Venice can get pretty touristy, but if you're looking for an event that tends to draw in just as many locals as it does visitors, the Feast Day of the Madonna della Salute is it, and it's just a quick day trip from Milan. The religious festival takes place on November 21, celebrating the end of the bubonic plaque that terrorized the city from 1630 to 1631 and allows people to give thanks to the Virgin Mary for stepping in and saving the day. Thousands of people collect to visit the Salute Church, creating a procession led by Archbishop of Venice across the Grand Canal via a pontoon bridge that links Campo Santa Maria del Giglio to La Salute that's set up specifically for the festival. After folks pay tribute, they spend the rest of the day celebrating good health and loved ones while eating traditional dishes sold by vendors (like the mutton-based stew castradina). If you'll have kids with you, not to worry because there are tons of toys and sweets for sale as well.
