The Palio Remiero Regatta of Cavallino-Treporti: A Tapestry of Tradition, Sport and Community

Nestled in the heart of the Lagoon of Venice, the Palio Remiero of Cavallino-Treporti transcends the mere spectacle of a boat race: it is a vibrant celebration of local heritage, uniting athleticism, camaraderie and sustainability along the banks of the Pordelio Canal. 

 Now in its 23rd edition, this storied event first set sail in 2000 as a long-distance challenge from Punta Sabbioni to Cavallino. Responding to the rowers’ own calls for excitement, this year’s course has been reimagined as a thrilling straight-line sprint along the Pordelio: a roughly 4 km dash that launches from Ca’ Ballarin and culminates before the panoramic terrace of Piazza Santa Maria Elisabetta square, all easily followed by spectators strolling the elevated cycle path. A preliminary time trial will decide the starting order, adding an extra layer of anticipation. 

Nine contrade – neighborhood teams – will each man one of the lagoon’s iconic caorline (slim, graceful rowing boats), their hulls painted in colors drawn by lot: Faro Piave (canary yellow), Cavallino-Ca’ di Valle (burnt orange), Mesole-Lio Piccolo (royal purple), Ca’ Savio (emerald green), Ca’ Vio and Ca’ Pasquali-Ca’ Vio (crimson red), Punta Sabbioni (pure white), Ca’ Ballarin (blush pink) and Treporti-Saccagnana (sky blue). At the finish, the top four crews will hoist the prized red, white, green and blue flags. 

This year’s coveted Palio d’Arte is a masterpiece by Venetian artist Umberto Menetto: an evocative homage to lagoon life, featuring racing boats, drift nets, weathered briccole and a radiant sun, all celebrating our natural and cultural treasures. 

 Since its founding in 1998, the Remiera Cavallino association has grown into a welcoming hub for over 120 members – children, teens and adults alike – offering both Venetian-style rowing and canoeing. Here, technique, endurance and teamwork converge in a sport deeply rooted in local tradition. The club’s artisan spirit shines in its handcrafted wooden vessels – caorline once laden with vegetables, elegant gondolas, fleet gondolini and nimble pupparini – alongside modern VIP “Voga In Piedi” aluminum boats, designed to bring standing rowing to lakes and rivers far beyond the lagoon’s shores. Everyone, from a sixteen-year-old novice to a sixty-year-old veteran, can race side by side. 

The Palio Remiero is a true collective festival that animates Cavallino-Treporti and this year it will be held on 14th and 15th June. In the historic Piazza Santa Maria Elisabetta, the programme features live music, children's games, free excursions on a canoe, the Sunset Run with the Litorale Runners, and an area dedicated to taste and the environment, with food and wine stands organised by the contrade and the AgriGreen Market, a showcase of local products and sustainable crafts.

Running concurrently is “Vivere la laguna in modo lento e consapevole” (Living the Lagoon Slowly and Consciously), an initiative to protect salt marshes and promote sustainable navigation. Throughout the festival, you’ll discover demonstrations of green mobility, local artisanal goods and a landscape steeped in tradition and natural beauty. 

As the municipal administration aptly notes, the Palio Remiero embodies a rare equilibrium of memory and innovation – reconnecting with its roots even as it forges ahead. It is, above all, a testament to how tradition, sport, culture and sustainability can unite a community in a single, unforgettable experience.