Visit the charming Carnival of Venice

The Venice Carnival is an annual festival held in Venice, Italy. The festival is world-famous for its elaborate costumes and masks. So, that’s why we strongly recommend you visit it.

What is Carnival in Venice?

Let’s start by clarifying what Carnival is. An annual Christian celebration typically occurs before Lent begins and involves a public celebration.

These public festivals generally include street parties, parades, balls, or other entertainment. Lent is a time of fasting and sacrifice, a farewell from all bodily pleasures for forty days before Easter.

So, Carnival in Venice usually runs for the two weeks before Ash Wednesday and is filled with many events like masquerade balls, parties, parades, historical re-enactments, and plenty of festivities.

The elaborate costumes and masks are the essence of the Carnival, and people come worldwide to enjoy these fancy old outfits. All these allow you to get stuck in the past while still present.

History of the Carnival

The Carnival of Venice began after the military victory of the Venetian Republic over the Patriarch of Aquileia in the year 1162. In honor of this triumph, Venetians started to dance and gather in San Marco Square. It eventually became acclaimed and notorious at the same time. And during the eighteenth century, it lasted a few months a year. It encouraged lust and pleasure because Venetians wanted to escape their lives flaws. However, the Emperor of Austria, Francis II, outlawed the festival entirely in 1797, and masks became banned.

The Italian government revived the Carnival as a part of its cultural heritage. After a long absence, the Carnival returned in 1979. Since then, around 3 million visitors have been coming to Venice yearly for the Carnival. One of the most important events is the contest for la maschera più bella (“the most beautiful mask”), which is judged by a panel of international costume and fashion designers.

©Depositphotos.com

How they celebrate Carnival in Venice

The Venice Carnival is a grand celebration with hundreds of events each week. During the festivities, Venice transforms into a giant stage. The tradition of wearing masks and costumes has been maintained over the centuries. Popular costumes include the Baùta, Gnaga, medico della peste, Pantalone, Moretta, Arlecchino, and Colombina. The Carnival is known for its street shows and masked dances set in a bygone era. These are primarily private balls that require purchasing or renting a suit and buying tickets, which sell out quickly.

Top things to do at Venice Carnival

Venice is always a thrilling city to be in, but Venice during the Carnival is enchanting! Imagine the streets of masqueraders dressed in luxurious and detailed costumes and masks. Embrace it and let yourself be carried away by the energy of the Carnival.

So, all you have to do is to walk around the city and watch street performances or admire the gorgeous costume masks that Venice is famous for. You will feel like you have stepped back in time because there are no modern buildings to spoil the illusion.

You could always see an opera or concert or explore Venice and some of its ancient sights and sounds. Or you can spend the evening attending one of the many private parties or masquerade balls. Or, you can let yourself fall in love.

Venice Carnival Masks

You cannot mention the Venice Carnival without talking about the well-known marks. Wearing them is a tradition that is as old as Carnival itself. For two weeks every year, Venice transforms into a runway that features an endless parade of gorgeous 18th-century masks and costumes.

Furthermore, they are recognized for their complex design and baroque-style decorations, featuring bright colors of gold and silver.

The most popular masks are the Bauta masks, which cover the entire face but leave space below for eating and talking. The Colombina Mask is another favorite that only covers the eyes. Then there is the Plague Doctor mask, which has a long-beak nose. The Volto masks are plain white, cover the entire face, and are often worn with black hooded capes.

Colombina mask ©Depositphotos.com

Volto masks ©Depositphotos.com

Events in Venice Carnival

The Carnival in Venice is celebrated in the city center and its various districts, communes, and towns. These places hold their festivals with parades, theatrical pieces, and spectacles full of magic and attractive costumes. Some of the Carnival events include La Festa Veneziana sull’acqua, Festa delle Marie, Il Concorso della Maschera più bella, Il Volo dell’Angelo, and Mascheranda at Palazzo Pisani Moretta. The Carnival closes with the Svolo del Leone.

Take advantage of the main events of the Carnival, such as different flights and historical re-enactments. Attend all parts of the Festa Veneziana sull’acqua, including Festa delle Marie, Il Concorso della Maschera più bella, and Themed Dinner. For a more private and glamorous event, participate in Mascheranda at Palazzo Pisani Moretta or any personal masked ball.

Carnival masquerade balls

Venice Carnival is noted for its private masquerade balls. Most balls are authentic 18th-century Venetian events, the same as they were three hundred years ago. To make your visit memorable, you should attend one of these events!

Most of these have a “historical costume” dress code. Therefore, you won’t get in without a mask and a costume. However, we have to confess these balls can be pretty expensive for us commoners, even without buying a cover. Buying a ticket and an outfit to many of these balls can be costly, but you can borrow them.

What to eat at the Venice Carnival

Italy and Europe have specific sweet recipes during carnival celebrations. You can find fried dough or sugar-coated doughnuts accompanied by creams and jams. Hot drinks made with wine, spices, and citrus are also available. In Venice, traditional sweets include the Frìtola, Crostoli, and Favette. Venice also offers a wide variety of places to eat, such as La Colombina, Bacaro Quebrado, Riviera, Nevodi, and Impronta.

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How to get to the Venice Carnival

Firstly, this city is unique, therefore the way to reach it is also particular. However, to learn more, we invite you to read our related article about Transport in Venice, which forms part of our Venice Guide. In the end, you can also visit Sky Scanner (to book a flight), Omio (to book a train or a bus), or Ferry Scanner (if you want to come by the sea).

Where to stay in Venice

Remember two things when visiting Venice: it is on the water and very old. These bring some practical considerations that must addressed. How far will you have to walk? Are you taking a water bus? Do you have accessibility needs? There are a lot of stairs in Venice. Before you book, there are many helpful things to check and consider to avoid unpleasant surprises once you arrive.

Let’s first get San Marco out of the way. This sestiere has the popular gems of tourist Venice and is by far the busiest area. This neighborhood is a must-visit. Sites: the Basilica di San Marco, the Doge’s Palace, the Bridge of Sighs (all those prisoners crossing from the court to the prison), the Rialto Bridge (the famous one you see over the Grand Canal), and St. Mark’s Square. Eventually, everyone ends up in this area. So, if you stay there, everything will be close to you. The minuses are that it gets very crowded and, of course, pricey.

For budget travelers, we recommend staying outside the city, Mestre or even Padova, another big and exciting city just 20 km away from Venice. Of course, you will have to spend some money on additional transport. Still, on the other hand, you will get to enjoy a cozier and cheaper apartment.

So, if you know where to stay, we recommend booking your favorite apartment on Booking.com.

Carnival Tips

Book Early! You will be joining millions of other people from around the world.

Public bathrooms are problematic, especially if your hotel isn’t closed. Use the restroom whenever you stop at a restaurant or café.

Venice Carnival is a winter event with a daily temperature of around four °C to 10°C. So warm clothing is essential! It also may be rainy.

If you are wearing a costume, be prepared for lots of people wanting photos with you, especially if your outfit is very extravagant.

Remember, Venice Carnival can be crowded, so don’t get stressed out. Carnival events are held in almost every neighborhood. Even though most events occur in Piazza San Marco, we highly suggest breaking away from the crowds and wandering around the city.

Be warned that there can sometimes be flooding in parts of the city; you can still get around as walkways are placed along the main paths. You can consult the tide forecast page at Venice’s Tide Monitoring and Forecast Centre for the latest news and updates.

Is Venice Carnival Safe?

Venice is not at all a dangerous city. For the most part, you can stroll safely around. However, there has been some pickpocketing.

The conclusion of the Carnival of Venice article

Venice Carnival differs significantly from Rio, where all the partying takes place on the streets. The focus here is more on masquerade balls. There is still enough show going on in the streets and squares. You won’t be sorry to attend these elaborate events because they are truly unique. However, the downside to all is that it can get quite costly.
So, now, we’d like to hear your opinion. Have you ever been there? And if you have, what did you like the most?