Always in the top ten of world attractions, we are about to tell you about the prince of events: the Venice Carnival.
We are certain that you already will have heard of it.. but are you sure you know the truth and story behind the carnival? We would like to present here the idea of the Carnival from the venetian perspective. The shows in the historic center are really many, beautiful and spectacular, but often the real party is among the streets, in the squares, in the inns and in the buildings. Everywhere you will find concerts and parties.
Mask yourself, mix with the crowd, taste fritole and galani and arm yourself with confetti. Your to the Carnival starts here!
When is venice carnival?
Let’s start from the basics: when does it start and what are the most important dates of the biggest island party? The dates of the Carnival change every year because they follow the liturgical calendar: starting from about forty days before Easter you will already see some masks appearing, the streets covered with confetti and the pastry shops start serving carnival specialities. But it is the 15 days before the ash Wednesday when the real party begins. This year, for example, the highlight was from February 16th to March 5th 2019.
Pay attention and keep an eye on the calendar when you are planning your break although more and more shows and parties are organized on Friday and Saturday nights, on Fat Thursday and fat Tuesday (Shrove Tuesday) are the days not to miss!
Venice carnival tours
The program of events gets busier every year. Below we present the most important events but on the official website of the Carnival you will find even more!
Sunday 17 February: Venetian Festival on the water in Rio de Cannaregio 11.00 am and again from 1.00 pm, parade of rowing associations, water shows and food and wine stands;
Saturday 23 February: Procession and Festa delle Marie, departure from San Pietro di Castello at 2.30 pm and arrival in Piazza San Marco at 4.00 pm;
Sunday 24 February: flight of the angel from the bell tower of San Marco at 12.00;
Sunday 3 March: eagle sweep in Piazza San Marco at 11.00;
Tuesday 5 March: double appointment in Piazza San Marco with the flight of the Colombina at 11.00 am and awarding of the Maria del Carnevale 2019 at 4.00 pm followed by the Leon sweep at 17.00.
Venice carnival costumes
From Saturday 23 February the most beautiful costumes parade every day on the stage set up in Piazza San Marco until the grand finale of the competition on 3 March with the awarding of the most beautiful mask (from 14.30).
Keep an eye also on the programming of the Mestre Carnival Street show: jugglers, trampolines, theater, music and other street performers will liven up the center of Mestre in the two final weekends for a series of engaging shows suitable for all ages! The mainland of venice does carnival too!
Venice masked ball
There are not only outdoor events for the Venice Carnival: but keep warm indoors too!
A masquerade ball is really a unique occasion. There are all kinds of private parties in the palaces but you will undoubtedly be in an exclusive location to say the least and see jugglers, fire eaters, dancers, and live music among the luxuries of a Venetian residence not usually open to the public.
A cruise in the San Marco basin is another experience that we can recommend: the view is nothing short of incredible and the partyis just as much fun.From the sea you will escape the great noise of the city.
Venice carnival – Venice mask
If you really want to immerse yourself in the atmosphere of the party it is absolutely essential to dress up. Don’t be shy, get out of the house already prepared and dressed with wigs, swords, wings, cloaks and confetti: the party starts on the streets! The most famous masks of the Venice Carnival are certainly those that follow the sumptuous 18th-century Venetian dresses or the sixteenth-century figures of the Commedia dell’Arte by Goldoni (Pantalone, Colombina, Arlecchino, ..): To wear a hand made dress of this kind from a sartorial atelier is truly an incredible experience. You can hire a costume by the day and have it delivered to your hotel! The important thing is to dress up, make sure to have a costume, and truly enter into the spirit of carnival!enter. Create your own character and join the biggest party in the world!
Venice carnival history
Like all popular holidays, this one has not always been as we know it today. Its origins date back to Roman times, but it is only with the birth of the Duchy of Venice that the tradition of the Venetian Carnival begins to acquire its own significance. The first official document that declares it a public holiday dates back to 1296, although the first written mention dates back to 1094. The history of the Venice Carnival has a setback of almost two centuries between the fall of the Venetian Republic in 1797 and the end of the the 70s when the idea of the carnival was revived by the Mayor of venice and the party began once more!
But the carnival is just one of the events of the year to mark in the calendar, but the Events in Venice chase each other all year round!
Discover our city with us in the next insights:
What are the sestieri in Venice?
Which islands of the lagoon to visit?
The places from which to pass absolutely
Ideas to visit Venice in just one day
Ideas to visit Venice in several days