I was lucky to experience one of my bucket list dreams this month… to see the Venice Carnival in Venice, Italy! It was truly amazing! I’d like to share my photos and description of the Venice Carnival 2024!

I’d been to Venice four times before this particular trip, but the scenery is always breathtaking to me. It’s a timeless place with romantic canals, gondolas, and architecture. Venice is a magical city at any time of year, and while it’s popular all year round, it is very special during the Carnevale di Venezia! 

What is Carnival?

You may have heard of the other famous carnivals in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and New Orleans (Mardi Gras), Louisiana. In each of these cultures and locations, the Carnival has a different look and unique traditions. The Venice Carnival (Carnevale di Venezia) is best known for elaborate masked costumes and medieval traditions.

Carnival is scheduled based on the Easter calendar and occurs during February. It begins around two weeks before Ash Wednesday and ends on Shrove Tuesday, also known as Fat Tuesday (Mardi Gras in French). Shrove Tuesday is the day before Lent begins and the Christian tradition of the forty days period before Easter. The word Carnevale is said to come from the Latin words carne and vale, meaning “farewell to meat”. The phrase describes the time before Lent when eating meat is forbidden. 

The Carnival dates change each year and are just over two weeks long. The last eight or nine days are the most eventful and most crowded. In 2024, the dates for Venice Carnival were January 27th until February 13th. For more details about the carnival each year, check out their official website. We arrived on Friday afternoon, February 2 and enjoyed mostly the Saturday event before returning home Sunday evening.

History of Venice Carnival

The Venice Carnival initially started in 1162 to celebrate Venice Republic’s victory over one of its enemies. The people of Venice gathered in Saint Mark’s Square (Piazza San Marco) to celebrate. By the 18th century the Venice Carnival became one of the most popular tourist attractions and brought people from all over the Europe. 

Venetians were wearing masks to conceal their identities and remove any social differences. It was a way for people from different social strata to mix anonymously. Festivities continued for several centuries until the Carnival was outlawed in 1797 when Venice was under the rule of Francis II, the Holy Roman Emperor. Unfortunately, some people were using the masks to get away with petty crimes such as gambling and other naughty activities.

In 1979, the Italian government decided to help Venice reconnect with its carnival history to rejuvenate the culture of Venice. The city’s tourism boomed and the Venice Carnival has grown over the years into one of the world’s biggest and most popular celebrations.

Venice Carnival Today

Today the Venice Carnival is a two-week event held every February. People dress up in elaborate costumes and wander the streets to show off their attire. You can join in and wear costumes all day or just for events. I found that most people don’t dress up but just enjoy people watching. 

There are lots of tours, parties and balls to go to. Some private parties are very expensive, ranging from 300 Euro to 5000 Euro per person. The most exclusive ball is the Doge’s Ball on the last Saturday of the Carnival. We opted not to attend any special events but to simply walk around and admire the costumes during the day.

In St. Mark’s Square, they constructed a large stage where various musical performances were held during the day. You will also find street performers in the same area. The schedule for the entertainment is listed on the official website. To enjoy the ambiance, we sat at one of the outdoor restaurants on the square and tried the traditional frittelle, a sort of doughnut you can eat only during Venice Carnival.

Taking Photos at Carnival

One of the highlights for me was taking photos of all the costumes. You don’t need to be shy when approaching anyone in elaborate costume and asking for a photo. Most costume-wearers are used to being stopped by tourists wanting selfies and will gladly pose for as many photos as they can. If they have to be somewhere, they will move when they need to. I didn’t take too many photos WITH them but took plenty photos OF them.

When photographed in public, the costumed models don’t expect to be paid or tipped. They are having fun and experiencing Carnival. Having their photos taken by tourists and photographers is part of this experience. The challenge of taking photos is to get up front in the crowd. I found myself rushing from person to person to get the best angle without bystanders in the background.

You’ll notice that not all people dress up in the traditional medieval costumes. You will see a variety of funny costumes like the ones below. It reminded me of Halloween.

I bought some cheap masks at home and wore them for the whole day to participate in the fun. You can buy a mask in Venice at the many stalls around St. Mark’s Square. I found that they weren’t too expensive, starting at 10 Euros each.

What to know about Carnival

I did my share of research about the Carnival so I would know how to best take advantage of the fun. Here are my tips and advice when you go.

Where to go

One of the first things to know is WHERE to go to see the action. The best place is St. Mark’s Square where the majority of people dressed in costumes gather. The crowds increase as the day goes on. If you want the best photography shots, I would recommend to go early when there aren’t too many people.

In addition to St. Mark’s Square, another good location to see the costumes is along the Grand Canal by Doge’s Palace. This area was bustling with activity on Saturday afternoon. The best backdrops for photos are the gondola stilts and the Doge Palace walls. As of late afternoon, the setting sun and lighting were perfect for photos.

Accommodation

For accommodation during the Carnival, it is best to book early to get the best deals and availability. I found a perfect AirBnB apartment that was only a 10-minute walk to St. Mark’s but far enough away from the festivity noise. I find that the hotels in Venice are overpriced compared to the apartments you can find. You will find many different options on Booking.com.

Weather

Concerning the weather at this time of year in Venice, you need to know that it is usually clear but not warm. You’ll need to dress appropriately to stay outside all day in the cool temperatures. For us, this first weekend in February was sunny but chilly at 9 Celsius (48 Fahrenheit).

Sightseeing

If you are planning to do general sightseeing in Venice during Carnival time, you must book your tickets way in advance. They say the population increases to 3 million visitors during Carnival, so be prepared for crowds and long lines to see the tourist attractions.

Summary

I hope you’ve enjoyed learning about the Venice Carnival 2024! It was a real treat to see this special event. If you’re interested to attend in the future, it’s best to check out the official website and program.

If you’d like to know more about visiting Venice, Italy, see my related blog posts:

• Most Romantic Spots in Europe
• My Favorite European Cities

If you are looking for assistance to plan your next trip, I am here for YOU! I love to plan travel itineraries for myself and others. For more details on how I provide this service, please check out my Itinerary Planning page and drop me a quick email at jan@janadventures.com to get started!