If our recent blog post has got you interested in the Venetian Carnival celebrations, you may be wondering what it’s actually like in Venice during Carnival. In this guide we’ll take you through how to plan a trip during Carnival season, what special treats to look out for, where to get your own Venetian masks and more so let’s get started!
Planning Your Trip to Venice During Carnival
The Venice Carnival takes place at the same time each year, in the two weeks before Lent starts. As Lent depends on when Easter is, which changes each year, you should double check the dates for the carnival in Venice as the first step in any trip planning!
The carnival events are to celebrate the end of winter and have a big blow-out before the austerity of Lent starts. Different carnivals are celebrated all over the world, but there is something extra special about the Venice carnival which makes it extremely popular with both visitors and locals.
Because of this popularity, central hotels and B&B’s (particularly those close to Saint Mark’s Square) will be booked up well in advance of the Carnival dates. If you really want to make the most of your Venice trip we recommend you do try to stay somewhere quite central. This makes it much easier to get around to different events and soak up the atmosphere in the city.
Once you know the Carnival dates and when you want to visit, get your accommodation booked in as soon as possible. Not only will there be more available options to choose from, the prices get more expensive the closer Carnival gets!
If you are planning to make your trip to Venice carnival part of a larger Italy trip then we suggest waiting to make other bookings until the Venice elements are confirmed. It is easier to arrange train tickets, transfers, accommodation and tours in other locations, as the end of January/February/early March are low season in most other Italian destinations.
Experiencing the Venice Carnival
Now that you’ve planned your trip to Venice during Carnival, what will it be like in the city when you’re here?
The Venetian carnival is a very popular time to be in Venice, but the crowds tend to be concentrated to specific times and days during the two weeks of celebrations. Weekends and evenings are very busy in the center of Venice, particularly around Piazza San Marco, with locals coming into the city to join in the fun. However during the week, especially in the mornings, the streets and sights are still pretty quiet.
Museums, art galleries and churches will all be open as normal. They may sometimes have special Carnival exhibitions or events running which will be popular – for all details of the current year’s events, check out the official Carnevale di Venezia website.
Our recommendation would be to plan sightseeing for the mornings during your trip, so you can get in to see the Doge’s Palace and Basilica of San Marco, climb the Campanile tower in Saint Mark’s Square and admire the artworks in the Accademia Gallery in relative quiet. Then your afternoons and evenings will be free to get in the Venice carnival spirit!
Getting in the Carnival spirit
There are lots of ways you can join in the Carnival celebrations during your trip.
Of course you can (and should!) get your own Carnival masks to wear, but there is much more to do.
Watch the public costume parades and be amazed at the elaborate costumes some people put together, enjoy street performances by acrobats, jugglers, magicians and more or watch performances on the stage in Saint Mark’s Square.
We love walking around the city and seeing all the people dressed up taking pictures. It is often misty this time of year in Venice which adds a real sense of drama! Generally people who have gone to the trouble of putting together amazing outfits don’t mind strangers taking photos of them but it’s polite to check before doing so.
The big water parade (usually held on the first weekend) is a must-see, which is where all sorts of traditional boats and gondolas make their way along the Grand Canal to the Rialto Bridge. The boats are decorated in bright colors and the people on them all wear Venetian masks and it’s truly unique to see. Make sure to get to a good viewing spot early as they fill up fast – we’ve missed getting the best viewpoint in the past by lingering too long over our breakfast!
Masquerade balls and parties
There are many masquerade balls and other late night parties that take place during Venice’s carnevale, some more accessible than others.
While some balls are held by and for the extremely rich, with haute-couture outfits and invite-only access, there are plenty of other events that you can attend. These do need to be booked in advance as they are often held in relatively small venues, and are not cheap, but with your ticket you generally get dinner, drinks and entertainment.
Full historical costumes (evening dresses and tuxedos are not acceptable) are required for men and women alike, so you will need to arrange for costume hire and elaborate masks, but this is part of the fun!
Venetian Masks and Carnival Costumes
Venetian Masks
To really be part of the Venice carnival you need to at least have a mask. Venetian masks have a long history and are a true art form when done right. Sadly there are a lot of places that sell cheap versions for tourists, but we highly recommend seeking out an authentic mask shop for a special souvenir of your trip.
There are plenty of different masks on offer, with different shapes, face coverage and decor, so you can go as ornamental and colorful as you want. If you are planning on wearing your mask for a prolonged period of time, avoid masks made of plastic or any that are too heavy to be comfortable.
You won’t be able to hire masks as it is unhygienic, so take some time to consider your options before making your purchase to make sure you’re happy.
Carnival Costumes
When it comes to costumes for the Venice carnival, you have two options. You can purchase fancy dress outfits in advance to bring with you or you can make an appointment at an atelier in Venice to be fitted with a full costume.
If you are planning to attend a masquerade ball then a full costume is needed, so you should book an accompanying atelier appointment for at least a couple of days in advance. Sometimes they will ask for your measurements in advance to have an outfit prepared, but in all cases you will need to purchase your own mask.
If however you want to simply have an outfit to wear around the city, take some pictures and have fun, then regular fancy dress is absolutely fine. The official Venice carnival website has lots of information and you’ll find a lot of inspiration online as well, but essentially you can go as full-on as you like! Equally if you just want to wear a mask this is also fine, there are no rules during Carnival.
Traditional Venetian Carnival Food
Finally, you cannot miss out on one of our favorite things about Venice during Carnival; the special food that you can only find this time of year!
Carnival tradition is closely tied to the treats on offer, with all the sugar, eggs and butter used in making them then historically given up for Lent. Here are some of our favorite Carnival foods to look out for:
- Fritelle or Fritole – these delicious chewy dough balls are worth traveling to Venice for by themselves. Sometimes deep fried, sometimes baked, the dough balls can be plain, filled with custard or cream, or dotted with raisins, pine nuts and candied fruit, but are always best freshly cooked, coated in sugar. Once we had some flavored with rum which were divine!
- Castagnole – so-called for their similar shape to chestnuts (castagnole in Italian), these small balls of sweet dough are deep fried and then filled.
- Galani – Venice’s version of the deep fried dough coated in powdered sugar found all over Italy during Carnival season, here they are thinner, resembling a ribbon in shape.
- Crema Fritta – Literally ‘fried cream’, these are made from a thick custard flavored with lemon or orange peel, which is cooled and then sliced into cubes. The custard cubes are breaded and fried before being coated in sugar – these are incredibly moreish so we suggest getting a big bag to share.
While you will find versions of all of these and more in supermarkets and food stores around Venice, we cannot stress the importance of purchasing your treats from a bakery or pastry shop. The difference in quality and taste is absolutely huge, and you’ll enjoy them so much more! Plus you’ll be able to see and try other local sweets, maybe Ravioli di Carnevale, Mammalucchi or other cookies.
Join us in Venice for Carnival
We absolutely love being in Venice during Carnival, it’s an absolutely unique event in Italy with so much character and excitement. If you would like to join us in the city during this magical time of year, check out our Venice tours (which run through the festivities) or get in touch to talk about all your options today.
