Always one of the top ten world attractions, we are about to tell you about the Queen party of What to do in Venice : the “Carnevale di Venezia“.
We are certain that you already have heard about the Carnival of Venice ... but are you sure you know the truth and story behind the carnival? We would like to tell you here about 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 especially in many of the Venetian palaces.
Mask yourself, mix with the crowd, taste “fritole” and galani (traditional sweets of the “Carnevale” held in Venice, Italy), arm yourself with confetti and follow the guide to Venice’s most famous event.
Italy Venice Carnival packages
If you are thinking of spending a few days in Venice to experience the city's most fun and seductive soul and perhaps take part in some festivities or activities, ask us for advice. Thousands of visitors arrive every year at this time, so the first suggestion is pretty obvious: take your time! Tell us what you would like to do; you can choose one of our Venice Carnival packages or request a tailor-made travel proposal. We have lots of ideas and offers for Carnival Venice.
PARTIES AT VENETIAN PALACES
Rent a costume and attend a masked ball at the palace. You can choose from many parties that will let you experience the seductive and fun atmosphere of Venice in the past.
COSTUMES AND MASKS
A fun way to experience the Venice Carnival is to stroll through the calli among the costumed people and learn how to create your own mask in a craft workshop.
CARNIVAL TOURS
Join the guided tour to discover the origins of the festival and the spiciest anecdotes of libertine Venice. And have fun with the themed treasure hunt, perfect for adults and families.
CARNIVAL HOLIDAYS
Would you like to join us in Venice to experience the carnival as a protagonist? Tours, workshops and palace parties await you; and you can also ask us for accommodation. We will send you a tailor-made proposal.
Discover the programme of the most popular Venice Carnival masquerade balls!
Get ready for the complete program of the 2026 edition of the Venice Carnival masquerade balls!
Choose your masquerade party from all the private events of the Venice Carnival
- All experiences
- Saturday 14th February
- Saturday 31st January
- Saturday 7th February
- Thursday 12th February
- Accessible to persons with reduced mobility
CARNIVAL OF VENICE: ONCE IN A LIFETIME EXPERIENCE!
When is Carnival in Venice?
The dates of 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 specialties.
But it is really 15 days before Ash Wednesday when the real party begins.
Venice Carnival 2026 dates
Keep an eye on the calendar and already think about planning a long weekend so as not to miss the most important events: more and more shows and parties are organised on Friday and Saturday evenings, but also Shrove Thursday and Shrove Tuesday remain two days to circle on the calendar!
Venice Carnival 2026 will be from Saturday 31st January to Tuesday 17th February.
Venice Carnival events 2026
The program of events gets busier every year. Below we present the most important Venice Carnival events.
You can find even more on the Official website of the Venice Carnival with all the information and updates in real time!
- Grand opening – Venetian Water parade with decorated boat in Rio di Cannaregio in the Cannaregio district.
- Procession and Feast of the Marys, departure from San Piero di Castello and arrival in St. Mark’s Square.
- Arsenale Water Show.
- Shrove Thursday (Giovedì Grasso in italian).
- Carnival floats parade.
- Shrove Tuesday (Pancake day) appointment in St. Mark’s Square with the Grand finale of the most beautiful mask contest.
Usually, during the Carnival period, the most beautiful costumes parade daily on the stage set up in St. Mark's Square until the grand finale of the competition with the awarding of the most beautiful mask.
Venice masked ball
Discover the unique atmosphere of a Venetian masked ball to celebrate Carnival!
Attending a Venice Carnival masked ball is truly a unique opportunity to experience Carnival as a true protagonist!
You will have the opportunity to enter some of the city's most beautiful Venetian palaces and residences, which are usually closed; for this reason alone it is worth attending these balls; here you will go back in time and relive the splendour of the Serenissima among the thousands of tapestries, gilded mirrors, Murano glass chandeliers and precious decorations that adorn these dreamy places!
As a rule, this is a themed evening, and to participate you will have to follow the dress code as announced at the time of booking.
The program includes various artistic performances, cocktails, dinner and finally an “after dinner party” with music.
Remember that these parties are highly popular and often sell out months before the event; they must be booked well in advance without waiting for the days before if you want to be sure of getting a place!
Venetian Carnival masks
Colorful, fascinating, they are the result of a craft and artistic work that has evolved over hundreds of years. It comes to life with the ambition of offering the wearer the power to hide his or her name, social class, religion and any kind of social identification, in other words freedom!
Among the models of venetian carnival mask that have entered the posterity, we find without fail :
- La Bautà: often worn with a three-pointed hat (tricolo) and a long cape, this rectangular mask has the power to distort the voice of the wearer, and therefore to say without fear what one thinks.
- The Moreta: kind of the opposite of the bautà, this mask takes away the voice of the woman who wears it. Since she has to hold the mask with her lips, the woman cannot speak. Some say that it is the absolute symbol of femininity, others remain speechless…
Other masks to remember are the famous mask of the ‘plague doctor’, Il ‘mattacino’, and the Commedia dell’Arte masks reflecting the stereotypes of the society of the time, of which the best known today is Harlequin.
It helps a lot to let loose and unleash your imagination to wear a mask. Would you like to learn how to create one with a Carnival Masks course?
Venice Carnival costumes
Typical Venetian Carnival Costumes date back to the second half of the 16th century. You can find faithful historical reproductions in Venice ateliers. Among the various types of costumes available, the most famous are the Costumes Commedia dell’Arte with characters of the traditional Italian theater like the great Venetian, Carlo Goldoni.
The 18th century Venice saw the greatest splendor of Venice and its historic Carnival and it is visible in the costumes of this period. The 18th century was the century of Carlo Goldoni, but also of Giacomo Casanova and of great painters such as GianBattista Tiepolo and Canaletto.
If you really want to immerse yourself in the atmosphere of the party it is absolutely essential to dress up. In fact, Carnival would not be the same without masks costumes and if people did not wear masks. 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!
Venice Carnival history
How, when and why Venetian people started to wear masks in Venice? Well, there is not a straight answer to this question! Seems like a certain Ulrich II von Treven, Patriarch of Aquileia was involved…
The first official document that declares it a public holiday dates back to 1296, although the first written mention dates back to 1094. The more sumptuous historical period for Venice Carnival has been the 18th century with characters like Casanova.
Find out where it all began in our dedicated article “6 things you didn’t know about Venice Carnival History“
The history of the Venice Carnival had a setback of almost two centuries between the fall of the Serenissima in 1797 and the late 1970s when its philosophy began to be ‘dusted off’ until it became an event of international resonance.
Italy Venice Carnival tours
Among the many experiences to be had this festive season, we also recommend a Venice Carnival tour. You can choose from several tours and many dates.
This time of year is perfect for getting to know and get in touch with the soul of the city and the spirit of the Venetians who live there. Carnival has always played an important part in the history and life of our city.
You will have the opportunity to immerse yourself in the enchanting and magical atmosphere of one of the oldest and most celebrated festivals in the world.
YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN
Carnival is just one of the events of the year to mark on your calendar; all year round there is much more to do and explore in Venice!
- Venice Events: find out about some of the other many events and traditions
- Venice attractions
- Venice Islands: read more about some of the interesting islands to visit
- How many days in Venice?
- Best time to visit Venice