Masquerading in Venice

Venice in its prime was the pleasure capital of Europe, and at its most debauched during Carnival. Gambling in public was legal during the festivities, people could dress as they wanted and not according to their social class or gender, and masks were worn widely. With concealed identities, the citizens of the ‘Floating City’ grew even more decadent. Gondoliers provided discreet door-to-door transport for secret trysts (this was the time and city of Casanova, after all) while the grand balls were the envy of Europe. Even nuns and monks wore masks and engaged in many activities usually reserved for secular citizens. Much has changed since those times but the masks and balls remain in the City of Love. The Venice Carnival will once again run for two weeks this month, as it casts a hedonistic shimmer over Italy’s most romantic city.