Christmas Canoeing on the Tiber: a unique event of its kind in Italy, which for over 40 years has been repeated punctually on the afternoon of 25 December. History, sport, tradition and a lot of solidarity make it even more original. Alongside more than 20 athletes from the Città di Castello Canoe Club dressed in red with the customary Father Christmas uniform and white beard, illuminated by torches, who will ply the waters of the river for about 800 metres from the hamlet of Piosina to the Tiber bridge, there will be the ‘butterflies’, ten breast-operated women from the Altotevere Against Cancer Association, who practice rowing for psychophysical recovery after the operation. They too will take to the water wearing red hats aboard the ‘dragon boat’, a twenty-seater maxi-canoe over 12 metres long.
An extraordinary opportunity to spend a few hours of Christmas afternoon in an original and supportive manner, immersed in a magical atmosphere in contact with nature on the banks of the river Tiber, a short distance from the historical and artistic beauties of Città di Castello.
Making the event even more magical and full of meaning is the hanging nativity scene hung from a transparent wire from end to end on the banks of the Tiber. 
The programme for 25 December includes at 16.30 the departure of the 20 Father Christmases in Canoes from the locality of Piosina towards the bridge over the Tiber River and the canoe's nautical headquarters, the ‘Giancarlo Gildoni’ Club, where, at 17.00, the hanging crib is scheduled to land with the distribution of gifts to children. This will be followed by the fireworks display with the classic luminous waterfall on the icy waters of the river, which will make an evocative representation of an alternative Christmas. The afternoon will be enlivened by the music of the ‘Paguro Bernardo’ band, in an improvised and natural stage a few metres from the river banks. 
For more information:
website: Cittadicastelloturismo

tel: 075-8554922