Venice Carnival & Venice Carnival Masks

The Venice Carnival was recently voted as one of the world’s top five carnivals. I would agree

The masks are amazing too, just look at the ones on this page to see what I mean.

I remember the first time, when I was still a little girl, my mamma bought me a small one. It was just so beautiful.

Now I am big I am like a kid in a candy at carnival time.

For the inside story on masks and carnival read on...

Carnival was the one time during the year when there were no bounds. You were free to do all the things you had wanted to do all year, your fantasies and desires were free to be lived without guilt and anonymously thanks to the masks.

Social status, wealth or any of the things that we are normally so quick to judge had no bearing. It is not quite like that now, some of the wild abandon has gone and it is a little more refined. Perhaps a good thing for middle-aged folk like my husband and I!

The Venice Carnival Today

During the carnival Venice is alive with masked Venetians – and tourists. Bands, jugglers and entertainers enliven the piazza of the city, the canals are filled with colorful boats and the nights are full of parties and masked balls. It really is a quite magical time to experience the city.

Venice Carnival Masks

The masks were originally pretty simple – they were just meant to disguise the wearer. With the passing of the years and the ever declining degree of debauchery involved they have become more elaborate.

A number of masks exist such as the Moretta and Larva but the Bauta is the mask that is most commonly worn during carnival. Authentic Bauta masks are always white and generally cover the whole face, which also means that the voice is distorted. Many Bauta masks these days only cover the top part of the face allowing the wearer to eat and drink without having to remove the mask.

If you would like to buy masks then there is one place I can thoroughly recommend without hesitation – the shop is called Carla Alta and they have a website where you can buy Venice carnival masks online.

Otherwise why not try Amazon, they often have a good selection at very good prices too. Actually it is sometimes cheaper to buy on Amazon than in Venice!

Tips

• I know this might be ridiculous advice but believe me I have seen poor unknowing souls get it all wrong.

Venice Carnival is not a fancy dress party so don't dress like the poor guy I once saw wearing a superman outfit.

• If you are going to wear a mask at least get a reasonable period costume. Venetians will think you silly if you are wearing a fancy mask and casual clothes.

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