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Great success of the Gondola in Lussino
A piece of Venice moved to the island of Lussinpiccolo from September 11th to 14th with Europa Adriatica Nordest for the Losinava Festival in synergy with Taste the Mediterranean.
The gondola "Ambassador of Venice," carried by Andrea Balbi, president of the gondoliers, loaded onto a DSC Fiorini truck at the Boscolo Bielo dock in Venice, sailed the waters of the Augustus Valley in Lussino, carrying approximately 2.000 people, sailing 60 kilometers in 300 free trips between the two banks.
The event received considerable attention in Italian and Croatian media, as well as on European social media. The symbolic power of the gondola prompted a wave of viral sharing on social media, and it is estimated that the Festival's content reached at least one million people across Europe. The iconic Venetian symbol created a direct link between cultures and traditions, becoming a formidable driving force behind an event that showcased the excellence of Venice and the Kvarner region in a Mediterranean context.
The program featured Venetian artisans, engineers, entrepreneurs, chefs, and artists from both sides of the Adriatic. Ludovica Zane presented Burano lace, demonstrating how it's worked with needle and thread, while maestro Mauro Bon exhibited Murano glass art, explaining the role of Promovetro in protecting it. Venetian sweets from Carmelina di Burano delighted the audience, and Michele Serena's painting performances enlivened the square. A meeting with the Order of Engineers of Venice, organized by the Veneto Urban Studies Center, was held in the new hall of the Italian Community. The Serenissima choir from Venice and the Vittorio Craglietto choir from Lussino received applause for their performance aboard the Nerezinac sailing ship, thrilling the large audience gathered on the Kvarner bay.
Among the highlights was the official meeting of the Venetian delegation with Aldo Reato, Councilor of the City of Venice, Mayor Ana Kučić, Sanjin Zoretić, President of the Italian Community of Mali Lošinj, Mariano Carraro, President of the Order of Engineers of Venice, and Dalibor Cvitković, Director of the Tourist Board. The meeting identified new development prospects for the Adriatic Entente and confirmed the strategic objective of establishing a direct Venice-Lošinj ferry line. Meanwhile, a dozen Michelin-starred chefs inaugurated the Taste the Mediterranean Festival, conceived by Ingrid Badurina Danielsson, on a gondola, announcing that Kvarner will be the European Region of Gastronomy 2026.
"Thanks to the municipalities of Mali Lošinj and Venice, the Italian Union, the patronage of the Veneto Regional Council, the support of dozens of partners, and diplomatic collaboration," explains coordinator Vittorio Baroni, "with Europa Adriatica Nordest we have built a valuable bridge of cooperation between Italy and Croatia for a shared growth path aimed at uniting the Adriatic shores by enhancing traditions, culture, and entrepreneurship. The Lošinj experience demonstrates how sincere collaboration can generate a shared future, rich in opportunities and exchanges."
Upcoming events are already scheduled for spring and summer 2026. In April, the exhibition on the Cultural Heritage of the Serenissima will connect schools, communities, and organizations from Lošinj, Rijeka, Gorizia, Venice, Rovinj, Pula, Treviso, and Vicenza. In June, the second edition of the "L'AMMIRAGLIA" regatta will take place. This maritime event, promoted in conjunction with the Yacht Club Venezia, honors the legend of the sea, Agostino Straulino. The event will depart from Venice, stop in Istria, and arrive in Lošinj. The presentation will take place at the Barcolana in Trieste on Sunday, October 12th, at 16:15 PM at Banchina San Giorgio on the Rive.
The reportage continues on the project website Northeast Adriatic Europe:
