VENICE CARNIVAL

Every winter, Venice bursts into life with fanciful masked balls and extravagant parades. During the Venice Carnival from 16 February to 5 March, the city’s narrow, enigmatic backstreets and the beautiful St Mark’s Square are taken over by mysterious masked revellers, while elegant gondolas filled with fantasy characters glide up and down the canals. The world-famous carnival always starts two weeks before Ash Wednesday and ends on Shrove Tuesday. Started back in the 11th Century, the carnival is now just a great excuse to don a mask and costume, parade around the city, and enjoy live music.