Tourists flock to Venice, Italy, all year. But the event the city is best known for is Carnevale. Much of the action is centered around St. Mark’s Square, under the watchful eye of its bell tower. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
Tourists flock to Venice, Italy, all year. But the event the city is best known for is Carnevale. Much of the action is centered around St. Mark’s Square, under the watchful eye of its bell tower. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
Some of those dressed up in Venice's annual Carnevale celebration obviously have experience posing for pictures. The posers are generally surrounded by photographers after staking out strategic locations near St. Mark's Square. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
I see you! Some of those in costumes at Venice's Carnevale celebration are not only dressed from head to toe -- they carry scepters, medieval weapons and mirrors to enhance and touch up their look. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
Carnevale in Venice can be romantic as well, as demonstrated by this couple. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
Looking for a place with peace and quiet and a chance to explore all by yourself? Then Venice during Carnevale is NOT for you. Thousands and thousands and thousands of people converge on the Italian city during carnival -- especially on sunny days. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
Venice experiences flooding almost every winter, but this reveler's services weren't needed during Carnevale in 2010. 'Noah' and his animal companions did manage to attract plenty of attention from photographers, though. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
Fortunately, you don't have to get past this pair of martial-looking revelers to get onto a gondola during Carnevale in Venice, Italy. You do have to have at least 80 euros for a ride. The pictures are free, though. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
Sometimes those wearing costumes at Venice's Carnevale celebration dress up in pairs, such as this couple holding court near the Grand Canal. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
Most of those wearing costumes in Venice during Carnevale provide entertainment for all ages, although there are a few that might scare the younger set or prompt a slew of questions. Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
The eyes have it. Those who really get into Carnevale in Venice are covered from head to toe by their costumes. So the only way to identify them is to gaze into their eyes. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
Got a group of friends willing to put on silly costumes and walk around a famous European city all day? Then Carnevale in Venice, Italy, is the place to be. This group dressed up as crayons, with each assuming a different color. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
Not everyone who wears a costume in Venice’s Carnevale comes dressed up as a decked-out courtesan. Others appear as popular television or movie characters, such as the Smurfs. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
Venice touts itself as a feast for the senses during Carnevale, but much of the festivities center around colorful (and sometimes garish) sights. There are occasional bursts of sounds, though, including parades led by groups of costumed revelers blowing trumpets and thumping on drums. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
(Peter Jaeger/Stars and Stripes)
Don’t fret over a costume. If you want to stand out during Venice’s Carnevale, do so by leaving your camera at home.
Just about everyone else will have one, because when it comes to Italy’s most popular winter event, everyone’s a paparazzo.
And no wonder. It’s hard to point a camera in any direction without capturing a rainbow of colors, a glimpse of refined pageantry or a dose of glorified goofiness.
That is, of course, if you manage to find enough room (and time) to focus on a subject and not have 3,000 other folks get in the way.
Carnevale, whose origins can be traced to the 11th or 12th century, is Feb. 26 to March 8 this year. Through the years, it has evolved into an event that is all about seeing or being seen. For the past several years, the city has touted the event as a feast for the senses. In fact, it has divided itself into sectors where revelers can experience taste, smell, touch, sight and sound. And the area around St. Mark’s Square — Piazza San Marco in Italian — has mysteriously been designated as mente or mind.
But regardless of which section you are in, sight rarely takes a backseat to any other sense, especially when you’re talking about the lavish costumes that so many like to wear while strolling the streets and seeking a good place to pose.
Carnevale doesn’t have to be lavish, though. In fact, it can be fairly inexpensive.
A one-way train ticket from Vicenza or Pordenone costs about 5 euros in 2010. Many revelers choose to buy masks at one of the hundreds of stands or shops selling them near the Venice train station or on its streets. They start at about 7 euros. Have a friend tie one on you and you’re in costume.
Many of the sights are free. Brave the crowds and meander (sometimes at a snail’s pace) to St. Mark’s. You’ll likely see plenty of decked-out revelers along the way. Hang around the square for a while and you’ll invariably catch a parade or a variety of scheduled activities.
If you’re not interested in following a schedule, head to the edge of the square that borders the Grand Canal. That’s usually where some of the more elaborately dressed hold court. The most experienced strike poses and perform for the thousands of cameras clicking away. It’s hard to imagine another place where so many people seem to want their pictures taken in such numbers.
Of course, in most cases it’s nearly impossible to tell just who you’re taking a picture of. Maybe that elaborately dressed couple completely covered in fabric and makeup is really Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, who spent a lot of time in Venice last February and March.
Carnevale does have events geared for the Pitt-and-Jolie crowd: There are exclusive balls, which require cachet as well as cash, and musical performances, which are somewhat easier to get into, almost every night. Some are free and others require tickets and reservations.
Many of the city’s normal attractions, such as museums, churches and the bell tower in St. Mark’s, are also open, although most don’t seem to keep normal hours. And there’s usually no shortage of gondolas, although at this time of year the city’s canals are far less crowded than the streets and plazas.
Just don’t try to stand up to get that special picture: You could ruin your costume. And your camera.
