Italy is one of my favourite countries in Europe, and back in the country for the 4th time I decided to visit the stunning city of water, Venice!
Travelling in February meant I would be there for the famous annual Venice carnival, the Carnevale di Venezia. This carnival is known worldwide for its elaborate costumes and masks. I had wanted to visit this city and attend the carnival for a long time so when I saw the Ryanair hot seat sale for return flights for £44, I snatched the deal fast and started planning my Venice Carnival trip!
The History Of Venice Carnival
Venice carnival dates back to 1162 when the Venetian people gathered in St Mark’s Square to celebrate the Venice Republic’s victory over its enemy.
Then, from the 13th century, Venetians would disguise themselves in masks to escape from the rigid rules of the class hierarchy. Then in 1797 Francis II, the Holy Roman Emperor, outlawed the Carnival and the use of masks to conceal identities.
It was not until 1979 when the carnival returned and gained huge popularity and interest from all over the world.
During my visit to Venice, I learnt that in today’s age, the carnival is less about the original celebration of the victory over the enemy and more about all social classes coming together. Rich or poor, male or female. You can be what and who you want with no judgment. And I am here for it!
Venice Carnival Itinerary
Venice Carnival should be on everyone’s bucket list. You don’t have to go to fancy private parties and rent a costume for days on end to enjoy the carnival. There is plenty for you to see and do on any budget.
So, to help you plan for the next Carnevale di Venezia follow my 3-day Venice carnival itinerary for an unforgettable experience.
DAY 1: Introduction to Venice Carnival
Arrival & Accommodation
Water Taxi: Airport to Hotel
On arrival at Venice airport follow the signs to the water taxi to the city centre. Water taxis are a fun way to get an introduction to the city.
Accommodation
When choosing your accommodation, choose a hotel or Airbnb located a short walk into Saint Marks Square so you are close to the carnival action.
I decided to book a shared Airbnb for £80 a night with a private room and ensuite.
The location was perfect, right in the heart of Venice 2 minutes’ walk from the famous Rialto Bridge and 5 minutes’ walk to St. Mark’s Square. Hotels were upwards of £120+ a night, so the Airbnb was a great budget option.
Avoid heavy luggage and pack light! With no cars you are having to lug your luggage on boats and carry it up many steps and pull it through narrow streets full of people to get to and from your accommodation! I took a backpack only.
Keep Up to Date with The Venice Carnival Program
The daily carnival program can be found online and on the notice board in St Mark’s Square next to the entertainment stage. Most of the activities are FREE including costume contests, mask contests, street shows, and more. There are also activities with small fees like the carnival treasure hunt which is great for families. Plan your days accordingly with the activities you wish to take part in.
Carnival Mask Making Workshop
To feel truly part of the carnival, you will need a mask. So, the first thing to do on your Venice Carnival itinerary is to bring out your creative side at a carnival mask workshop.
A workshop is a much more fun and interactive experience than just buying a mask. You will learn about the history of masks and spend time painting and decorating your own mask to wear.
I booked the experience with GET YOUR GUIDE in advance.
The activity was extremely fun and a great introduction to the carnival traditions. I had no idea what I wanted to paint, I just let the paintbrush and glitter guide me!
Soak Up The Atmosphere in St Marks Square
You’re now ready to head to Saint Mark’s Square and enjoy the atmosphere of the Venetian carnival admiring all the elaborate costumes. Take as many photos as possible of the costumes, walk around, and soak in the carnival atmosphere.
Indulge In the Frittelle Di Carnevale
No carnival day is complete without eating the famous carnival sweet frittelle. This little ball of goodness has become the symbol of the Venice Carnival. It’s a fried dough filled with raisins, or a flavoured cream coated in sugar.
The frittelle is only available during the carnival season so it’s a fundamental fact that you must eat as many as you possibly can! I certainly did.
Evenings In Venice
To end the evening enjoy a nice dinner and an Aperol spritz or two while getting lost walking the streets of Venice. There are many bars and restaurants to choose from and the further out the main tourist spots you go the cheaper and more authentic it gets!
DAY 2
Early Morning Gondola Ride
Wake up early and enjoy a morning gondola ride through the iconic Venice canals.
This activity is a little on the pricey side with a fixed fee of 90 Euros for a 30-minute ride. So, if you are a solo traveller like me, this did burn a hole in my pocket. However, if you are travelling with people, the gondola can fit up to 5 people bringing down the cost per person.
You’re probably wondering if it’s worth the 90 euros as a solo traveller. Honestly, it was overpriced for what it was, but when in Venice right?
I boarded my gondola at the Rialto Bridge. The scenery was beautiful. It started by going under the bridge then on to the Grand Canal then through the backstreets of Venice which was by far my favourite part of the ride. So, I guess overall it was worth it for a bucket list activity. It also made for great photos.
Tip: If you are travelling solo, bring your tripod with you. Place it at the bottom of the gondola to take photos and videos. I have a Bluetooth remote, so was able to snap multiple pictures throughout the journey.
Shared Gondola Experience
Travelling solo and on a budget? but still want to have a gondola experience? You can book shared Gondola experiences through GET YOUR GUIDE for around £27.
Carnival Costume Hire
During your time in Venice, you can hire a beautiful carnival costume from anything from half a day to full days.
The cost for hiring can be very expensive so I had to do my research beforehand to find something within my budget.
Sizing was also an issue as a lot of the costumes were for more let’s say, petite ladies.
But after a few searches, I came across a company called Costumes in Venice. They had good price points compared to other companies also offering a carnival experience for 5hrs which included the hire of the costume, making it more cost effective.
The Carnival Experience
The 5-hour Venice Carnival Experience package with costumes in Venice included the costume hire, Venice carnival walk, along with hot chocolate and treats. It was a super fun 5hrs parading around Venice in a costume and feeling like a celebrity for a day. I got to soak up the carnival atmosphere, as well as find some hidden corners in Venice.
Loads of tourists and photographers wanted to take my photos. I also got so many photos with others in costume making great memories.
Experience Cost £180
Hot Chocolate & Sweet Treats at Hotel Danieli
As part of the carnival experience, we went to Hotel Danieli to indulge in some hot chocolate and sweet treats including the famous frittelle of course.
Hotel Danieli is a 5-star hotel that has a stunning interior. I was blown away by the hotel’s elegance and design. The ceilings were breathtaking and the attention to detail was impeccable.
It was decorated beautifully during the carnival with masks and feathers. The ambience was amazing and the hot chocolate and treats were delicious. I would highly recommend adding a stop here to your itinerary.
Late Night Snacks at Caffe Florian
Caffe Florian is the oldest coffee house in continuous operation in Italy and one of the oldest in the world. You can visit for breakfast, lunch, coffee, cocktails, or light snacks the choice is yours.
I decided to go in the evening as it was less busy. Walking into Caffe Florian I felt like I was transported back to the 1700 hundreds. The caffe was beautifully designed with art decor that preserved the past and everyone surrounding me was beautifully dressed in Victorian costumes for the carnival.
The waiter seated me in a nice seat in the window and handed me a menu. This caffe is slightly priced higher than other places in Venice, but you are paying for the experience and ambiance which I must admit is worth it.
I ordered a sandwich off the light snack menu and an Aperol spitz. It cost 31 euros. (£27) The food was presented beautifully and tasted divine. Probably one of the best sandwiches I have ever had.
One of the things I found special about this caffe was that it was once the only coffee house that allowed women. Famous people such as Casanova and Charles Dickens were also frequent visitors, and it soon became the meeting place for people from all different social classes which is what the celebration of carnival is all about.
Watch A Show At Dodges Palace
Going to the opera can be expensive, but if you are on a budget like me the perfect alternative is an opera concert at Doges Palace.
This opera consists of more local talent. The evening wasn’t anything fancy, but the performers were great, and it was the perfect way to end my evening.
I booked the experience through GET YOUR GUIDE for £33.50. Tickets were also available on walk-in, and they were hosting different concerts throughout the week.
DAY 3
Venice Carnival Photoshoot
After grabbing my usual morning coffee and frittelle, I headed to Venice Dress Up Experience. This experience was a 1hr dress-up and photoshoot activity.
Upon arrival at the studio, there was a rail of baroque dresses to select from. I chose a red Victorian-style dress for my shoot and mixed and matched it with accessories.
The photographer was good at picking out different accessories and backgrounds and pose ideas for the photos which was a great help.
I booked this experience through GET YOUR GUIDE.
Ticket cost £56
Getting The Photos
All the photos are sent to you within 24hrs and, you also get three printouts to take home. This was great memorabilia for the carnival.
Enjoy A Variety of Cicchetti
Cicchetti translates to small snacks. You will find tiny pieces of bread topped with vegetarian, meat, or seafood. Other choices include side dishes such as boiled eggs, cheeses, meats, olives, and croquettes. You can build your cicchetti plate as you wish.
For my Cicchetti I went to a couple of cicchetti bars in Squero Di San Trovaso. This area has incredible views and is where the boatyard is located. You can take a nice stroll of the area and stop off at a few cicchetti bars to enjoy an Aperol spritz, wine, or espresso along with some Cicchetti.
Enjoy a 2 Euro Gondola Ride
The 2 Euro Gondola Ferry is a shared Gondola experience for locals and tourists to get from one part of the city to the next. The ride is only about 2 minutes long but a great fun budget activity to do.
Please note you may have to queue for a length of time. each gondola fits about 10 people. I think I queued for around 30 minutes. If time is against you skip it. But if you have the time, it’s a fun low-cost activity to add to your Venice trip!
Traghetto Stations
I boarded at San Toma to San Marco. However, there are 7 Traghetto stations throughout the city.
· Fondamenta S. Lucia Rail Station.
· San Marcuola – Fóndaco dei Turchi.
· San Samuele – Cà Rezzónico.
· Campo Santa Maria del Giglio – Salute.
· San Tomà – Santo Stefano.
· Rialto Market – Cà D’Oro.
· Riva del Carbòn – Fondamente del Vin.
People Watch in St Marks Square
Sit at one of the outside cafés in Saint Marks Square and enjoy people-watching with an Aperol spritz and frittelle while taking in the atmosphere of the carnival.
I found myself sitting for a couple of hours just people-watching and admiring all the costumes in the square and just watching the world go by.
Birds-Eye-View of Venice Carnival at Saint Mark's Basilica
Saint Mark’s Basilica is a significant church as it is the resting place of Saint Mark. Although Saint Mark spent most of his life in Alexandria Egypt. Venetian legend says that Saint Mark had a dream in which an angel told him that his final resting place would be Venice.
This church is a stunning piece of architecture, with golden mosaics and tombs. If you go up to the terrace you will also find the four gilded bronze horses and have a great birds-eye view over the Venice Carnival in action in Saint Mark’s Square.
Venice Conclusion
I was worried Venice was going to be overrated and touristy as it sees millions of tourists every year, but it surprised me. Was it touristy? yes but was it overrated? absolutely not!
Venice boasted absolute beauty from its canals, buildings, and streets to its patisseries and hotels. The thing I loved most about the city was just getting lost in streets of Venice always finding hidden gems and corners.
Being in Venice during the carnival time just made it extra special, and I loved dressing up, and seeing others in there elborate costumes. It was great fun and I cannot wait to do it again next year!
3 DAY VENICE CARNIVAL ITINERARY RECAP
DAY 1
- Carnival Mask Making Workshop
- Saint Mark’s Square for all the action
- Indulge in Frittelle Di Carnevale
- Evening Stroll around Venice & Dinner
- Optional: Carnival Party/Ball
DAY 2
- Morning Gondola Ride
- Carnival Costume Hire
- Carnival Experience
- Hot Chocolate & Treats at Hotel Danieli
- Enjoy the FREE carnival activities
- Late Night Snacks at Caffe Florian
- Opera Performance at Dodges Palace
DAY 3
- Venice Carnival Photoshoot
- Enjoy a Variety of Cicchetti down near the boatyard
- Have fun on a 2 Euro local Gondola Ride
- People watch in St Mark’s Square while enjoying an Aperol Spitz & frittelle
- Get a view from the Terrace at Saint Mark’s Basilica
- Enjoy the FREE Carnival activities
Venice Bucket List Checklist
As well as the carnival there is loads to do in Venice. So save your Venice Bucket List Checklist
GETTING AROUND
There are no roads in Venice. So, you will spend your time walking around and just getting lost in the picturesque streets. When getting to one part to the other i.e. another island or airport you can go via boat.
The local gondola, the traghetto will also take you short distances for 2 euro a time.
THE FOOD SCENE
Cicchetti is very popular in Venice and is eaten breakfast, lunch and for late snacks.
Fish and seafood dishes are also very popular in Venice. Im not a fish or seafood eater so I stuck to cicchetti, pizza and pasta.
I must say Venice has not been my best place when it comes to food compared to its sister Italian cities. Its hard to find local spots offering good food. However I must say they have the cicchetti, pastries and sweet treats down to perfection.
Additional Info
Language: Italian
Currency: Euro
How To Get There
Easiest way to get to Venice is via flight.
Airport: Venice Marco Polo Airport
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