Winter in Venice shines with a different glow â?? a pale, almost lemon-hued sun pushes through the mist that rises from the lagoon. And in those heady days before Lent descends, the streets pulse with a cadenced rhythm that rises and falls with the light: It is Carnevale with its grand gala evening costume balls in ancient palazzos and casual piazza afternoon soirees with hand-held masks. At once bright and chatty, shrouded and whispered. Are you ready to experience the magic? Choose this extraordinary escape â?? Venice Carnevale â?? a fivenight homage to a millennium-old celebration. The cityâ??s Grand Canal and those who wander its alleyways and bridges are transformed into characters in one of lifeâ??s great plays.

A BRIEF HISTORY OF VENICE CARNEVALE
Since 1162 Farewell, meat! From the Latin, comes todayâ??s Carnevale. All meat, butter, and eggs had to be consumed before the liturgical season of Lent began, and so became a superb excuse for a religious celebration â?? one that harked back to pagan festivities. Venice Carnevale first commemorated a military victory on Shrove Tuesday, but in 1228 the first â??masksâ? appeared, and a new celebration was born. The 18th century â?? and its excesses â?? allowed Carnevale to blossom. A decline in the 1900s was reversed in the latter part of the century, and this historic tradition was revived in earnest. Within a few years the image of the masked reveler â?? unique to Venice Carnevale â?? had become an icon worldwide.

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