Carnival 2023: how the locals experience the most fabulous party in Venice

Watch out!

One of the words most heard by tourists in

, Italy.

These, slow, getting lost among the channels, photographing the details that no one understands, stunned by the impossibility of Waze or a map (now only sold) find the path or destination.

with the load they carry for their work.

It is that the same channels that the visitors circulate are those that receive the provisions for the restaurants, the raw materials for the pastry shops and the bars, the mail or the duo of carts that circulate to meticulously collect the garbage.

Visitors complain

about the Venetians who do not usually help with the way to reach the Rialto even if it is just around the corner or because they interrupt without ruffling any photo in progress.

The Carnival of Venice, one of the most anticipated parties of the year.

Photo REUTERS/Remo Casilli

One of the most crowded events, where this madness reaches unimaginable extremes and moving in the Serennissima becomes elbow to elbow so close that you can perceive the perfume of each neighbor of the “strada”, is the

.

begins

.

However, for the Venetians the carnival begins as soon as the Befana ends, the mysterious witch who on January 6 goes through houses to steal gifts from the little ones.

If arriving in Venice is already an immersive experience in another time and another space,

.

This

.

It is a specific celebration for themselves.

The travelers add to his grief only as spectators.

The game is played by the Venetians, with traditions that are 400 years old.

Tourists flock to the city to experience the spirit of Carnival.

Photo REUTERS/Remo Casilli

Although the party is held in certain public settings, if the idea is to put on the striped shirt and blend in with the gondoliers, it is necessary to discover the

.

get in tune

Venetians dress up

.

This is a time where everything is allowed, and although they usually have several holidays (especially at the beginning and end of which there are usually 4 holidays), most go, even to work, with a festive addition.

That of the big wigs, the profuse frilly dresses and the harlequin jumpsuits are not the most appreciated, except when participating in a contest.

Masks on the Grand Canal.

Photo REUTERS/Remo Casilli

The common thing is to wear a mask-style mask

, a three-cornered hat, a cape (it's cold!) or dare your own design.

It is carried everywhere.

On the vaporetto, the Venetians dress up in carnival attire as if they were in civilian clothes on a working Monday.

The key is

.

Every year the carnival has a theme, this season is the four elements: water, fire, air, earth and the organizers themselves are urged to create their own interpretation.

Those who are not encouraged to personal creativity resort to historical ateliers.

The key is fun, colors and creativity.

Photo REUTERS/Remo Casilli

Marega (San Polo, 2940/B, 30125) offers reproductions of more than 200 classic suits.

All sewn by hand and with respect for traditional techniques.

Nicolao Workshop (Cannaregio 2590) is, in addition to classical, producer of the costumes used for decades in Hollywood productions.

Sell ​​and rent original costumes, all unique.

Two keys distinguish it: the fabrics and the knowledge of the cuts and techniques of more than 700 years ago.

In a small laboratory near the SS Giovanni e Paolo church, Nicoletta (Calle Vesier 6290, Castello) unleashes her skill with corsets.

Prices?

Never in sight.

Everything is to order and is agreed between the parties.

just the eyes

“Transgression, fun and carefree lightness”, this is how Giacomo Casanova defined carnival when it took up most of the year, about six weeks, where everyone (aristocracy, prelates and workers) joined in the celebration of “everything allowed” in an unusual, permissive and unrepeatable social leveling.

So, the only thing that mattered was wearing a mask to hide one's identity.

That remains the key today and every Venetian is likely to be carrying one during this time.

They greet each other with a "good morning masquerade" (

).

These pieces were made by hand, mixing clay, papier-mâché and plaster.

All creativity emerged on the white base, even with characters that continue to this day.

The bauta, for example, is a white mask with a pointed and protruding chin that allows drinking and eating without having to remove it.

La Bauta, one of the most traditional masks used in the Venice Carnival.

At Mistero Buffo (Ex Chiostro S. Cosma e Damiano 621F, Giudecca) the craftsman is Leonardo and he makes the pieces for the Commedia Dell'Arte.

Marilisa is in charge of L'Arlecchino (Ruga Vecchia S. Giovanni, 789, Sestiere San Polo).

That name marks the colorful style of her pieces: rich in design, precious stones and festive.

At Teatro Maschere di Celano (Calle dei Botteri 1564) Marina specializes in Colombina masks, embodying the character of a cunning, graceful and lively servant, always at the center of her mistress' love intrigues.

In her pieces, she adds fabrics, rhinestones, flowers and feathers.

La Bottega dei Mascareri (S. Polo 80) hides a film artist (Sergio) who makes traditional pieces with contemporary inspiration.

back to paper

Mysterious encounters during this time require appointments and notes.

Even in the days of WhatsApp, Venetians wear the

city's classic

Il Pavone (Campiello dei Meoni 1478, San Polo) makes these pieces by hand.

Paolo Pelosin prints the colors in an artisan way with a technique that is more than 1000 years old.

Each piece is unique.

Almost opposite, a supermarket.

Something that will seem strange in Venice, but it is as local as you can find.

It's called Coop.

Alberto Valesse

, for his part, owner of Ebrú (cloud, in Turkish, Campo S. Stefano 3471, San Marco), specialized in paper craft practices in Turkey, China and Venice.

He is the

.

His marbled papers are unique, and he also makes gilt bindings typical of the city.

Since we are in San Marco, if it is the first hour of the afternoon, it is the moment in which the Venetians opt for Harry's Bar (Calle Vallaresso, 1323) to have a Bellini.

Harry's Bar in Venice, one of the points on the aperitif route in Italy.

Instagram photo phaeos

pleasure for sweet

Carnival is still a period determined by the religious calendar, so that in Catholic terms it corresponds to Lent, the time before Easter, a time of fasting.

It's time to

.

Two are typical.

The

(plural fritelle, a small Berliner with raisins, pine nuts and apple or cream or Nuttella, bathed in powdered sugar), were born in the 13th century.

Pasticceria Tonolo (Calle San Pantalon, 3764, Venice), open since 1886, always with a queue at the door, they say it has fried more than 9000 pieces in one day.

Fritella.

Photo Carnival of Venice

In the Castello neighborhood, an old sign indicates Bonifacio Pastry Shop (C. degli Albanesi, 4217), a small restaurant with a counter.

Getting a fritelle here is a carnival triumph.

While we're there, its mini bite-sized pizzas and an exclusive must-see are memorable: the

, a typical dessert found only here made with chocolate, meringue and rompope (a local eggnog) that is prepared only on Saturdays and Sundays .

On the road that connects Campo San Polo to Rialto there is a tiny pastry shop (15 square meters).

has Art Nouveau interiors and is

, never having closed since 1742. There they offer

(fritelle without filling). If you want to go back, try the sambayon filling.

In the Rialto you cannot miss the

(until 3pm).

The absolute favourite: Cantina Do Mori (Calle Do Mori, 429), from 1462, the

oldest

A gondola passes in front of the Rialto Bridge.

Photo EFE/EPA/Andrea Merola

Don't miss the house specialty

: the

, a sandwich stuffed with sliced ​​meats, radicchio, gorgonzola and roasted vegetables.

If there are preferences: eggplants.

The meatballs or the

are amazing.

Here fishermen eat at the end of their day or the employees of the Rialto market.

A short walk across the Rialto bridge leads to Ottica Carraro (Calle de la Mandola, 3706), the favorite of Fernando Savater.

That's where her weird colored glasses come from.

She met her by chance during a walk in the city.

She took refuge in her small hall one stormy day.

Five stores away, the simple L'Angelo's pizzeria offers grab-and-go slices as you go about your day.

The

is the

, originating in the Roman Empire when, in spring, desserts were prepared with lasagna dough, fried in lard and sprinkled with powdered sugar.

Its name derives from its wavy ribbon shape.

Galani.

Photo Carnival of Venice

Dal Mas (Rio Terà Lista di Spagna, 149 150/A), from the Balestra family, has been enveloping palates with its fried galani for almost 60 years.

For a wooded respite and people-watching, Parco Savorgnan is 50 meters away.

Rosa Salva (San Marco, 950, Campo San Giovanni e Paolo) founded at the end of the 19th century, with the sixth generation of pastry chefs, is famous for its galani pyramids that form almost an architectural structure.

It is a regular breakfast place for Venetians.

Two minutes to

Acqualta Bookstore.

Photo Shutterstock

Nearby, in addition, the Acqualta bookstore is sheltered, almost literally built on books.

You have to go, dig, ask the cats for permission and take a picture of the book ladder in the background that occasionally gets wet from the water from the canals.

The Queen

Young Venetian girls compete to obtain the scepter of an ancient practice that came back to life in 2018: an experience that reproduces in an avant-garde way the kidnapping and release of twelve engaged brides in the time of Doge Pietro Candiano III (1039).

At the beginning of the 9th century, on February 2 of each year, the day of the purification of Mary according to the Catholic calendar, the twelve most beautiful girls of the town chosen to represent the city met with their fiancés in the church of San Pietro di Castello, to receive the blessing of the wedding.

The ladies can apply to the official Carnival call and after the preparation and its presentation during the carnival, "la María" is chosen in a public ceremony.

Titans in the ring

In the era of Doge Sebastiano Zani, the 39th Doge between 1172 and 1178, when Venice was divided between Castellani (inhabitants of Castello, San Marco, Dorsoduro) and Cannaruoli or Nicolottis (districts of San Polo, Santa Croce, Cannaregio).

The former resided in the eastern part of the city and were mostly employees at the Arsenale.

The Nicolottis concentrated on the opposite end and dedicated themselves to fishing.

Both sides clashed for years

on the Ponte dei Pugni (Fondamenta Gherardini, Dorsoduro) which, at the time, had no railings, so the contestants ended up in the water.

The fights were prohibited in 1705 because they had grown in their cruelty.

Now, tradition takes them to the

and each season the battles are reproduced.

Curiosity: the bridge has the marks that indicate where each side should stop.

Church of San Barnaba, Venice.

Photo Shutterstock

On the way, nearby, you can visit the Church of San Barnaba, Ca' Rezzonico (one of the most visited museums in Venice, closed since October for restoration), the Accademia Gallery (Calle della Carità, 1050), the Fine Arts School Arts of Venice founded by Napoleon with temporary exhibitions and its own collection.

And the Scuola Grande di San Rocco (San Polo, 3052), with formidable Tintorettos.

bull's head

It was around 1100 when Venice was about to lose to the German patriarch who hoped to incorporate the region into the Patriarchate of Grado.

Those were times when Venice was also facing a war with its neighbors Padua and Ferrara, so it was a good time to put pressure on the Serenissima.

The patriarch Ulrich put Enrico Dandolo (the Venetian ducce) to flight trying to deliver the final blow, but he was unsuccessful. bull venice

"

" (cutting off the bull's head) is an expression that means giving a quick closure to a subject. To commemorate that moment, it was determined that every Thursday of Carnival the butchers and blacksmiths decapitate bulls as a metaphor for eliminating any obstacle .

For a long time now, the activity has been less bloody and a public gathering is held (usually in Campo Sant'Angelo) where a

built especially for the occasion is carried on a litter throughout the piazza where the celebration takes place, to that finally the presenting butchers make the cut in front of those present.

the flight of the angel

In the middle of the 16th century, a Turkish acrobat joined the mast of a ship anchored in the Piazzetta quay with the

by walking on a rope.

At the time of descending, he reached the personal balcony of the Doge in the Doge's Palace.

Traditional Flight of the Angel.

Photo AFP PHOTO / TIZIANA FABI

The adventure was called The Flight of the Turk (Svolo del Turco) since then, it takes place every season.

Applications are received that include the candidate and his staging (there have been everything from floating boats to animals).

Now they no longer walk on the rope, but instead

every noon on the first Sunday of Carnival as one of the opening acts.

The place that the Venetians choose to witness the show is the Giudecca (Spinalonga for the locals).

It is the island just opposite San Marco is a backwater that offers fabulous views.

Three churches (with regular mass) are strung together there: that of the Redeemer, that of the Zitelle and that of San Giorgio Maggiore.

The businesses are genuine, run by their owners and at neighborhood prices.

A picture from another era

The

, as befits this aquatic city.

It begins with a

that are launched into the Canal Grande under rowing with navigators dressed in a traditional way according to the typical characters.

Segni water parade, part of the Carnival.

Photo EFE/EPA/Andrea Merola

It takes place in Cannaregio and is so loved by the locals that they usually repeat it on the second day in the morning, but in reverse.

They leave from San Marco to reach Canareggio, where, upon arrival, a series of street food stalls await, offering cicchetti, the typical Venetian tapas, with ombra, a local wine served hot to warm you up at this time of year.

In Cannaregio you can visit the church Santa Maria di Nazareth built in the eighteenth century.

The so-called party of the century was held in the Palacio Labia in 1951, where Christian Dior and Salvador Dalí designed special costumes.

Labia Palace in San Geremia Square.

Photo Shutterstock

Since then it continues to be one of the most emblematic dance halls on the occasion of the Carnival for the Venetians.

The

, the only bridge in the city with capitals.

This is where the city's Jewish ghetto shelters: a little-visited place and ideal for getting lost in the extremely narrow streets with low doorways (sottoportale).

Views of the Cannaregio canal and the Ponte delle Guglie bridge.

Photo Shutterstock

A few steps away is

, where the painter spent his entire life, and the Madonna dell'Orto church, dating from 1300, almost unknown to travelers.

At Paradiso Perduto (della Misericordia, 2540, Fondamenta Cannaregio) authentic local gastronomy and at Al Timón (Fondamenta dei Ormesini, 2754) local youth listening to jazz improvisations while eating.

MQ10 (10 meters quadrati, Fondamenta Cannaregio, 1020) is ideal for a drink.

On the street

More than the masked balls,

during the Carnival.

Through Burano, Torccello, Certosa, Murano, San Servolo, San Lorenzo and through the Arsenale.

The early winter sunset offers a fabulous panorama from up there, with all of Venice in view, with almost no audience.

There no more tradition of the Venetians: the Pier Luigi Penzo Stadium, the only

, where the Venice Football Club plays.

The games are a classic on Sunday attended by the locals, in carnival, more dressed up than usual.

At the exit, a long walk to San Marco to show off, one of the most important activities of this time.

Just the Venetians who hate photos, this season they offer to take pictures and selfies.

Viale Giardini Publicci on El Arsenale, bordering the Grand Canal, changes its name until it becomes Riva degli Schiavoni.

Halfway in, the full life of the islanders: with illuminated windows while someone cooks inside and clothes hanging outside.

Do not miss the confetti,

the chopped paper that completes the party.

The only factory with origin tradition left in Veneto is owned by Franco Carnevale (not a joke, it's his real name).

With an engineer friend he designed a special machine and today produces most of the confetti that is used for the season in Venice.

MINIGUIDE

How to get

• The ticket (round trip) of the Alitalia flight with connection costs from US$ 2118 (https://www.ita-airways.com/).

• Iberia (https://iberia.com/) flies at a cost of US$ 3,300, but has the Stopover promotion that allows you to make a stopover while staying in Madrid at no extra cost)

• Vaporetto: 1 ticket: €9.50;

  24 hours €25;

  48 hours €35;

  72 hours €45;

  7 days €65. The Che Bateo application is free and works like a Waze for vaporettos.

where to stay

• The Danieli hotel is the most classic in the city.

  The Venetians hold their wedding celebrations there.

  From €812 per night.

• The hotel offer is immense.

  The Venetians live off the Grand Canal.

  Murano has a Hyatt Centric €112, Hilton Molino Stucky €90 and Sina Centurion Palace €130 are on the Giudecca.

• Staying in Mestre is always an option for less money, but the spirit is lost.

  The tram (tram) costs €1.50 per ticket if 10 are purchased together.

  They are purchased at any kiosk (tobacco shop).

To do

• A taxi when several travel can cost the same as going by steamer.

  It can be an interesting taste.

  From the airport €50.

• Cantina Do Mori (Calle Do Mori, 429): you can eat every day for a few euros.

  It closes at 19.

• Spritz at Al Chioschetto (Fondamenta Zattere Al Ponte Lungo, 1406/A), with live music.

• Breakfast on the terrace of the Danieli while the seagulls make the crumbs and the city wakes up.

  End-of-day drink on the terrace of the Hilton Molino Stucky, once the largest mill in Europe.

Where to find out

: www.veneziaunica.it

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