Venice has celebrated Carnival since the 13th century.
Photo by Graham Guenther/Unsplash
Every year, up to 3 million people descend on Venice to partake in the festivities surrounding Carnival (Carnevale in Italian). And though Carnival, also known as Mardi Gras, is celebrated around the world, it has a unique flavor in the northern Italian city, transporting participants back in time to the 1700s.
“Carnival in Venice has this slightly wicked, irresistible energy. You feel that it was born for mischief—fog, masks, and narrow alleys have always made it easy for people to slip out of their roles for a night,” says Sara Maestrelli, who runs the Violino d’Oro, a hotel that is a stone’s throw from Piazza San Marco.
“There’s something beautifully democratic about it: aristocrats, merchants, everyone blended together behind a mask. Today the vibe is still that mix of elegance and light chaos, people letting go a little, the city glowing in the mist, a sense that for a few days anything can happen.”
Whether you’re planning a trip to Venice in 2026 to experience this magical celebration or just daydreaming about it, here’s everything you need to know about Venice Carnival.
Carnival draws more than 3 million travelers to Venice each year.
Photo by Gentian Polovina/Shutterstock
The origins of Venice Carnival
The exact origins of Venice Carnival are unknown, but what’s certain is that the tradition has existed for at least a millennium. The first recorded mention of Carnival dates back to 1092, but it wasn’t until 1296 that the senate of the Venetian Republic declared it a public festival. Although Carnival is widely accepted to be a Christian holiday preceding Lent, some scholars believe that its roots can be traced all the way back to the pagan traditions of ancient Rome.
“The Venice Carnival was initially a way for the plebeians to let off steam,” says Fulvio De Bonis, cofounder of luxury tour operator Imago Artis Travel, who has attended Venice Carnival and organizes exclusive experiences at the festival for his clients. “It was the festival that let the commoners elevate themselves and allowed the patricians to descend to the level of the plebeians, so it was a leveling of the social classes.”
When Napoleon conquered Venice in 1797, he abolished Carnival in order to prevent rebellions. It took nearly 200 years to bring it back.
When is Carnival in 2026?
Venice Carnival starts on January 31, 2026, and culminates on Fat Tuesday, which falls on February 17, 2026. The festival will pay homage to the Olympics, set to start on February 6 with the opening ceremony in Milan and events scattered across the Dolomites. With a bit of planning, you could experience both events in the same trip.
Violino d’Oro has views of the canal from many parts of the hotel; Carnival balls can cost hundreds of dollars to attend.
Courtesy of Violino d’Oro (L); photo by Stacy Ropati/Unsplash (R)
What happens during Venice Carnival?
The celebrations include several big parades and events, starting with the Festa sull’Acqua (Party on the Water), during which a parade of elaborately decorated boats will sail down the Grand Canal after dark. The next major parade will be the Festa delle Marie, which sees 12 beautiful women in period clothes parade from the Basilica di San Pietro to Piazza San Marco. This tradition dates back to the 9th century, when Venice’s wealthiest families offered beautiful clothes, jewels, and a bridal dowry to 12 beautiful but poor Venetian young women. Of the 12 Maries, one is selected as the winner who flies down the bell tower of the Basilica di San Marco for an event called Volo dell’Angelo (Flight of the Angel).
Balls and events to attend during Carnival
Aside from the big public events, there are dozens of concerts, feasts, costume contests, and opulent masquerade balls in the city’s most lavish palazzos. “The most important is the Ballo del Doge hosted by Antonia Sautter,” De Bonis says, comparing the vibe to Eyes Wide Shut without the naked women. “Everyone wants to get into this ball. It’s the event of the year. It’s very difficult to get tickets.”
The best way to find out about and get into the most exclusive balls is through a tour operator like Imago Artis or your hotel’s concierge. Violino d’Oro’s concierge team is not only able to score tickets to the Ballo del Doge but can also arrange a private costume fitting at Sautter’s atelier. Other experiences offered to guests include a guided tour of Venice’s historic pastry shops to taste traditional Carnival fritole (fried dough fritters often studded with raisins and pine nuts) and an afternoon tea in full costume at Caffè Florian, the elegant 18th-century café on Piazza San Marco. The hotel can also organize kid-friendly mask-making workshops.
Aside from having the right connections, you’ll need deep pockets to get into the most exclusive balls, which can cost upwards of $800 to attend—excluding the cost of a costume rental, which can also cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars.
A Bauta mask leaves the mouth exposed so the wearer can eat and drink.
Photo by Elif Dilara Bora/Unsplash
What to wear to Carnival
You’ll certainly see people wearing normal clothes at the public parades, but part of the fun of Carnival is dressing up in 18th-century costumes and beautiful masks. People really love to go all out, donning spectacular ballgowns or suits adorned with feathers, beads, and other trims, made of sumptuous fabrics like velvet or satin.
For guests who want to partake in the revelry, Violino d’Oro has a “ball butler” on hand to assist with costume fittings, ribbons, clasps, and last-minute adjustments.
Masks are sold in hundreds of shops all over the city, but for the best-quality masks handmade by true Venetian artisans, De Bonis recommends Sogno Veneziano Atelier and La Bottega dei Mascareri. Both make elaborate masks inspired by the Commedia dell’Arte. A couple of the most common archetypes are Bauta, which covers most of the face but leaves the mouth exposed so the wearer can eat and drink without removing it, and la Moretta, an oval mask covered in black velvet that was reserved for women, who would have to secure it by clenching a button between their teeth, preventing them from talking.
Is Venice Carnival worth it?
“It’s true that it’s chaotic. You can’t move through the streets, you’re squeezed amid all the people, but the beautiful thing is going to a ball,” De Bonis says, though he believes that yes, it’s worth doing once in your life.
But be sure to plan ahead. Winter is normally considered the low season in much of Italy, including Venice (although travel experts consider it the best time to visit the city), but during Carnival, hotels and restaurants book up as revelers descend on the floating city for the festivities.
This article was originally published in 2022 and most recently updated on December 22, 2025, with current information.
