What to do in Venice during Carnival?

As soon as we take down the Christmas tree and the nativity scene, we almost immediately start getting ready for the upcoming holidays. Fortunately, however, what lies ahead is the most colorful, joyful and friendly celebration of the year: we are obviously talking about Carnival. And today we are going to learn about the Carnival in Venice! Stay with us and make the most of the country of the boot! Here at Italy’s Dream Tourism you make the trip of your dreams!!! ALSO: see our “Accommodation in Italy – Tips for your holidays!”

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Watch this video about Carnival in Venice and be amazed!!!

(Source: Youtube)

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Our Introduction

All of Italy is filled with floats, masks, streamers and confetti, but when it comes to Carnival, only one deserves the title of unique, original and spectacular event, and that is the Carnival of Venice. The first evidence of the Carnival of Venice is a 1904 document by Doge Vitale Falier, where the word Carnival is mentioned for the first time.

Along with Rio de Janeiro, the Carnival of Venice is, without a doubt, the most famous Carnival in the world. For more than a week, Venice transforms into a masked ball. No matter where you go, during this period the city of the lagoon is ruled by clowns and masked people in pompous and spectacular costumes. Click here and find out everything about Venice!

Live a unique experience…

The Carnival of Venice is, without a doubt, a unique experience, a wonderful and unmissable event, which you must experience at least once in your life. A day at the lagoon during this period could be just the right compromise to visit the city, enjoy the festivities and get lost among its canals! Click here for a two-day Venice itinerary!

1) What to do in Venice during Carnival? KNOW ITS ORIGINS…

The Carnival of Venice has its origins in the ancient Latin Saturnalia and the Greek Dionysian cults, unique periods of unbridled euphoria, freedom of customs and morals, in a context of ordinary moderation and strong restrictions for reasons of public order. “Buongiorno Siora Maschera” (Good morning Siora Maschera) was the greeting along the streets, canals and signs, personal identity, sex and social class no longer existed, becoming part of the Great Illusion of Carnival in a place, unique in the world, where anything can happen, where every sight never fails to enchant. Read also: How to go from Santa Lucia station to my hotel in Venice?

2) What to do in Venice during Carnival? THE ATTRACTIONS

Strolling the streets, taking pictures with the most spectacular masks. To experience the atmosphere of the magnificent Venetian scenery, participating in one of the exclusive private parties, participating in an itinerant theater show or narrated guided tours. To mingle with the crowd visiting the craft fairs and workshops, to take an unforgettable gondola ride, admiring the historic parades from the canals, evoking the ancient tradition and staying in a historic house to feel a little noble and lady just for one night. I guarantee days of extraordinary fascination. Find out all about Venice’s gondolas by clicking here!

Free Events

We remind you that you do not pay to attend the free events that take place in St Mark’s Square and in other areas of the city, where there are theatrical performances, historical contests, and night parades. Therefore, no ticket to buy, only some shows and private parties that have tickets for participation, in general, very expensive.

St Mark’s Square remains the central place for the festivities, and you will see, as protagonists, the artisans who, through the excellence of their work, tell the unique story of Venice. St Mark’s Square, in addition to marveling at its everyday beauty, during the Carnival period is the center of all important events.

The Traditional “volo dell’angelo” (the angel’s flight)

This is where the “volo dell’angelo” (flight of the angel) takes place. Everyone looking up to watch the flight from the St Mark’s campanile to the center of the square. The flight of the angel represents the opening of the festivities. On the flight, a woman dressed as an angel descends on ropes from the St Mark’s campanile to the Doge’s Palace and halfway down she drops confetti. I advise you to arrive early to get a seat in the front row.

Festa delle Marie (Festival of the Marys)

Absolutely unmissable is the Festa delle Marie (Festival of the Marys), which takes place on the first Saturday of Carnival and is a parade made up of 12 Marys and their maids of honor accompanied by flag bearers and other costumed extras. This festival represents an event that really happened in Venice in the year 973, during the annual festival dedicated to the Purification of the Virgin Mary, where a group of 12 Venetian girls were kidnapped by pirates, but due to a persecution organized by the then Doge Pietro Candiano III, they were rescued and taken back to Venice. It sounds like a movie, but it was real!

Party in the Old Palaces

The parties and masked balls held in ancient palaces, such as Palazzo Pisani and Ca’ Rezzonico, are very fascinating. They are magnificent balls that make you feel like you’ve gone back centuries. If you go to Venice during Carnival, be sure to find out about the events in the palaces, they’re not to be missed! Click here and Paint your own Venetian Mask Workshop!

THE BEST REFERENCE AND TIPS GUIDE 
TRAVELLING TO VENICE WITH ANA PATRÍCIA!

Venice is the famous ‘city of lovers’. Nothing better than this term to define the romantic capital of the world – a city that warms the heart, makes the eyes shine and eternally impacts all of our senses! Discover the city’s main tourist attractions, its biggest secrets, the tours you can’t miss and learn about the rich local history with the best travel guide to Venice on the internet!

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The Carnival Closing Parade

A tradition that locals and visitors eagerly await is the parade that closes the Venetian Carnival celebrations! A spectacle that brings together thousands of people to watch this very special event that passes through the main points of the city, such as the Rialto Bridge and Piazza San Marco.

Floats, decorated boats that cross the Grand Canal, dance performances, music, colors, glitter, feathers and an air of mystery that takes our breath away amidst so much beauty and truly magical environments. But at the same time, it makes us feel a little melancholic, since the event takes place on the last day of Carnival.

Good to know…

If you choose to visit the city during Carnival, it is best to plan your trip in advance, since during this period the city is full of tourists from all over the world. It is a good idea to book your hotel well in advance, starting in December or in the first few days of the year. During Carnival, it is more difficult to visit the city due to the large number of people, but at no other time of the year will you have the opportunity to watch this magnificent parade of costumes and masks. Find out here Where to stay in Venice?

Tips

• The tip to save A LOT of money is to book in advance.
• As we have already mentioned: be careful with excess baggage! It is very difficult to move around with large volumes and the bridges, stairs and narrow streets of Venice do not help much!

3) Let’s get to know the Venice Carnival? HOW TO GET TO THE CITY?

 BY AIRPLANE

Marco Polo Airport (How to get from Marco Polo Airport to the Center of Venice?) with di Tessera is 20 km away from the historic center of Venice, from where it is connected with bus line n ° 5 (accessible for wheelchair users) .

BY BOAT

Getting to Venice by sea is a unique experience. Access to the city is permitted through the port entrances.

BY TRAIN

There are two train stations in Venice, Mestre and Venezia Santa Lucia. From there, you can reach any part of the city on foot or by ferry. The first train station you will find when arriving in Venice is Venezia-Mestre, which is not in the lagoon, but on the mainland of Venice. The city can be reached by train that leaves every ten minutes and arrives at Santa Lucia station. Once you arrive at Venezia Santa Lucia station, just cross the bridge to start your tour or take a vaporetto to the historic center and the main islands; from here, it is easy to reach any point in the most romantic city in Italy, Venice!

Did you know?

that Trenitalia is the main Italian company dedicated to managing rail transport. Find out here “What is the difference between trains in Italy?”. Buy your ticket online in advance and save a lot, read the post “How to buy a train ticket in Italy?

BY CAR

The entire area is very well signposted, but if possible, use a GPS to make it easier to get to Piazzale Roma. When you arrive in Venice, you will have to park your car in Piazzale Roma, which is located 5 minutes from the Venezia Santa Lucia train station. Just cross the bridge and walk to your destination (hotel or tourist attraction) and/or take the vaporetto.

Good to know…

Parking in Piazzale Roma costs an average of 30 Euros per day. If you want to save money, I recommend staying or leaving your car in Venezia Mestre, a city next to Venice, and from there take a bus that usually runs every 20 minutes and will take you to Piazzale Roma (the ticket costs an average of 2 Euros). That is if you want to save money, as this arrangement obviously ends up wasting time, so you should consider whether it is worth staying far from the center of Venice.

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Important to Know

If you are going to drive in Italy, it is essential to have an international driving license or your Brazilian driver’s license with a certified translation, OK? If you don’t have one, don’t drive, because you will have a lot of problems if you are stopped by the Italian police! READ THE POST DO I NEED AN INTERNATIONAL DRIVING LICENSE IN ITALY (PID)?

Also read TRAVELING BY CAR IN ITALY: EXAMPLES OF ITINERARIES. If you are going to rent a car, be sure to read our posts in the Driving in Italy section of the Italy’s Dream Tourism blog. In addition to tips on driving itineraries, we have everything about signs, tolls, roads and many other tips.

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Conclusion

What to do in Venice during Carnival? Venice is one of the most beautiful cities in the world at any time of the year, but on this occasion, it is even more so. The city during Carnival acquires an aristocratic, magical and mysterious atmosphere that leaves you indescribable emotions. At this point, the conclusion is, choose your mask and participate in this party of the One Thousand and One Nights.

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