Everything you want to know about Venice Carnival and a few things you didn’t know to ask!

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Venice’s Carnival (spelled and pronounced carnevale in Italian) differs from carnival in any other country or Italian city! It’s one of the most fascinating times to visit the city – if you’re willing to brave the crowds.

To understand what makes Venetian Carnevale so unique, let’s talk history for a sec.

A Quick Venice Carnival History

Carnival originated as a Catholic tradition leading up to Lent. During Lent (the 40 days before Easter), people gave up fats, desserts, meat, and alcohol, so before Ash Wednesday – the start of Lent – everyone would clear their pantries of rich foods. It created a culture of throwing banquets and parties turning into Carnival!

Carnival was celebrated for centuries in the Middle Ages, and the Venice Carnival was known the European world over as one of the best party events of the year! It was eventually banned in 1797 in Venice because it was considered too ostentatious for Catholic propriety at the time. The festival crept back in privately about a century ago, and was officially revived in the 1970s. It’s now the biggest festival on the Venetian calendar!

Venice isn’t the only place with centuries-old history for the festival, but its costumes are unique. The most recognizable part is the masks. They originated as a way to free wearers from the limitations of their social status, allowing everyone to party together in the streets of Venice for a few weeks!

One of the most traditional is the bauta, or white mask covering the entire face. This one is typically worn with a tricorner hat and sometimes is referred to as a Casanova mask. Another classic is the plague doctor mask, as familiar as it is creepy, paired with a hooded cape.

Most of the masks are historically from Italian theater commedia dell’arte, which were worn by actors to tell the audience who each character was – their personalities, their quirks, and their gender (all actors were male at the time).

So what actually happens during Carnival?

For just over two weeks, Venice explodes with festivities! The good news for most of us is that many of the Carnevale options are free of charge.

Every year there’s an official theme, which shapes the official city events. 2024’s theme is Marco Polo’s Amazing Journey. 700 years after Marco Polo’s death, the city celebrates his spirit of adventure, travel, and global influence!

One of my favorite parts of Carnevale is the parades! The biggest one is the kickoff parade, usually on the morning of the first Sunday. Called the corteo acqueo, locals decorate row boats. It’s similar to decorating parade floats in the States: each has its own theme and the rowers dress up too! I say that – you’ll also see a few with Casanova and an M&M man in the same boat. The theme isn’t a requirement, but dressing up is!

If you’re interested in catching a parade or any of the major events, plan to scope out a spot an hour in advance – they fill up! But hanging out alongside the canal with un caffe or vino sounds like a delightful way to spend an hour, so no complaints here.

Street performers set up in most of the squares (called a campo in Venice) and perform all weekend long. These are usually going in the afternoons, but make a great break to meander through the city into some of the less crowded areas.

Even if you’re not trying to catch a performance, wandering through Piazza San Marco* is a must. People dress in intricate costumes, allowing everyone to photograph them! It’s such a fun tradition – many are locals, and many costumes are handmade and packed with details.

There are also special displays set up in some of the museums and palazzos. The Scuola Grande di San Rocco, a stunning palazzo, offers free guided tours with the purchase of an entry ticket during this Carnival.

If you stay for a few days, there are also performances on the mainland part of Venice, called Mestre! There are more details on the official website, but if you’re looking for more entertainment options with fewer tourists, this is a good option.

Venetian Carnival Balls

The biggest events at Venice Carnival are the masquerade balls! These gala events are like no other: traditional costumes, themes, an elegant dinner, entertainment and dancing will make it a night like no other!

The galas are each weekend, with multiple offers. The official one is usually the most pricey – something like 600€ per person. The others (still top-shelf experiences!) are in the 300-400€ range. So it’s an expensive evening.

I confess I’ve never been to one of the galas. When you add in renting a dress and a hotel, that total gets too high for me. Anytime I can put the cost of entry to one event towards multiple hotel nights, I have trouble justifying the event.

I can say that everyone I know who has attended has loved it. It’s such a once in a lifetime experience!

Want to Visit Venice Carnival?

A few more logistics to help you plan:

If you want to go, a weekend is best. You’ll see most of the events and parades are scheduled. However, it’s important to note that everyone wants that, so you’ll end up in some crazy crowds!

If you’re interested in attending a ball, most of them have a historical dress code requirement. You can’t show up in an elegant modern dress! So in addition to booking your ticket, you need to rent (or buy) a costume, often another 200€ per night. The ball organizers will often have recommendations or discounts for the best ateliers.

Venice Carnival is one the best parts of the year in Venice! For more Venice guides, try my favorite shops in Venice, off the beaten path in town, or my restaurant guide!