Venice Carnival

Venice Carnival

Country: Italy

When: 18th- 28th February 2017
3rd-13th February 2018

The Carnival of Venice brings this historic and romantic city to a new level of elegance with its magnificent array of colour, costume and tradition. Although celebrations officially date back to 1162, in the late 1700’s formal celebrations (and the use of masks) were banned.  The festival remained dormant for nearly 200 years until Italian authorities reignited it in 1979 to help promote the city of Venice.

The carnival’s resurgence began to take hold as Venetians and visitors alike embraced traditional Italian dress and culture through various costume competitions, balls and parades. Decorative masks have become the centerpiece of the festival with a wide variety of beautiful and creative styles on show. Historically, masks have been widely used by the people of Venice – at certain times of the year and often in conjunction with religious feasts. In the past, mask wearing has even been attributed to attempts to hide one’s social standing and class.


WorkingHolidaymaker.com TIP!

You can buy cheap but good quality masks all throughout the festival. Have a look at buying them away from the San Marco Piazza as back street sellers often offer masks that cost 20% less than those available on the main tourist routes.

Festival Videos

Key highlights

  • The highlight of the festival is the Flight of the Angel. Held on the first Sunday of the carnival this is a great opportunity to see all of Venice resplendent in full costume and mask.
  • The best mask contest is held on March 2 and showcases masks of a variety of styles and types.
  • Feseta Veneziana is staged along the Grand Canal and is a celebration of traditional Italian foods.
  • A closing ceremony and concert is held in San Marco Plaza on the last evening of the carnival.
  • Various parades staged in the San Marco Piazza and throughout the streets of Venice. There are also water parades although it is not always easy to find out when they are on, so keep an eye out for them.
  • Walking around Venice during the festival is great fun and provides real insight into how the locals embrace the carnival atmosphere.

Where is it

Venice is located in northeastern Italy, about 5-hours train ride from Rome.

Italy

How to get there

As Venice is made up of canals and waterways, it is a popular beginning and/or end point for many Mediterranean cruises. You can arrive by boat and then travel by water taxi to the city centre.

Venice’s Marco Polo airport is located on mainland Venice and many international and low cost European airlines fly direct. From the airport you can catch a bus or a water taxi to the festival venues.

You can also take the train direct into Venice – arriving at the station on St Mark’s canal. From Rome, the journey by train should take about 5 hours. Train travel is a beautiful way to see Italy however it can be a bit hit-and-miss, as timetables are not always strictly followed. Cheapest fairs start at around the 50 EURO mark.

Where to stay

The best locations are in the heart of the city. Getting around Venice is easy, so the specifics of where to locate are not critical. Prices will vary depending on the quality of each particular hotel, hostel or B&B. Staying in or near the San Marco area with its proximity to many cafes and restaurants will be a bit more expensive but you will not have a problem finding accommodation that meets your budget.

Getting around Venice is easy by foot however catching the vaporetti (water bus) makes getting in, out and around a bit easier and quicker. A travel pass is good value and should cost you about 20 EUROs for 20 hours of transport. 48 hours will cost you 30 EURO.

WorkingHolidaymaker.com TIP!

There is definitely cheaper accommodation available on the mainland side of Venice but the water taxi or bus commute is rather expensive; ranging anywhere from 100 to 160 EURO so it is generally more cost effective to stay amongst the canals in Venice.

Useful Information

More information on Venice Carnival:

http://www.carnevale.venezia.it

http://www.italyguides.it/us/venice_italy/venice_carnival/venice_carnival.htm

https://delightfullyitaly.com/2015/01/19/top-italy-carnival/