Instant weekend ... Venice

Why go now

Rather than visiting Venice for the Carnival in February or the Film Festival at the end of August, why not book a weekend for one of its less well-known but equally spectacular events? The annual Voga Longa, held next Sunday, is the only day motorised boats are banned in La Serenissima. Almost 2,000 rowing boats come from all over the world to take part in a 30km race that begins in front of St Mark's, goes round the whole lagoon, and ends up in the Grand Canal.

Checking in

Ancient palazzi all along the Grand Canal are suddenly being converted into luxurious hotels. To spoil yourself for the weekend - and get the perfect view of the Voga Longa as the boats row along the Grand Canal - check in at Ca'Sagredo Hotel (00 39 041 241 3111; casagredohotel.com; doubles from €300), an opulent 14th-century palace with a small terrace right on the water. A brand new B&B with equally good views of the Voga Longa is La Rosa dei Venti (00 39 041 724 1062; larosadeiventibb.com), where a room overlooking St Mark's Basin will cost €120 a night over the weekend of the rowing event. The island of La Giudecca has two new hotels: the Bauer Palladio (00 39 041 520 7022; palladiohotelspa.com; doubles from €605) is a small boutique property housed in an ancient convent behind the 17th-century Chiesa delle Zitelle; the Molino Stucky (00 39 041 272 3311; molinostuckyhilton.com; doubles from €375), a towering red-brick Victorian mill, has been transformed into a Hilton Hotel, with nearly 400 rooms.

Hit the streets