CHRISTMAS ARRIVES AND THE SQUARE LIGHTS UP

Christmas in Venice will begin with a rowing procession. Centre stage will once again be St Mark’s Square. On Sunday 7 December at 4.30 pm a procession of boats will leave from St Mark’s and another from Piazzale Roma, ending at the Rialto Fish Market. Each group will have a choir on board and a live nativity scene made up of some figures in costume. The event is being organised by the Associazione veneziana albergatori with the assistance of Vela Spa, the Comune di Venezia and some of the Venetian rowing clubs. On Monday 8 December, as mentioned in a previous news item, the lights in St Mark’s Square and the Christmas tree will be switched on with a ceremony at the Caffè Lavena starting at 6 pm. This event has been made possible by Vela spa, the sponsor Longchamp and the Associazione Piazza San Marco. On behalf of the Association, Antonio Camali said to the Gazzettino that ‘the association has made an extra effort to maintain the tradition and a big gesture was made by the Cinain company, which provides the lighting and offered its service with a discount of almost 40 per cent’.