Carnivale di Venezia!

[madamtrashheap]

Realised Carnivale started on Saturday just gone so as I'm not there for it this year, thought I'd try to see what photos had been posted for this year www.carnevale.venezia.it

The theme is "6 senses for 6 suburbs" (6 sensi x 6 sestieri - sestieri technically means "district" but suburb sounds better!) and this year they have a webcam set up on St Mark's square so you can check out the action each day. I wonder if any of our Members are going to be there for the "big Saturday" on 21 Feb? It's when St Mark's Square alone fills with 100,000 people and most are either dressed in costume or have their faces painted if they didn't have time to get a mask (ie the tourists/visitors). It's super crowded but such a great sight to experience. Even the pigeons can't land anywhere!

[Eagle]

MTH, Thanks for posting that. Wow, 100,000 people in Piazza San Marco - that's going to be a party!!!

Unfortunately I won't be one of the participants, at least not this year. Most of the time, anywhere there is that many people means I'll be heading in the opposite direction. I imagine Hotel room vacancies will be non-existent and those that are avaiable will be VERY expensive.

Cheers!

[herrbert]

Fortunately I won't be one of the participants.

(I can leave out the Un, as I don't like the carnaval at all, so will stay away from it as far as I can. ;D)

[madamtrashheap]

Feb 17, 2009 1:44:04 GMT -5 Eagle said:

Most of the time, anywhere there is that many people means I'll be heading in the opposite direction. I imagine Hotel room vacancies will be non-existent and those that are avaiable will be VERY expensive.

It's really only the last Saturday of Carnivale that gets that many people in one place, but it's still an amazing thing to experience and a really fun atmosphere. Plus Venice in Winter is a totally different place to Venice in Summer (I'm a big fan of a Venetian Winter - less people other than Carnivale, amazing scenes [foggy deserted alleys when a caped and masked gentleman appears out of a doorway] and a completely different "feel"). Accommodation in Venice proper is, as you know, not cheap at the best of times, and it does rise during Carnivale as it's considered a "busy period". If you ever do plan to go, book accommodation as far in advance as you can - a year is good, but 6 months out is usually the final point for getting affordable and good accommodation.