Carnival in Venice

Colorful, loud, and filled with people - this is our favorite costume festival at every location it's celebrated. But there is a city, not too far from us, where you can experience a unique carnival celebration like no other. Let me show you the magic of Carnival in Venice!

Whether from Cologne, Düsseldorf, or a small village where you can hardly see the costumed revelers for all the cows - there are many enthusiasts of Carnival in Germany. Germany celebrates Rose Monday with high spirits, often with plenty of alcohol, loud music, and outrageous costumes. Some prefer theirs to be quite revealing, while others want comfort and warmth. It's a different story further south as Italy approaches the colorful festival in its own way. Most of you have probably heard of the Venetian Carnival, but who has actually experienced it? I will tell you if you should add this to your bucket list.

Extravagant Costumes | Forgotten Traditions | What to Expect | Practical Tips

Gondolas and canals instead of streets and cars, this is what Venice is undoubtedly known for. However, at the beginning of the year, our attention is drawn not to the water but rather to the streets of Venice, where unique costumes can be admired. If you're still wondering why you should travel to Venice in often cold January for strange disguises, you'll find your answer just by taking a look at the pictures. Here, the focus is not on the most revealing costumes, but rather the most extravagant, as Venice turns Carnival into a fashion show.

In Venice, it's not about the most revealing costume, but the most extravagant.

Some costumes genuinely suggest that you're not at an annual street festival but at a fashion show in New York. It's no longer just about simple disguises and fun for everyone - it's time to watch and marvel, as most costumes can't really keep up with all the masks and more. However, if you'd like to join rather than just take photos, you can get your very own small (or even larger) mask at every corner. Just be careful with your new accessory, as in the crowd of the already narrow alleys, your mask might not last very long. Yes, Venice is already popular with tourists, but rumors say that Carnival there has turned into a real business.

People often talk about a beautiful old tradition when it comes to Carnival in Venice. However, it's rarely mentioned that it used to be quite different from how it is today and that the tradition was forgotten for a time. But let's start from the beginning: Back then, Carnival in the Italian city was characterized by a masked ball and many performances at the opera. There were customs like egg throwing, where distinctions were made between beautiful and ugly women, with the less attractive ones being pelted with eggs by men - not exactly kind. But it wasn't as nice as today; oxen were slaughtered in St. Mark's Square, and a lot of money was invested in gambling, but at least everyone gathered for a city festival. Until suddenly, in 1797, everything was banned. Around 1970, some locals rediscovered the forgotten tradition and celebrated a kind of private costume party - in the middle of winter. Back then, as today, the images spread like wildfire, creating a true hype: the Carnival in Venice was born!

Today, it is unfortunately less a celebration for the residents of the city, and more a tourist magnet, thus making it a goldmine for travel companies. Sadly but true: since the festival's reinvention, the old town has lost more than a quarter of its residents as rental prices continue to rise and vacation rentals become dominant. I don't want to make you feel guilty, so you're still welcome to visit the Carnival of Superlatives! Instead of taking part, the residents often voluntarily retreat to escape the chaos.

There's a lot going on in the beautiful city, ever since it moved its peak season to winter. Thousands of visitors stroll through the alleys every day...or rather: they push through. Depending on the day of the week and the time, it can get crowded, but this is the same with other carnival parades. So no panic, just let yourselves be carried along through the streets, giving you enough time to admire all the costumes. Sundays are usually the busiest, when even one-way traffic is ordered by the police - and that in a city without cars. Daily, starting at 11 a.m., you can encounter masks and their models, with the stunning backdrop of the old city setting the perfect scene for the costumes.

Ten days before Ash Wednesday, the colorful festive season starts with a tradition called 'Volo dell'Angelo', or in simpler terms, you can call it the Angel's Flight. An aerialist glides down on steel cable from the 99-meter-high Campanile to St. Mark's Square. The following days are filled with numerous parades, stage shows, and musical performances - some more extravagant than others. Last year, even the German revelers contributed significantly. With 150 men and women from Bonn's city soldiers, we were the largest foreign group in the history of the Venetian Carnival - really cool! The highlight is also the costume parade, where the prize for the best costume is awarded each year, along with the selection of the Carnival Queen.

If you're tired of princesses, cowboys, and Superman and would rather see elegant costumes or even don the graceful garments yourselves, then you should definitely head to Venice! To ensure you don't get lost in all the hustle and bustle, I have some insider tips for you:

This year, the spectacle runs from January 27 to February 13, 2018, with the Angel's Flight taking place on February 4, as Ash Wednesday falls on February 14. So if you want to kick off your year excitingly and colorfully, I clearly recommend a visit to Venice during Carnival despite all the fuss, as these are images you will never forget - both in your mind and on camera.

Ready to head to Venice as soon as possible?

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