Fabulous! Carnival in Venice

In about 1985, I saw a photo of Venice during Carnival (Carnevale), which included the masked and costumed revelers, it has been on my "Top 10" visit list ever since.

What is not to like about this event:

• The beautiful city of Venice


• A really big 10 day party through the streets


• Fantastic costumes


• Italian food

Carnival (Carnevale) is the annual event in Venice for the ten days leading up to Lent, the last night is Shrove Tuesday on which there are several big balls. Of course this is not just a Venetian tradition; think Mardi Gras in Rio or Trinidad during the same time of year, but my interest in fancy masked balls and beautiful costumes is much greater than watching dancers in dental floss bikinis. The origin of the word carnevale is Latin (carnem levare or carnelevarium) and suggests a "farewell to meat", which was traditionally given up in the weeks of self-denial, during the period of Lent.

The history of the masks and the masquerade dates back to Roman times, there are records of the festival as far back as 1162. The Romans celebrated the early part of the year with a fertility festival where masks were used by all levels of society including slaves. The Carnevale di Venezia enjoyed a long period of infamy and notoriety through the 1600s, up until the time of Napoleon's conquer in 1797. At the peak of this event, the party started on December 26th and ended sometime in the spring. This period of gambling and partying coincided with the loss of prominence and wealth in the region, as the power centers of Holland and Britain expanded their trading reaches. The celebration continued to decline and was actually banned in 1930 by Mussolini. A group of Venetians, and Venice lovers restarted the tradition in 1979.

Today the Carnevale is limited to the ten-day period before Lent and it is an enormous tourist draw. The city is really crowded, hotels are expensive, restaurants full and the streets are at times simply bottlenecked. There are websites and tour groups fully dedicated to the event. The range of party events caters to the rich and sophisticated (balls and music), to the families with kids (chocolate and puppets) and to the college crowd (pub crawls).

You can choose to participate in the carnival celebrations in several ways depending on your tastes, energy level and budget. You can simply walk around the streets or sit in a cafe and watch the incredible costumed characters that are wondering the streets. Spend some time in Piazzo San Marco, there are all sorts of special performances throughout the day and night. Choose to get your face painted and have some fun. Or you can buy tickets to any number events, that range from very affordable to very expensive.

We booked two nights in a great hotel right near Piazza San Marco. Arrival in Venice was actually easier than anticipated; there is lots of signage, big car parks and a central arrival point for the aqua-transit system. The vaporetti (water buses) are very efficient, there are multiple routes and destinations available, at a very minimum every visitor will end up on the #1 or #2 at some point, running in the Grande Canal and Canale delle Giudecca (respectively). Buy a multi-day unlimited ticket; you will end up using the system.

Venice at any time of the year is beautiful; there are endless museums, galleries and historical buildings to engage all types of interests. Two things that I would highly recommend;

1. A visit to the island of Murano where the glass factories are located. You can take the "scenic" boat tour that we did in error and really see all the islands or go direct. In either case, Murano is filled with glass and restaurants and is a nice break from the crowds in Venice.


2. The Secret Itineraries Tour of the Doge's Palace. This tour as something beyond the normal tour and it is really fun!

Carolyne Kauser-Abbott
http://www.gingerandnutmeg.com
A fun food and travel blog about real experiences. We hope to engage others in a real story and share some tried a true recipes.

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Why Do We Celebrate Carnival?

A short name given to a period in which celebration takes place, or in other words the term 'Carnival' refers to a festive season that starts just before the fasting days of Lent. The season starts from January 6 (the 12th day of Christmas) and ends on Mardi Gras day in February. Carnival normally combines different festivity or parade events with street parties, circus and mask. People usually wear colorful and exotic clothing or masquerade during the course of celebrations, representing a frantic aspect of life.

To Enhance Economy

The carnival season do have some economic motives which one cannot deny. It is quite an understandable thing that cities where these festivals are held get an economic prosperity. Naturally, tourists are attracted towards these festivals and eventually result in generating revenue. These festivals also help tourists to know about other impressive location in the country.

These festivals are usually very important for those whose earnings are largely depend on the healthy traffic of tourists. For instance, he who comes to attend the festival will stay in the hotel, and spend on edibles and tokens and so on. These all will not only benefit the state alone but also the local population of that city also. So, the carnival celebrated is not for only having a fun but also a source of people earnings.

Merrymaking

The carnival season helps people to come out of their problems, worries and tensions for a short period of time. Mostly the people who take part in the carnival celebrations belong to poor backgrounds and this festive season is a great way for them to forget about their worries and tensions and enjoy the moments of life with all its glory.

The carnival festival is something beyond the mannerism, sex, formality and racial differences. Everyone is treated as a human being here, getting all the respect. It will not wrong to say that the carnival season present a true picture of unity with mankind.

Cultural Promotion

The carnival festival is also a way to promote the culture of the local population. The exotic dresses, parades, dances and floats all represent the cultural antiquity of the locals. The tourists come to know about the different aspect of their cultures and traditions through these sorts of festivals. Well, such festivals in fact, present the real image of the present and the past.

Religious Orientation

Mardi Gras is also known as 'Fat Tuesday' in the history - a symbol used for its religious background. Churches, during the middle Ages, declared that it will be the final day right before the start of the Lent. Perhaps, it is pretty much connected to the Lenten event rather than carnival itself.

In the end, we can conclude by saying that the majority of the people who celebrate this season don't even aware of the fact that why it is celebrated. They usually justify this as the good time they have is far more enough than going into the past to find the history.

You might be interested in learning about Why Is Carnival Celebrated and also Celebrate April Fools Day.

Venetian Carnival Masks - A Popular Style Through The Ages

Venetian carnival masks were made in Venice as a tradition that dated long ago, centuries past, as early as the 1200's. The masks are still living on today as artisan create beautiful Venetian mask version of their own using their creativity and imagination. These masks are handmade that could comprise of different materials like precious fabrics and feathers. Masks are sold in stores and people d not usually know its historic value like that of masks that are used in the classical Venetian classic theaters.

In Italy, a city is suspended between the skies and the seas - its breath taking view of love and passion. Venice. To see more of its beauty, go and patron the Carnival and dress up with masks and feel the excitement that of the 17 hundreds

Goldoni was a performing artist who has has influenced the typical masks with his comedy. His wit and irony highlighted the Venetian nobles, merchants and servants of their strengths and weaknesses.

The most famous mask that Goldoni has ever created is the Harlequin, a deceitful servant who had affairs with the Pantaloon family. The old man Pantaloon was a very rich man that had plenty of young girls to beset.

The Carnival of Venice drew attention to the entire world as early as the 1700's when noble European men would patron the event to spend their most wanted vacation of luxury, fantasy and lustful desires. Venetians introduced the wearing of masks to these foreigners during their stay at the Carnival.

Why is the Carnival of Venice still very famous world wide? This maybe because the past stayed entrapped in the walls of each building and landscape of Venice and perhaps the ladies or knights make it seem like you live in the past as if it were magic and ancient.

When you're at Venice especially during the Carnival, you will feel as if you are not from the present rather a part of the history of that magical city. And if you are lucky enough to bring along your good fortune, you might as well attend private parties at old buildings or palaces like balls or courtships.

If you would like more information on this topic, please see: Venetian Carnival Masks.

Mardi Gras Fancy Dress Costumes - 3 Great Carnival Fancy Dress Outfit Suggestions

Mardi Gras fancy dress costumes form a very important part of the carnival celebrations that take place at this time of year. The whole point of Mardi Gras is to have one last load of fun, before Lent begins, and a carnival fancy dress outfit is nothing if not fun.

The phrase "Mardi Gras" is French for "Fat Tuesday" and basically it refers to the age old tradition of eating richer and fattier foods before fasting for Lent, which lasts forty days and begins the day after, on Ash Wednesday.

In the UK, the phrase "Shrove Tuesday" is actually used for this feast day and in recent years it has even become popularly known as "Pancake Day", due to the fact that it is usually pancakes that are the fatty food of choice. Nonetheless, the carnival aspect of the feast day is still followed in many parts of the country.

Mardi Gras fancy dress costumes come in all shapes and sizes, but they all have a few things in common. They are loud, they are colourful and most important of all, they are great fun. Below are three great carnival fancy dress outfit suggestions that you may want to consider when choosing a costume for this year's parade.

Suggestion One: The masquerade Princess

My first outfit suggestion is a one-piece masquerade ball dress, which comes with a silver mask and a black brooch. Masked ball outfits are always a popular choice at this time of year and this is an excellent example of one. The carnival outfit is made from glossy and matte black fabrics and reflective silver cloth, which gives the dress a really unusual, original look.

Suggestion Two: The Twisted Jester

If you are thinking of wearing a scarier looking Mardi Gras fancy dress costume to the carnival, then the Twisted Jester outfit is just perfect. Based around a red and black long sleeved Jester top and trousers, it is the incredible headpiece and attached mask, which makes this such a great choice for carnival fancy dress.

Suggestion Three: The Cha Cha Cha Carnival Costume

My final outfit suggestion is also my personal favourite. The Cha Cha Cha Carnival Costume is everything that good Mardi Gras fancy dress costumes should be. It is loud, bright, extremely colourful and lots of fun. The use of fine fabrics and trim helps create a beautifully detailed outfit, which also includes puff sleeve-lets, a sash and an awesome looking turban-style hat, with glittering fruit.

So where can you find these Mardi Gras costumes?

The Mardi Gras Fancy Dress section of the FancyDressUK website includes reviews of all of these carnival outfit suggestions and more.

A Word Or Two About The Author

Dan Fresh is a lifelong fancy dress aficionado who regularly writes for the popular http://fancydressuk.org website.

Rio De Janeiro Carnival

The Carnival is Rio de Janeiro's main event, held at the peak of the Brazilian summer. A million tourists join millions of Rio de Janeiro citizens in revelry over a 4-day celebration. It begins on a Saturday and ends on Fat Tuesday, the day before the beginning of the Christian period of Lent, Ash Wednesday.

The highlight of the carnival is the Sambodromo, or Samba Parade. The parade is broadcast in many countries and all Brazilian states. Many people call it "the greatest show on earth". The Sambodromo is a 700-meter long strip flanked by spectator stands and luxury boxes. The main attraction is the sounds and sights of the parading samba schools that continue till daybreak. Only the 14 best samba schools are selected to parade through the Sambodromo. It can take over an hour for a single samba school to pass a given point along the parade route. Each samba school has an elaborately decorated float, often accompanied by sensuous females vibrating to the hypnotic music. The floats are accompanied by marching samba bands of up to 300 musicians surrounded by female dancers.

Those who don't make it to the Sambodromo, attend various street carnivals that are held all over the city. Banda de Ipanemais is one of the most traditional street carnivals. It was founded in 1964 and is now listed as part of the city's cultural heritage, attracting as many as fifteen thousand people.

Rio also offers a choice of Carnival balls. The masquerade balls are celebrity-attended affairs where merrymakers wear designer costumes and party into the wee hours. The most famous ball is held at the Copacabana Palace Hotel. A typical Carnival Ball features live music. Bands take turns playing on stage, often accompanied by a guest vocalist.

Many similarities are observed between Brazilian carnival traditions and African dance, music and costume history. Africans used feathers on masks as a symbol of their ability as humans to rise above problems and grow spiritually. Feathers are often used in today's Brazil Carnival dance costumes.

Most tourists plan their Brazillian vacation around the Carnival dates, as it is considered a very delightful and unforgettable experience.

Rio De Janeiro provides detailed information on Rio De Janeiro, Beaches In Rio De Janeiro, Rio De Janeiro Hotels, Rio De Janeiro Carnival and more. Rio De Janeiro is affiliated with Caracas Venezuela [http://www.z-Venezuela.com].