10 Reasons for Going to The Carnival of Venice (Carnevale di Venezia)

Although Venice, the fairytale city of the Adriatic, offers so much beauty to its visitors at any time of the year, carnival time is another. Throughout the carnival, which dates back to the 12th century and has reached a worldwide reputation, the participants wear colorful costumes and famous Venetian masks surround the place. It is believed that the 1st Venice Carnival was coordinated in 1162 to celebrate a triumph against the Patriarchate of Aquileia. Then the celebrations become conventional and spread from the end of December to the beginning of Easter. During the Easter period, meat is not eaten and the word carnival actually comes from the Latin words “carne vale’’, which means ‘’farewell to meat”.

The Venice Carnival takes place from 8 February to 25 February in 2020. So, why should you go to this world-famous carnival?

1. Venice was and always will be a party city

Even in the 18th century, Venice had become a center of fascination for tourists. Amusements, casinos and carnival made the city flood with people. This party ambiance can be seen in the paintings of Pietro Longhi and Gabriele Bella. You can see these paintings in the Querini Stampalia and Ca’Rezzonico museums and witness the fun history of the city.

2. You can visit Casanova in prison

Casanova, the most famous one of all the womanizers, has left considerable traces in Venice. This charismatic gentleman who is fond of enjoyment and pleasure has stayed in the prison of Associates Palace for a period and his cell can still be visited.

3. You can find traces from Istanbul

In 828, two merchants stole the corpse of Venice's patron saint San Marco from Alexandria and reburied it in the basilica, which is named after the saint and is contiguous and linked to the Associates Palace. To make proud the saint, the front of the building where he was buried, was decorated with Roman statues, pillars and bronze horse statues brought from Istanbul. San Marco Basilica is one of the most visited places in Venice nowadays.

4. You can learn the background of the masks

The masks, which are identified with Venice, dating back to the past as much as the carnival. These entertainments were the only time during which people from the lower and upper economic classes were together, and the mask served both to make all types of exuberances unidentified and to conceal the variations between classes. Famous Venetian masks were used so much by gamblers and women working in the amusement world that wanted to hide their identity in the 18th century, they were forbidden to hang out outside the carnival times. Today, traditional masks are still being produced and sold, and the store Ca ’Macanà stands out among the places you can find them.

5. Complete your mask with a stylish cape

If you want to get involved in mysterious crowds and get a mask, you should complete it with a stylish cape called “tabarro“. If you want to have one of the traditional Venetian-style cloaks, visit the designer boutique of Monica Daniele in San Marco.

6. You can join the gorgeous Venetian ball

Venice is among the most preferred places to go for romance in the world. Carnival balls are the summit of romanticism. You can join one of these balls where dinner and entertainment are together. The tickets for these nights, which are held in historic palaces, are not cheap, but for such an experience, it is worth the expense.

One of the world's greatest romantic gestures was held in Venice in the 1840s. The Russian prince Troubetzkoy gave a gift to the Italian ballerina Marie Taglioni to whom he was falling in love, a palace on the Grand Canal in Venice: Ca d’Oro Palace. This place now serves as an art museum. You can visit the museum and see both the works and the unique architecture of the building that is the subject of this romantic gesture.

8. You may be surprised by the silence of 200 years, then you can erase the rust of your ear at the opera

When Napoleon took control of Venice in 1797, he prohibited costumes and entertainment. The carnival wasn't actually held for almost 200 years. In 1979, it was decided that the celebrations would be resumed. Since then, the carnival has been a great success for urban tourism. One of the best things you can do in Venice is to watch a show in the city's gorgeous opera house, which had previously been fired three times and restored in 2004. If you're lucky, it's possible to catch some of the most important operas such as “Barber of Seville’’

9. Recognize the gondoliers and their interesting dates

In the old days when passengers were able to travel in closed cabins unseen, the gondoliers who provided personal and secret transportation from door to door were a group of professionals who had all the secrets of the city and had illegal connections. Although they remain a symbol of tourism today, they continue to offer colorful and enjoyable trips. You can learn to use gondolas by attending short courses for tourists in Venice. If you don't prefer a gondola, you can take a lovely trip along the Grand Canal with the sea buses which is called ‘’vaporetto “.

10. You can see the angel's flight

A beauty queen soaring in the air in a flashy carnival costume in San Marco Square? Yes, there is such a phenomenal thing! This show, called The Flight of the Angel ”(Il Volo dell’Angelo), is one of the most popular events of the carnival. This year's flight will take place on 16th February and Linda Pani will be ‘’The angel of the year’’.