Piazza San Marco, Rialto Bridge, Salone Capitolare, Pasticceria Dal Mas, and any pub in Venice. These are just a few popular hotspots in Venice. At any other time of the year, they're great places to visit as you explore this amazing city. But every February, specifically during the Carnival of Venice, these are the best spots to enjoy the fabulous events. It's here where all the magic happens, from the frivolous pageantries to the romantic dances. If you truly want to experience the Carnival of Venice in all its colorful and mysterious glory, you need to check out each and every one of these spots!
Piazza San Marco
What's usually filled with pigeons and tourists throwing bread at them at every other time of the year becomes the epicenter of the most extravagant carnival on the planet! Piazza San Marco is where most of the action happens during the Carnival of Venice. You can spend an entire
day in Venice during the carnival and a good portion of your time will be on this public square. From “The Flight of The Angel” and the costume parade to the
Festa delle Marie, all of the carnival's beloved traditions transpire here. Get your cameras ready because you'll be taking a lot of photos!
Rialto Bridge
The parade of costumes during the Carnival of Venice doesn't just happen on Piazza San Marco. The more amazing sight is seeing all Renaissance gowns and ruffled collars float on
gondolas. And where's the best seat in the house to watch the parade? On Rialto Bridge, of course! All of the parading gondolas carrying well-dressed passenger pass underneath the bridge. It's such a magical sight to see that you almost wouldn't believe it if you weren't there in person. Also, since you're already there, why not take a selfie by the bridge too? It is a famous monument, after all!
Salone Capitolare
When you hear Vivaldi, you almost always think of Venice. The historic composer lived in the city, after all! He spent most of his life in the Castello
district of Venice, thinking up all sorts of magical scores that eventually influenced the art of music forever. Even during the Venice Carnival, you can't help but hear his stunning works—even if it's only in your head!—as you see the parade of extravagant costume pass by. But if you truly want to listen to Vivaldi, go to Salone Capitolare, the city's premier Opera House. There are always many performances of Vivaldi during the Carnival.
Source: Wikimedia Commons/ Sailko
Pasticceria Dal Mas
Eating some
traditional Venetian treats is a big part of the Venice Carnival. From way back in the 16th century up until today, the city bakes and serves
Fritelle and
Galani for all the world to enjoy. The
fritelle is a ball-shaped fried dough sprinkled with icing sugar and sometimes filled with custard. The
galani, on the other hand, is a flat puff pastry that's fried and also sprinkled with icing sugar. Though you can get them from practically any place that sells pastries, the ones from Pasticceria Dal Mas on Rio Terà Lista di Spagna are something else!
Source: Pasticceria Dal Mas Facebook Page
Venice Pubs
Considering what attendees wear during the Carnival of Venice, a pub crawl would've been the last thing on their minds. And yet this is exactly what many people, both locals and tourists alike, do during the event. Even though they're dressed in big ball gowns and plenty of ruffles, they still visit many of the pubs in the city. A few popular hotspots include Irish Pub Santa Lucia, the Devil's Forest Pub, and Marciano Pub Venezia, among many others. They have unlimited alcohol and serve Venetian tapas that are almost always all gone before the night ends.
If you want to truly experience the best of the Carnival of Venice, you need to visit these five best spots during the annual event. From stunning traditions to fabulous grand balls, they offer the best time during this crazy and exciting carnival!
