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Carnevale Venezia 2016 comes to its grand finale on Sunday, February 10. The world-renowned festival itself is said to come from the Italian words “carne” (meat) and “levare” (to remove or withdraw). In former times, Venetians went all out partying and feasting just before the somber fasting of meat during the long period of Lent.
I’ll never forget my first trip to Italy and the romantic route to Venice from the north. Each day, we stopped at a small village for the night, watch the sun set, and drink good Italian wine. To save on costs, we simply parked our camper van in the paid parking across the harbor before heading on the boat that would take us to the magical city. Once there, we strolled the many bridges and got lost in tiny, dim alleyways. I took lots of pictures, of course.
In the old days, masks disguised the city’s citizens, hiding the identity, social status, and even sex of the wearer. Traditionally, they were crafted from paper mâché or leather. Original masks and costumes can be pricey; make-up artists around the city offer face-painting for less.
If you’re feeling lucky, fill out this form for free entry to the Best Masked Costume Contest. Final awarding happens on Sunday, February 7.
Or if you’re travelling with a group of friends, a fun idea is to join the Pub Crawl organized by Venice Events. Come in costume and be led through some of the city’s best bars.
On the EuroCheapo Travel Blog, find out more ways to enjoy the Venice Carnival and have a grand time.
Below is the official video from the Carnival of Venice 2016 Tourism Department.
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