · until 9pmLast mass and the bridge closesLights on the stalls, the basilica lit up: the finest hour to cross.

How long it takes. A couple of hours for the bridge, the basilica and the fondamenta; a full day if you add the Zattere and a lunch with castradina.

You reach Venice on foot or by water. The bridge of boats starts from San Marco, on the Giglio side.

By train to Santa Lucia

Regional trains and Frecce arrive in the city. From the station to the Salute it is 25–30 minutes on foot through Dorsoduro, without crossing San Marco.

By vaporetto

Line 1 to the Salute stop (open only for the festa) or Santa Maria del Giglio, where you cross the bridge. A 75-minute ticket is €9.50.

On foot across the bridge

From the Giglio, over the bridge of boats, you cross the Grand Canal in five minutes. It is one-way: you come out on the other side of the basilica.

What to know before you go

Four things the people who live here take for granted.

Around the Salute

Dorsoduro is the quietest sestiere: an afternoon is enough to walk across it.

Le Zattere

The long fondamenta on the Giudecca canal, with the winter sun on it. Ten minutes on foot from the basilica.

Campo Santa Margherita

The square of the students and the bacari, where Venetians still do their shopping.

Chioggia

The little Venice of the fishermen, an hour by vaporetto and bus across the southern lagoon.

Nearby, on Twip

The festa is free. If you want a bacari crawl with someone who lives here, or a row in the lagoon, those you book on Twip.

A bacari crawl in Dorsoduro with a Venetian

from €28 · Venice · 2 hours

Voga alla veneta: a rowing lesson in the lagoon

from €45 · Venice · 1.5 hours

Burano and Torcello on a family boat

from €55 · Burano (Venice) · Half day

See all experiences in Venice on Twip