Rowing in Tuscany
San Miniato
Tuscany, Italy
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.
We train each day on our secluded rowing basin, go for a row under the Ponte Vecchio in Florence, and absorb the true sense of Tuscan culture. We help our guests infuse their lives and their rowing with the patience and harmony of the Tuscan culture: not just admire its churches and its artwork, but understand how a people can achieve such wealth.
Every day we'll be on the water, working on perfecting the essentials of our rowing technique. Depending on your choice of Tuscan experience, this will be shared with daily immersions into the surrounding towns, mountains, and lookout spots, and accompanied by terrific food.
The activities and experiences chosen are based upon what we personally enjoy doing and seeing and are different for every group. Showing our guests what we love is a wonderful excuse to see them ourselves!
Who We Are
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.
Guest Coaches
At times we avail ourselves of excellent guest coaches, such as Olympic athletes or National Team coaches.
Tuscany Weeks
Row Like a Local - A custom stay in Tuscany, rowing with our local team at their usual training hours. We'll help you with your lodgings and logistics and can add on extras like day trips or tastings if you'd like.
Row Like a Local - A custom stay in Tuscany, rowing with our local team at their usual training hours. We'll help you with your lodgings and logistics and can add on extras like day trips or tastings if you'd like.
Rowing Vacation Week - Our classic experience, designed for rowers of all ages and abilities who love rowing, love to travel, and love the idea of traveling with rowers! Each day will include a training session (weather permitting of course!) and a fun travel experience, such as a trip into Florence or a wine tasting nearby.
Foodie Rowing Vacation Week - Our classic experience, brought to a new level! Designed for rowers of all ages and abilities who love rowing, travel simply adore fine food and wine! Think truffles are sublime? Do you love to cook and experiment with new flavors? Do you usually request the wine list instead of ordering the house red? This week is for you!
Youth Camps, Family Week, Yoga & Rowing, Spring Training, Special Olympians - As locals we have a lot of fun varying our offering and can design weeks for just about anyone - especially fun, curious rowers of any shape, size, ability! For these weeks we'll spell out the details in advance.
Ready to sign up? Have a few more questions? Want the really detailed details? Contact us!
Frequently Asked Questions
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 it's lack of boat traffic and it's 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 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.