Venice Carnival

Without a doubt, the most popular festival in Venice is Carnival, which ends with the Christian celebration of Lent, forty days before Easter, on the day of Carnival, one day before Ash Wednesday. It was officially declared the supreme holiday during the 13th century. However, it was in the 18th century when the Venetian carnival reached its maximum splendor. Travelers and aristocrats from all over Europe flocked to it in search of fun and pleasure. With the decline of Venice as a merchant and military power, the carnival paled until it almost disappeared. Something recovered at the end of the 20th century, with the massive arrival of tourists to the city, although the great times of unbridled fun were behind us.

For centuries, the carnival was the escape route for citizens to escape the great control of the Venetian government. With the occupation of Venice by Napoleon's army, the carnival was prohibited for fear of conspiracies, taking advantage of the incognito. It did not recover until 1979. During the ten days that it lasts, people dress up and go out to walk and take photos, either in organized or improvised parades. For the most part, the costumes are elaborate colorful costumes from the Venetian seventeenth century, imitating the models of old paintings and covering the face with highly decorated masks, which have become one of the symbols of the city. During the carnival many events and parties are also organized