When I visited Venice, I did not even realize I had come during their Carnival season, and was thoroughly surprised to see how committed the entire city was the week-long celebration. Venice ended up being my favorite city in Italy, and it was undoubtedly because of the Carnival festivities.
The dates for the next few years are:
- 2027 – January 30 to February 9
- 2028 – February 19 to February 29
- 2029 – February 3 to February 13
Below you can find everything you need to enjoy the annual celebration:
Table of Contents
- What is Carnival?
- 1 – The Famous Masks
- 2 – Try One of the Classic Gondolas
- 3 – Witness the Types of Performers
- 4 – Wander the Riva Degli Schiavoni
- 5 – Watch the Costume Contest
What is Carnival?
Have you ever heard of Lent? Carnival is essentially the final period of “indulgence” before sacrificing something for the Christian Lent period. Though initially suppressed by a Napoleonic rule in 1797, two centuries later in 1979 it was revived by Venetians to celebrate local culture. Below are my favorite parts of this Venetian holiday (#5 is my favorite)!
1 – The Famous Masks
When you think of Carnival, you probably think of the quintessential masks worn by most people there. I got one of my own for about 30 euros! They are sold in almost every nearby shop, and they come in all shapes and sizes. Some were more modern and colorful while others leaned more into traditional design. Overall, getting to connect with such a fun part of Venetian history was one of my favorite parts of my Italy trip!
2 – Try One of the Classic Gondolas
The gondolas are already a Venetian staple, but during Carnival they are decked out! Most gondolas have special Carnival related decorations with special ribbons, and some even have live performers! Prices are mandated at 90 euros for 30 minutes during the day and 110 euros for 35 minutes at night. They also carry 5 people max!
3 – Witness the Types of Performers
The one part of Carnival that really blew my expectations was that there was at least one performer on every street we walked on. They ranged from mimes, to singers, dancers, musicians, and more. My all time favorite performance (see below) was a man playing the notes to different songs by simply using water and different sized drink glasses. I was blown away!
Another one of my favorites was a group of teenagers who came and performed a song with their drums:
4 – Wander the Riva Degli Schiavoni
The Riva Degli Schiavoni is a street on the water next to St. Mark’s Basin is a tourist hotspot year-round, but lights up even more during Carnival. This is the primary location for souvenirs, most importantly the masks. This is the best place for professional photography as it is right on the water and there are performers who take pictures with people. I actually took a nap on a bench out here!
5 – Watch the Costume Contest
The costume contest was by far the most entertaining part of Venetian Carnival. It is held at St Mark’s Square, and showcases various costume artists on stage. Some of them were absolutely PHENOMENAL (see below). They even put costumes on some dogs! The entire celebration lasted a few hours, as each contestant was given a moment to showcase their work.
While Venice is beautiful enough to be visited during any time of year, coming during Carnival was a once in a lifetime experience that I will treasure forever. Let me know if you have any questions or comments below!