The aim of City Barge is to promote the amateur sport of rowing, particularly VENETIAN boats and their unique rowing style, the voga alla veneta, made iconic by the Venetian gondoliers. Venetian rowing is social rowing, and City Barge organizes outings, excursions and a variety of rowing events for rowers, and even non-rowing associates.
City Barge rows in and around Oxford, around the UK, in Venice, and beyond. We enjoy many social events connected with rowing for pleasure, and our different groups of rowers and supporters enjoy not only rowing, but spreading the interest in these extraordinary boats.
Membership is open to men, women, and rowing enthusiasts of all types. Contact us to arrange to meet at the Longbridges Boathouse in Oxford to review our facilities, meet some of our existing members, and give Venetian rowing a try yourself. You may even consider a six-month membership that includes a Venetian rowing course!
The Oxford Canal beat the Danube and the Styx to be awarded the world-famous City Barge Autumn Tour for the 2025 season.
After hours of meticulous planning, the tour was almost derailed by a last-minute participant, Storm Benjamin, but due to a stroke of planning genius, the unwelcome gate-crasher was thwarted by starting a day early on Wednesday, 22nd October.
Perfect weather, Venetian guests, four Venetian sandolos on the Thames and generous participation by City Barge members made for a truly unforgettable event.
And what a banger it was! Our pre-dawn arrival at the boathouse to set up breakfast and ready the boats saw the sunrise poised to be perfect for the oncoming celebrations; it certainly didn’t disappoint!
