Venice Carnival
Venice Carnival is one of the most colorful celebrations in the world!
Every year, thousands of traveler’s flocks to Venice to participate in carnival festivities. The Carnevale di Venezia is one of the world’s most famous and historic festivals, a one-of-a-kind celebration. You probably already have a general idea about it, but do you know the real philosophy behind these celebrations? And what’s the history behind this mysterious tradition?
Boundless fun and fantasy, luxurious costumes and masks, masks, masks… All this is the Venetian carnival. Venice, with its magnificent squares and cozy narrow streets, picturesque canals, and arch bridges, turns into one huge stage where one of the world’s most spectacular and dazzling masquerade balls takes place. The ritual symbolizes the renewal of nature and is a kind of farewell to winter. So, don’t forget to mark it in your calendar and schedule your trip in advance. Give yourself some special time and immerse in lush celebrations just as the true Venetians have been doing for centuries.
Several important events are, the two-day Festa Veneziana with its typical masked regattas, the Best Masked Costume Contest and the Festa delle Marie. Each year, Carnival includes celebrations whose history dates back to the times of the Serenissima, such as the famous eagle flight or the well-known “Flight of the Angel”, to name a few (this last event did not take place in 2024, due to construction on Piazza San Marco). Venice, with its magnificent squares and narrow streets, picturesque canals, and arch bridges, turns into one huge stage where one of the world’s most spectacular and dazzling masquerade balls takes place.
Carnival season lasts about two weeks, culminating on the day called Martedi Grasso, or Fat Tuesday, in Italian. This is a magical time in Venice. Lavish costumes are rented or purchased from talented Venetian ateliers or designed and created at home by talented carnival attendees. Carnival provides a theatrical backdrop to Venice’s iconic scenery, and everyone in costume is expected to play their part.
Venetian costume balls are a highlight of carnival for those who can afford tickets to party the night away in Venice’s most exclusive private palaces. The year’s most opulent event is the Il Ballo del Doge, described by Vanity Fair as “the most sumptuous, refined and exclusive ball in the world.”
“Carnevale di Venezia”
January 31 to February 17, 2026
January 27 to February 9, 2027
It´s Your Time to Celebrate! Nowadays, during the Venetian carnival, there are many colorful events held on the city’s squares and streets, as well as exciting balls and evenings in palaces. Immerse yourself in the atmosphere of the Carnival and get dressed in a mask and costume, perhaps in a wig. Perhaps take a gondola ride along picturesque corners of Venice, to arrive at your ancient Palazzo for the Masquerade ball. As you enter the door in your chic 18th century Venetian costume, elaborated by famous designers, you are greeted by cheers from the crowd. You take a glass of Champagne and plunge into the luxury of the old days. You are excited to watch the ball’s opening with impressive performances of jugglers, fire eaters, and dance groups. Then, the live music invites the masquerade characters with their high wigs and colorful costumes to the dance floor. And one of the most unique parties in the world begins. Who was this gallant gentleman in an elegant black suit and a mask with feathers dancing with you? Maybe the barista that served you cappuccino this morning? What an exciting night to be anyone you want!
Are you looking for one of the most magical times of the year to visit Venice? Well look no further than Carnevale season! This is the time (February/March) of year when Venice comes alive with magic and mystery. Here are a few tips to enjoy Carnevale in Venice:
- Learn the secrets of Venice’s Carnevale with a special walking tour. Follow in the steps of adventurer Giacomo Casanova’s 18th century Venice Carnevale. A guide will immerse you in the history of Carnevale as well as the use of masks and how they are made. The tour ends with a cappuccino and a typical Italian carnival pastry, frittelle.
- Book Early! I cannot stress this enough! You will be joining thousands of other people from around the world so planning ahead will ensure you get the best options. This applies to your accommodation, plane tickets, events and even restaurants!
- The final week of Carnevale is the busiest time to visit, but festivities are happening long before Fat Tuesday. If you don’t mind missing the biggest events, you’ll save some money by visiting during the first week of the celebrations.
- Although most of the events usually take place around Piazza San Marco, I highly recommend breaking away from the crowds and wandering around the city. There are events held in almost every neighborhood and even the outlining islands like the Lido and Burano have their own events. Venice Carnival is a festive and elegant affair, not a rowdy one.
- Enjoy a Vivaldi Concert: A journey back to 18th century Venice isn’t complete without discovering the music from the times when Venice was the pleasure capital of the world. Venetian-born Antonio Vivaldi, is recognized today as one of the greatest Baroque composers. Even Bach studied with Vivaldi and his musical influence spread far and wide. Though Vivaldi concerts are also a quintessential Venetian experience you can attend any time of the year.
What is the history of Venice Carnival?
The term derives from the Latin carnem levare, literally “to eliminate meat” referring to the farewell to meat and all bodily pleasures which is celebrated with a great banquet on “Shrove Tuesday”, the day before Lent (a period of abstinence and fasting) begins. Incidentally, this is also how we get the verb to incarnate (Italian: incarnare), literally to embody the spirit of another. When we escape our reality and slip on a mask and costume, we are incarnating another person.
It is believed that the tradition to celebrate the Venice Carnival may have started in 1162 with the celebration of the victory over Ulrich II of Treven, the Patriarch of Aquileia (an ancient Roman city in Italy). Ulrich II was taken prisoner together with his 12 vassals and eventually released on one specific condition. Every year on Holy Thursday the Patriarch was obliged to pay a tribute to Venice that included a bull and 12 pigs which than were slaughtered in the Piazza San Marco in front of Venetians to commemorate the victory. On that day the street celebrations, games, people dancing and bonfires would take over the streets of the city.
However, Venice Carnival wasn’t officially declared a public festival until 1296, when the Senate of Serenissima made Shrove Tuesday a public holiday. From that moment Venice Carnival ran for six weeks, between December 26th and Ash Wednesday.
Venice’s famous masked balls, fairs and fun street scenes gave rise to impromptu street performances in masks, which later came to be known as Commedia dell’Arte. Comedie dell’Arte was a form of theater that started in the 16th century. Traveling theater companies would present short plays using well known sets of masks and costumes, playing out amusing scenes of marriage, love, adultery, social class mishaps and other popular themes.
By the 18th century the Venice Carnival became the pleasure playground of Europe and festivities continued for 6 months of the year. During that time, Venice was known as a centre of gambling, the ‘Las Vegas’ of its day. This period is also associated with the Venetian painter Francesco Guardi and with the famous Venetian adventurer and ‘womanizer’ Giacomo Casanova.
Unfortunately, the Venice Carnival fell into decline after Napoleon signed the Treaty of Campo Formio and Venice became part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1797. Carnival disappeared for nearly two centuries and was finally revived in the 1980’s with its distinctive traditions and celebrations.
Today, the Carnival in Venice is a captivating festival, a tradition that casts its spell on whoever crosses its path. Escape from everyday life and immerse yourself in the fantasy of this amazing festival!
Oh, What to Wear?
Venetian Carnival dresses are unique pieces; they are handmade one by one in the ateliers of the city. Those ateliers specialize in historical research on garment models and carefully implement materials of excellent quality with incredible attention to detail. Some sophisticated pieces need months of work at the ateliers to be completed. Their number is limited, and if someone would like to rent a costume during the Carnival, it should be done a few months in advance.
It’s not Carnival without yummy food…!
VENETIAN FRITTELLE FOR CARNIVAL RECIPE
- 100 g / 2/3 cup raisins
- 120 ml / 1/2 cup ‘grappa’, ‘eau-de-vie’ or anise liqueur
- 500 g / 3 2/3 cups plain flour, sifted
- Pinch of salt
- 15 g / 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
- 80 g / 1/3 cup caster sugar, plus more for dusting
- Grated zest of 1 un-waxed lemon
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 50 g / 1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
- 50 g / 1/3 cup candied citrus peel (optional)
- 240 ml / 1 cup whole milk, lukewarm
- Sunflower oil, for frying
- Icing sugar, for dusting
- Soak the raisins in ‘grappa’ and leave to plump up
In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt, yeast and lemon zest. Make a well in the center and break in the eggs, then, using a fork, start to incorporate them into the flour. Add the pine nuts, candied citrus peel (if using) and the raisins with their soaking liquid. Pour in the milk, too, and stir with a wooden spoon until it all comes together into a sticky dough. Cover with a clean tea towel and leave to rise in a warm place for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until doubled in size and very bubbly on the surface.
Next, heat the oil in a deep, medium-sized skillet over a low-medium heat. Once hot (180°C/350°F), grab two tablespoons and use them to shape your ‘frittelle’. Take a dollop of dough as big as a walnut and give it a round-ish shape using both spoons, then slip it into the hot oil. Repeat in batches, frying about 5-6 ‘frittelle’ at the time. Fry them on both sides until dark brown all around. Drain with a slotted spoon and transfer them to a large plate lined with absorbent paper towels.
Leave the ‘frittelle’ to cool before dusting them with icing sugar. They are best enjoyed freshly made.
Contact Audrey for a private group experience (min 8 guests)
Imagine for a moment, you dress in a masquerade costume, mix with the crowd, try delicious fritole (donuts) and galani (crunchy ribbons), and stock up on confetti. We are waiting for you in Venice for Carnival! And we will make sure you will see it in a special way, by introducing you the lesser-known parts of Venice, away from the crowds, that help you experience the magical city of Venice from another perspective.
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