The original, the best: this is where the concept of "rowing vacations" was born! As rowers we always sought to wet our oars wherever we traveled, and as Tuscans this request from others often came to our doorstep. Rowers are well-traveled, curious, and easy-going, and it is our great joy to be able to share our rowing haunts with others.
In Tuscany, we train with top coaches on our secluded rowing basin, go for a row under the Ponte Vecchio in Florence, and absorb the true sense of Tuscan culture. When you become a member of our rowing club, you'll become a part of our rowing life: a fusion of the patience and harmony of the Tuscan culture and that of rowing.
Every day we'll be on the water, working on perfecting the essentials of our rowing technique, and then after a lunch of cucina toscana we'll take off exploring the countryside and towns. We are not guides herding people around, we are rowing friends having fun with you! The activities and experiences are what we personally enjoy doing and seeing. Showing new members what we love is a wonderful excuse to see them ourselves!
We ask only that you come ready to work hard on the water and open your mind to a different, older way of life. Click here for pictures from past trips!
Special Trips
Travel with us, "rowers' style", all over the world.
All the passion and love of travel & rowing that is part of our Italian life goes beyond Tuscany to Sicily, China, Venice, and anywhere that's fun to row! We have many sister rowing clubs who love to welcome us.
We'll take you to our friends who are delighted to share their passion with others, we'll be coached on the ocean, rivers, lakes or basins... anywhere where rowing is a daily activity. And we'll combine our workouts, as always, with terrific local food, culture, and day trips, alongside the members of our sister clubs.
For those of you who love our style but want to dedicate more time to the extras instead of the rowing, our colleagues all over the world can show you the Chocolate Lover's Tuscany, the Siennese Hills by bike or any other great combination. We can also organize a long-term stay, sabbatical, or work-study program. Contact us for some ideas!
Who We Are
Eliza Camp
Guide, assistant coach, trilingual organizer of RowingVacations.com and Terralba Toscana. Native of Canada, resident of Italy since 1997. Started facilitating rowing tours in 1998.
Enzo Ademollo
Lifetime Rower, Coach, Club Founder and President of the Canottieri San Miniato. Extensive coaching experience matured with every age, level, and (dis)ability, from 8-year-olds to Olympians and Special Olympians.
FAQs
I would LOVE to come but my spouse isn't a rower.
This is not a problem at all! Many happy couples and families have had a fantastic time with us. We can either organize alternative activities for the non-rowers or let them relax while you sweat. All the other activities...the food, the sights, the culture...are suited to everyone, rowers or not.
What if my only available week is not listed in your Upcoming Dates?
There are several options for you...the best one is to round up 2-3 friends and make them come with you! Groups of four or more can make their own week, as long as we are not already booked.
Another option is to come alone or with a spouse for a residency-style trip. You'll become part of our extended rowing family in a less formal guest-organizer relationship.
What if I have never rowed before? Do you offer Learn to Row?
Coach Enzo has taught generations of people to row, from ages 8-90, rec to Olympic, even Special Olympians. Our basin is the perfect place to learn to row, or to just perfect a skinny racing scull, for its lack of boat traffic and its clean water.
Even if others in your week are expert scullers, it is no problem at all to cater to different learning curves.
I am an expert masters sculler and I don't really need the coaching. Can I just use your boats and enjoy the rest of the outings?
Sure but as a natural coach and leader Coach Enzo might not be able to refrain from making suggestions!
What kind of boats will we be using?
Our daily life includes running a rowing club, the Canottieri San Miniato, where Terralba Rowing Vacations bases it's Tuscany operations. We own a large selection of boats, from singles to eights, in every conceivable width, for every conceivable body type and (dis)ability. Although we do not have freshly-minted Empachers awaiting your tush, our boats are definitely all you need for working on technique and speed. Coach doesn't even believe in training in new boats....says it's bad luck for race day!
Outside of Tuscany, we use whatever is appropriate and available: wide Aldens for our descent of the Richelieu River, even wider coastal rowing shells for Palermo and the Cinque Terre, chinese boats at the town club in Hangzhou, Empachers at their HQ in Qian Dao Hu.
What if it rains/snows/hails all week and we can't get out on the water as much as I'd like?
We strive to book perfect weather for your trip but the reservation system is still analog and prone to errors. In the event of really awful weather, we have always managed to force even diehard oarheads enjoy themselves by doubling up hot springs, wine tastings, scoops of gelato, and anything else appropriate and possibly decadent.
