Carnevale di Venezia
Quick Facts
- Typical timing: About ten days, ending on Shrove Tuesday (Martedì Grasso) -- typically in February, with exact dates set by the date of Easter
- Typical duration: About 10 days
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Admission: Varies
Street events and parades are free; masked balls in historic palazzos are separately ticketed, often at a high price.
Price last verified August 2026.
Overview
Carnevale di Venezia traces its roots to the 12th century and was formally revived as a citywide festival in 1979 after a long dormancy under Napoleonic and Austrian rule. It now runs for about ten days, ending on Shrove Tuesday (Martedì Grasso), the day before Ash Wednesday.
The defining feature is the handmade Venetian mask, historically worn to let people of different social classes mingle anonymously during the pre-Lenten period. Public events include costume parades in St. Mark's Square, a mask contest judged from balconies overlooking the square, and the "Flight of the Angel" (Volo dell'Angelo), in which a costumed performer descends by wire from the bell tower to open the festival. Most street events are free to attend, while masked balls in historic palazzos are separately, and often expensively, ticketed.