Venice Sports & Outdoors

in 2011 for the first time I know of they opened a ice skating rink in Venice. It was in Campo San Polo from December to the end of February- Hours were Mon-Thurs 3-7pm, Friday 3-9 pm, Sat 11-9pm and Sunday 11-7pm).
Along with the ice rink there is also a small Mercatino - shopping area- where there are some stalls set up for vendors selling foods from different part of Italy

Equipment: You can bring you skate or rent them from them.

This marathon is a fast one run over a very flat course. The run starts in Stra and finishes on the Island. The course takes you along beside the bay and on to Mestre before turning and crossing the link to Venice where you run along side the Giudecca Canal, over the bridge by the Accademia. As you have all of the wonderful sights to keep your mind away from feeling the pain too much this marathon is a good one to try if you are thinking about an overseas venture. There is also a half marathon option which is my choice for this event in 2007.

You can see the course at the weblink below.

Equipment: Make sure you bring your own shoes etc. The run is in October so can be a bit cooler. I would recommend that you also bring your own carb loading gear as this sort of thing is not always easy to find in a foreign land.

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I finally got to see this ground- although only from the outside!

I'd read about it in my guide books over the years, and had been hoping to find it.

So during my latest visit to Venice, I headed east, off the beaten track, to explore Isola Sant' Elena

Venices football (soccer ) team play their home matches at the Stadio Pierluigi Penzo on Isola Sant'Elena in the sestieri of Castello - at the South easternmost tip of Venice.

This is the only Football league stadium in Europe to be entirely surrounded by water!

At present the team are in Serie B, but their Glory Days were between 1998 and 2000 when they were in Serie A - They're still hoping for a return!

Matches are played from September to the end of June, and you can see them at their home ground on alternate Sunday afternoons.

Kick off 1500 hours.

Tickets on sale at the ground and from ACTV and Vela public transport offices- Piazzale Roma and Calle dei Fuseri (San Marco). Offices open Mon - Fri 0900 - 12.30 and 14.30 -1900.
Prices 15 - 25 Euros

The flag waving and singing opponents arrive by train, and are then transported by their own vaporetto to the ground.

I really want to see a match here!

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While wandering around Giudecca on Christmas Day, I came to its mainly residential area.

I crossed the small Bridge off the square near the church, which took me onto Sacca Fissola, and here I came across a public swimming pool - Piscine Comunali Rari Nantes (Public Swimming Pool) Sacca Fisola, Venezia.
It was Christmas day, so was closed.

There is another Public Swimming pool in Canaregio (I'm not sure if this is an indoor or open pool)

Piscine Comunali Rari Nantes
(Public Swimming Pool)
Cannaregio 3161 - S. Alvise, Venezia
Phone: 041 713567

So, if your hotel doesn't have a swimming pool - (Cipriani, Molino Stucky, Boscolo Luxury Grand, Hotel Dei Dogi, Bauer Hotel , Hotel Santa Marina are 4 that do have pools) and you don't want to trek over to the beaches of the Lido, these are 2 options!
I'm not sure if any of these hotels are open to the public.

Swimming in Bacino San Marco and the canals etc is forbidden.

Equipment: I seem to remember that swimming in public pools in Italy, requires wearing a swimming cap.

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Venice is not really a sports oriented place - at least not for travelers. The locals fish - both with a rod from the bulkhead and they have fishing boats that go out. There are boat races - there is one race each year for the locals who stand up in a boat to row (photos 4 and 5). And I have seen sailboats.

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Have you ever seen a peaceful demonstration against the motorboats making wave-motion, that is dangerous for the city of Venice and its lagoon. If not, then you should visit the city, when the Vogalonga regatta takes place.
More than thirty years these international, non-competitive rowing festivals are organized in Venice , onto which the world rowers, kayaker, canoeists and naturally gondoliers arrive . Thirty-two kilometres of distance across the lagoons to the San Marco demands more than three hours.
The name of all participants is read out, and all of them obtains the honours of Golden Vogalonga.

Equipment: Any kind of water vehicle such as kayak, canoe. rowboat and of course gondola.
The participation fee is 15.00 €/person.

This was part of a reply to a forum question regarding tennis courts in Venice

According to my (out of date) guide books, there are at least 3 tennis clubs. They are all on Lido.

Tennis Club Venezia
Lungomare G Marconi 41/d, Lido
telephone 0415260335

Tennis Club Lido - has 7 clay- courts
Via San Gallo 163
tel.041 5260954
Rates 7 Euro per hour per person (2003 guidebook)

Tennis Cub del Moro - grass, Clay and indoor courts. A gym too.
Via Ferruccio Parri 6
tel. 041 770801
Rates 5 - 8.50 euro depending on which court you use (2003 price)

St. Mark's Campanile
This is the proper name for the very tall bell tower you see first when approaching Venice. It is close to 100 meters tall. If you appreciate more active travel you can even take the stairs! This exhilerating adventure will give you the most amazing pictures of Venice to be had.

HOURS: Closed Jan 7-31 Oct-Feb daily 9:30am-4pm Mar-June daily 9am-7pm July-Sept daily 9am-9pm ADMISSION: 6€

Equipment: Wear good shoes to get you up there. I wouldn't recommend it if you are claustrophobic, of course. Make sure to bring your camera for your prize of the most amazing views of Venice.

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Haha, with all the surrounding water it is no wonder that rowing is sport no 1 in Venezia ! Oh, wait, it is most probably football, as everywhere in Italy. But definitely followed by canoeing, kayaking and rowing.
I was much amazed to see kayakers paddling along in Canalazzo (photo 2). They have most probably got the kayaks through Venice Canoe and Dragonboat , located on La Giudecca and in the north of Canaregio (photo 3).
Rowing is done in Veneziano style of course ! And while I was in Venezia, I did see rowers all over on the water. Most probably, they were practising for the many festivals held during summer and autumn, which involve the boats, Regatta Storica for example. Ah, one day I will also come to see this famous regatta !

Oh, and for those who are interested in how to row in Veneziano style, I have found this website which explains all moves quite nicely:
Rowing Veneziano style

Equipment: From what I could see on the websites, the clubs and organisations will rent the equipment and also clothes (like neopren stuff).

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Most people try to rush Venice on a budget so they end up missing some of the highlights in a whirlwind. The key to seeing Venice properly is a game plan, you must know what you want to see before setting out. For example: we wanted to see the Squeoro di San Trovaso(the most picturesque gondola workshop of Venice) and planned our hike in the sestiere of Dorsoduro around it. Starting at the eastern part at the Santa Maria della Salute, hiking our way via the Peggy Guggenheim Museum and the Ponte dell' Accademia towards it. Once we passed the gondola shop we simply wondered off via Fondamenta Zattere al Ponte Lungo (where we had lunch), Calle Avogaria (visited Chiesa San Sebastiano) and met the locals at Campo Santa Margherita.

By this 'game plan' structure we walked through the sestiere of Castello where we saw the famous Arsenale and hiked all the way up to the small island of S. Helena for the amazing San Pietro di Castello. For every sestiere we had our 'wanted to see' highlights and had lots of fun in planning the hikes in advance. Venice is simply a perfect place to walk for hours and pretending to know where you are.

Equipment: Have a look at Venice Packing List.