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Venice Carnival

Written by Viator, December 2010

3.5 4 Reviews | Add your review

In stark contrast to Carnival festivities in Rio, New Orleans and elsewhere, the Carnival of Venice, like the city that hosts it, is straight out of a historical drama. Resurrected by the Italian government in the 1970s as part of their attempt to promote Venetian culture, Carnival centers on the profusion of elaborate masquerade masks worn by the city’s residents and the more than 30,000 annual visitors who attend the two week-long festival. 

Commedia Dell'Arte and Chow

Beginning February 2nd, the annual festival is of a decidedly stately affair by comparison, but it is certainly an occasion for excess, self-expression, and sensuality. Acting troupes and performers engage in various forms of commedia dell'arte, street theatre and juggling, and epic proportions of traditional Venetian food and wine are consumed.

Bautas, Morettas, and Voltos

Whenever you choose to join in the festivities, you’ll first have to choose a mask. Throughout the festival, revelers conceal their identities with various styles of masks. Bautas are the main type of mask worn, and feature elaborate gilding and a rigid chin line that does not conceal the mouth. Morettas, oval masks made of velvet, are typically worn by women. Voltos and Larvas, very plain, unadorned masks, were the norm for centuries, but have largely fallen out of fashion.

Fat Tuesday

The celebration reaches a fever pitch on the evening before Ash Wednesday and the coming of Lent. The employment of masks has the primary effect of stripping the city of its traditionally rigid set of class distinctions. This has historically had the effect of freeing citizens up to interact on more intimate terms with people outside of their class. With globalization, these distinctions have lessened somewhat, but Carnival remains a unique opportunity for foreigners interested in sampling a cross-section of Venetian society.

Tours & Tickets

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Skip the Line: Venice in One Day

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If it’s your first time in Venice, see all the highlights of this magical city on a combination walking tour of Venice’s narrow streets and a boat tour on the ...  Read more

Location: Venice, Italy
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Venice Gondola Ride and Serenade

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Share a gondola with other travelers along the canals of Venice and be serenaded as your group of gondolas glide along the Grand Canal. A musician and a singer ...  Read more

Location: Venice, Italy
Duration: 35 minutes (approx.)

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Skip the Line: Venice Walking Tour with St Mark's Basilica

4 star rating: Recommended 573 Reviews

This two-hour walking tour is an absolute must if you're a first-time visitor to Venice! You'll visit St. Mark's Basilica in St Mark's Square and other famous ...  Read more

Location: Venice, Italy
Duration: 2 hours (approx.)

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Skip the Line: Venice Walking Tour with Doges Palace

4.5 star rating: Recommended 122 Reviews

Let the Doges Palace Walking Tour through Venice lead you to the most sumptuous and splendidly decorated rooms of what used to be 'the brain' that governed the ...  Read more

Location: Venice, Italy
Duration: 2 hours (approx.)

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