Highlights of the Carnival of Venice
The masquerade ball, also known simply as a masquerade, has been portrayed in many literary and visual works as something mysterious and, at times, erotic. Originally part of medieval court culture in Europe, it is said to have originated in Venice. It may still be held discreetly somewhere in the world, but it was the Carnival of Venice that elevated it into a regular event open to everyone as both participants and spectators. It is a kind of costume celebration, yet entirely free of Halloween’s playful frivolity; instead, all the participants wear an air of mystery reminiscent of nō theatre. Combined with Venice’s beautiful cityscape, it allows you to immerse yourself completely in the world of the Middle Ages and masquerade balls.
A city brought to life by masks and costumes
Alongside the carnivals of Rio and Trinidad and Tobagothe three greatest carnivals in the worldit is considered one of them. Rio and Trinidad and Tobago are in South and Central America, respectively, while Venice is the only European representative. Rio features samba and Trinidad and Tobago soca; although the styles differ, both share flamboyant costumes and dancing. Venice, by contrast, grew out of masquerade balls. Rather than dancing, participants keep their movements to a minimum and concentrate on posing. It is a festival with an entirely different character from those of Rio and Trinidad and Tobago.
The Venice Carnival is a kind of costume contest, so participants compete to see how many eyes they can attract and how many camera lenses are pointed at them. Of course, they never ask for tips after the photography is over, as street performers do. For photography lovers, it is truly a festival like heaven.
What exactly is “carnival”?
Carnival is also known as the feast before Lent. The term does not mean thanking meat or apologizing to it, but abstaining from meat—in other words, fasting. In Catholicism, the 40-day fasting period is set from Ash Wednesday until Christ's resurrection. This is called Lent. The purpose of Carnival is to spend the days or weeks before Lent eating, drinking, and celebrating to one's heart's content.
Although it is an event connected with Christianity, it is not officially recognized. It was created by the people, and celebration itself is the aim, so there is nothing solemn or stiff about it. There is no need to think about anything complicated; simply enjoy it.
It is also said to have originated in ancient agricultural festivals held by Germanic peoples to celebrate the arrival of spring. The blending of indigenous beliefs with a newly introduced religion is also commonly seen in Japan.
St. Mark’s Square and the Entire City
There is no doubt that it takes place in Venice, but the exact location within Venice is not fixed. A contest is held in St. Mark’s Square, but St. Mark’s Square is not the only venue.
It seems that each participant has afavorite place, perhaps on a particular bridge or in front of a certain church. You can think of all of Venice as the venue.
Many participants also seem to be on their way to their favorite place. Some may dislike being photographed somewhere other than their preferred spot, while others are simply in a hurry. As a result, a very small number may ignore the camera or even make a shooing gesture; please be aware of this.
Clothing and dress code
Unless you are attending in costume, there is no particular dress code. Everyday clothing is fine. Since it is a cold season, many people wear down jackets.
However, if you are attending a special event such as a dinner show or a ball, an appropriate dress code may be required.
Walking through the Carnival City
From here, we’ll show you what the carnival is like through photos.
From the Accademia Bridge. This is a famous photography spot. The dome of the Basilica of Santa Maria della Salute can be seen in the background.
We are the feline musketeers! Meow!
Going for a monochrome look is also cool and stylish.
The feathered headpieces evoke the carnivals of Rio and Trinidad and Tobago.
These are the gods who rule the 12 zodiac signs. Moving clockwise from the left god’s right shoulder are Pisces, Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, and Leo; then moving to the god on the right come Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, and finally Aquarius.
It suddenly has a pop-art feel. The design looks like something that could appear in a manga such as One Piece.
The fact that they form a male-female duo also gives them distinctive character.
If Johnny Depp played him, he would look like a character straight out of a film.
It may look rather girlish, but there could just as well be a wrinkled old woman inside.
Could anyone really strike such a narcissistic pose without wearing a mask?
Angels and demons were arguing about something.
It is genuinely frightening when a demon points an arrow at you.
The person on the right is wearing a plague mask. When the plague (the Black Death) spread across Europe, the profession of plague doctor, who wore this kind of mask, emerged.
They appear together as a happily married couple.
Likewise.
It looks as if golden rain is falling.
Caffè Florian, located on St. Mark's Square, Caffè Florian is said to be the oldest café in Venice.
It is like peeking into a scene from a film.
It looks like some kind of argument is taking place.
To the shop, they may be nothing more than complaining customers, but because of their costumes, the scene is captured like a dramatic moment from Western painting. It is as if we were watching the disciples press in on Jesus as Judas's betrayal is being revealed in The Last Supper.
I ended up grabbing his arm.
A dazzling sales smile that could go straight onto a poster.
Although they shared the same universe,surprisingly, not a single costume was the same. You cannot help but deeply admire their creativity.
What we happened to see this time was only a small sample—the variety of costumes is as infinite as the imagination. It is a richly layered carnival that can be enjoyed every time you visit.
Basic information about the Venice Carnival
The information below was checked against official sources on October 11, 2026. Please also check the latest information on the official website when planning your trip.
- 🔗 Official website
- You can check the carnival dates and news about the events here.
Carnevale di Venezia 2027 - Official siteIl Carnevale di Venezia torna dal 23 gennaio al 9 febbraio 2027, scopri tutte le novità e il programma ufficiale!carnevale.venezia.it - 📍 Main venues
- Venice’s historic center around St. Mark’s Square, Mestre, the lagoon islands, and other locations
- 🕒 Event period
- The 2027 carnival runs from January 23 to February 9. No common opening hours are provided for all events.
- 🚫 Non-event days
- Even during the event period, the dates vary by program. They may change because of bad weather or operational reasons.
- 💶 Admission
- There is no general admission ticket simply to enjoy the costumes and atmosphere in the streets. Some performances, such as dinner shows and water shows, require payment. The dinner show’s prices and conditions are introduced in the following ticket section.
- ⏱️ Time required
- If you want to enjoy the costumes and city atmosphere around St. Mark’s Square, half a day is a useful guideline. If you combine several venues with paid evening performances, allow 1 day or more.⚠️ The time required varies depending on crowds, tide levels, walking between venues, and the events you attend.
When the Venice Carnival Takes Place
The official event period in 2027 is January 23 to February 9. The final day, February 9, falls on Fat Tuesday, before Lent. The photos and boat-ride experience in this article are records from a past event and do not show the program or venues for 2027.
Events throughout the city do not have the same content every day during the festival period. Once the official program is announced, check the days and times when costumed participants are most likely to gather, along with the schedules for parades, stage performances, and water events.
The event dates and latest program are available on the official website.
Tickets for the Venice Carnival
The official dinner show at Ca’ Vendramin Calergi is scheduled for January 30 and 31, 2027, and February 4–9 from 21:00. Tickets start at 650 euros.
Wearing period costume (costume d’epoca) is mandatory; evening gowns and tuxedos are not permitted. Visitors under 18 may not enter. Tickets are for the purchaser only and cannot be transferred, refunded, or changed.
The official dinner show information page lists the event dates, prices, terms of use, and a link to purchase tickets.
Getting to the Venice Carnival
On foot and by water bus
From Venezia Santa Lucia railway station or Piazzale Roma, you can walk toward San Marco by following the yellow signs. You can also use ACTV vaporetti to get around the city. Choose your route according to the venue of the event you are attending.
The official access guide explains how to find the way on foot and how to use water transport.
The related guide “【ヴェネツィア】観光スポット・グルメ・交通・モデルコースを解説” is currently available only in Japanese.
