How to go to the Carnival in Venice 2024: guide and tips

Are you planning a journey to discover the enchanting lagoon treasures and do you want to know how to go to the Venice Carnival? This prestigious event is characterized by a very ancient history, the origins of which derive historically from the Saturnalia, Roman religious festivities, and the Greek Dionysian cults. The Venetian Carnival is much-awaited within the vast panorama of the city's annual events, during which one can savour the splendor and sparkling, and transgressive atmospheres typical of the noble palaces of the Serenissima in the 18th century. 

It has a distinctive identity and traditional iconographic elements, such as elegant masks and refined costumes. These magnificent outfits spread during the Renaissance period during the festivities and lively shows organized by the Compagnie delle Calze, circles dedicated to the entertainment of young aristocrats. The first historical document concerning the celebration of the iconic Carnival and mentioning the term for the first time is a decree promulgated by Doge Vitale Falier in 1904, while the first attestation of the Carnival of Venice as a public holiday dates back to 1296.

The peculiarity of this historical phase was the exceptional duration of the event, which was about six weeks, from 26 December, the day dedicated by the Catholic Church to devotion to St Stephen, to Ash Wednesday. During the 13th century and, in particular, from 1271, the first schools dedicated to training the professional figure of the so-called mascarero, the craftsman specialized in the production of the splendid masks, and the workshops. During the 18th century, the Carnival reached the height of prestige at the international level.

Follow our detailed guide, which will provide you with all the advantageous information you need about how to go to the Venice Carnival.

If you are looking for the most convenient solution regarding how to go to the Venice Carnival, there are many options from which you can choose. If you are in a location not too far from the gem of the Venetian lagoon, you might prefer the train as a means of transport. The city's railway stations are Venezia Mestre and Santa Lucia, which will guide you to the heart of the magnificent Venice Carnival. It would also be advisable to book well in advance, especially for regional routes.

If you do not live near Venice and wish to attend the Venice Carnival, you could prefer a plane, taking off from one of two airports, Marco Polo in Tessera and Sant'Angelo in Treviso. The first airport is 12 km from the capital of the Veneto region. You can reach it either by city buses of the Atvo Air Terminal and Actv 5 lines, by the Mestre Express shuttle bus, or by car via the SS515 state road, which then joins the motorway, carrying on towards Padua. In the case of Treviso's Sant'Angelo Airport, it is possible to travel by shuttle bus, which makes the direct journey in 40 minutes and terminates at the Mestre and Venice Tronchetto train stations, by taxi or by renting a car and traveling along the A4 motorway.

It is also possible to travel from Marco Polo airport to the city center, the stage of the famous carnival, by taking the Alilaguna steamboat, which stops at San Marco, Rialto, Fondamenta Nuove, and Le Guglie.

There are three motorways to get to Venice by car: the A4, the A57, and the A27. Once you have arrived at your destination, you can park your vehicle at the San Marco garage in Piazzale Roma, the Tronchetto Garage on the island of the same name, the Autorimessa Comunale and Saba Venezia Mestre Stazione. The most advantageous option is to park your vehicle in Marghera or Mestre and take the bus to the center.

The ideal way to move around Venice and visit the famous Carnival, having the opportunity to contemplate unique panoramic views, is to go on foot. Another means of transport you can choose is the gondola ferry, which, for €2 one way, will allow you to cross the Gran Canal and go from one bank to the other. You can use this convenient service at the Dogana, Santa Maria del Giglio, San Tomà, Riva del Carbon, Riva del Vin, and Santa Sofia stations.

Moreover, you can also take the steamer to get to the main places where the Carnival occurs and the attractions in the center. Lines 1 and 2, operated by ACTV, run through the central areas via the Giudecca Canal and the Grand Canal, while lines 4.1, 4.2, 5.1, 5.2, and 6 travel on the Lido, Murano, Arsenale, Fondamenta Nuove, Zattere and Giardini routes.

You can purchase tickets valid for 24 hours for both waterbuses and buses at € 20. Tickets for 48 hours cost € 30, while the prize is € 40 for three days and for seven days € 60.

Participating in an event like carnival is always a time of joy and fun for everyone, an opportunity to let loose and rediscover our childlike side among confetti, trumpets and pranks to play on those around us. If in your case you have decided to go to the Venice Carnival with children, you will find that it will be a unique experience for your whole family.

Of course, masks and costumes are among the main reasons that attract children to the carnival: in Venice they will be able to indulge themselves by dressing up as Harlequin, dame or duchess, Doge of Venice, Lion and so on. Very interesting are the workshops for kids organized in traditional mask making workshops, where each child can manually create his or her own mask and take it home as a travel souvenir. Also of great importance is the "Contest of the most beautiful mask," which allows children to parade along the main streets of the city.

A not-to-be-missed kermesse for the little ones is then the International Kids' Carnival: it is staged every year in two venues, respectively in Venice at the Biennale venue and in Mestre at the Centro Civico del Parco Albanese.

We at Visit Italy advise you first of all to book your lodging in time and plan your trips to do with the children. The Venitian Carnival is always a fairly crowded event, but if you can avoid weekends or rush hours you will be able to move around with them in a more relaxed manner. Although moving around the city on foot is the best way to enjoy the festivities, we advise you to avoid long trips so as not to put a strain on their stamina: if necessary, it is best to alternate with a vaporetto or so-called water cabs to reach other parts of the lagoon. For little ones, it is best to keep the use of strollers to a minimum, as they are not really suitable for places where you move quickly and find yourself in large crowds.

The famous Venetian Carnival is a rite that attracts visitors from all over the world. Therefore, before embarking on a journey to discover this collective feast, characterized by a riot of bright colors, beautiful costumes, and colorful masks, we advise you to plan your departure to move with greater peace of mind.

Would you like to know how to go to the Venice Carnival without getting stuck? Since the most important events and shows take place on weekends, it would be best to avoid the crowd of tourists who come to the city during these days. We also suggest you attend the Carnival on Shrove Thursday and Shrove Tuesday to witness the highlight of the festival.

In the period of greatest turnout, the picturesque alleys and the scenic squares of the Serenissima are crammed with people who stroll along the well-known streets and routes.

It would be a good idea to map out a route by preferring shortcuts and side streets to move between the city's areas and districts easily and quickly and to attend the most outstanding events, admiring the beauty and artistic-architectural masterpieces and splendid historical Venetian palaces.

Both during the Carnival and throughout the year, Visit Italy offers you the opportunity to book a whole range of interesting attractions in the city of Venice, including visits to the Doge's Palace and St. Mark's Basilica, gondola rides or boat transfers from one part of Venice to another.

In particular, you can take advantage of the Venice Pass, which gives you access to the main transportation services in the metropolitan city of Venice with a single pass including admissions to the main tourist attractions and a large number of restaurants and wine bars at a competitive price, saving you a great deal on the public prices of the same services. 

Preparing yourself properly and finding the right way about how to go to the Venice Carnival will make you experience the best of the excitement that this wonderful event offers to thousands of visitors every year.

Below is a brief summary of all the things to remember when planning your trip. Happy carnival with Visit Italy!

· How to go to the Venice Carnival: an event of great historical and cultural interest, able to make you relive the splendour of elegant and refined eras while enjoying the beauty of Venetian and Italian culture.

· Getting to the Venice Carnival from outside the city: choose between Marco Polo Airport in Venice and Sant'Angelo Airport in Treviso, use city buses or the shuttle bus to reach the city, or opt for the A4, A57, and A27 highways if you plan to travel by car.

· How to get around Venice to participate in the Carnival: move around on foot as much as possible, alternating between using gondolas ferries, water buses, and water cabs.

· Going to the Venice Carnival with children: book everything in advance and remember the needs of the little ones. Avoid the use of strollers and alternate walking with easier transportation services. The International Kid’s Carnival is the perfect event to entertain children and teens in the most engaging way.

· The Venice Pass, Visit Italy's service for visiting Venice: check out our Venice Pass service to get a single pass at a favorable price, including admissions to the city's main sights.

· How to go to the Venice Carnival without getting bottled up: take a good look at the map of the central areas of the festival to know how best to move around during peak attendance hours. Avoid weekends if possible to avoid intercepting the peak tourist flow.