Masks in the streets and squares
The Carnival of Venice is one of the oldest and most famous in the world. Its origins go back to the Middle Ages, and in the eighteenth century it lasted for months, from December to Lent: during that time Venetians and foreigners of every class wore masks and costumes that hid their identity, allowing nobles and commoners to mix freely and enjoy gambling, theatre, flirting and every kind of excess. Napoleon and then the Austrians banned it; it was revived only in 1979.
Today the Carnival lasts about two weeks before Ash Wednesday, usually in February. Its most famous moments include the Volo dell'Angelo, the "Flight of the Angel", in which a young woman descends from the bell tower of San Marco to the square suspended on a cable; the Festa delle Marie, a parade of young Venetian women recalling a medieval tradition; the contest for the most beautiful mask; and the masked balls in historic palaces. Throughout the city, people in elaborate costumes of the eighteenth century, with white masks, tricorn hats and capes, pose for photographs. The traditional masks include the bauta, which covers the whole face, the moretta and the plague doctor's mask with its long beak. The typical sweets are frittelle, fried doughnuts, and galani, crisp fried pastry.
Tip: buy masks from artisan workshops, which make them by hand in papier-mâché; book accommodation well in advance, as prices rise sharply.
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