The origins of the Venetian Carnival

Carnival was born in Venice in the 11th century and was an occasion to celebrate before Lent. It reached its greatest popularity during the Baroque period, when masks and costumes allowed the inhabitants to forget their everyday worries and social status. In those days, the carnival even lasted for several months and its pomp attracted aristocracy from all over Europe. Today, after a century’s hiatus, Carnival once again lights up Venice, transporting you straight back to the golden age of the Republic of Venice.

A journey to the heart of Carnival

The trip to Venice was not spontaneous. It was planned like an intricate jigsaw puzzle, in which each piece had to fit together with the rest. As a fashion designer, I spent months creating costumes that were meant to combine Baroque splendour with Polish folklore. I was accompanied by a group of friends fascinated by the carnival and ready to immerse themselves in the magic of the event. From the airport, an elegant limousine took us to the lagoon, where we boarded a motor yacht. During the cruise, we enjoyed Bellini drinks. This is a blend of prosecco and a purée of glossy, ripe peaches. This subtle flavour blended perfectly with the atmosphere of anticipation. Venice was slowly waking up to nightlife. The palaces were reflected in the water and the lanterns cast a warm glow on the stone quays. Each bend in the canal brought a new perspective and captivated us with beautiful images of architecture. We felt as if we were crossing the border of reality.

Arrival at The Gritti Palace

We arrived at The Gritti Palace Hotel, a gem of Venetian Gothic, where our carnival madness was about to begin. The lobby of the hotel was stunning with frescoes depicting mythological scenes. The suite, was decorated with silk fabrics and antique furniture. Every detail seemed to whisper: ‘Get ready for something extraordinary’. And then the real fun began. One of the suitcases – the most important one, containing our unique outfits – was left on the yacht, which departed for Mestre. The ball at the historic Palazzo Pisani Moretta was due to start in an hour, and we had nothing to wear.

Costumes and choice of outfits

Fortunately, the hotel staff quickly found a solution. We were offered colourful costumes featuring the characteristic rhomboids of Harlequin, the iconic figure of the Venetian Carnival. It’s a colourful patchwork of triangular or rhombus patterns in vibrant colours such as red, green, blue or yellow. The costume is completed by a close-fitting mask with a feisty expression and a distinctive black hat, often decorated with bells. The costume symbolises playfulness and cleverness, reflecting the playful and cunning nature of this commedia dell’arte character. Alternatively, we could have chosen the Bauta, an elegant costume consisting of a black coat, triangular hat and a distinctive white mask covering the entire face, which in the old days allowed the inhabitants of Venice to remain anonymous, regardless of their social status. However, this evening we decided to be harlequins.

A walk through Venice in a carnival atmosphere

After a few moments, we found ourselves in St Mark’s Square, where from the first moment we felt as if we were acting in a play. Venice at Carnival is more than a city – it is a huge open-air theatre. Walking through the narrow streets and vast squares of Venice, you can feel like a character in a story from the past, and the golden embroideries glittering in the lamplight further create an atmosphere full of elegance and mystery.

Il Ballo del Doge at Palazzo Pisani Moretta

Palazzo Pisani Moretta, where Il Ballo del Doge was held, is the clou of Venetian glamour – full of candlelight, beautiful decorations and classical music. It was like something out of a fairy tale. Huge crystal chandeliers cast a glow over the richly decorated ceilings, and the sounds of music filled every corner of the room. The costumes of the guests were dazzling – lace, embroidery, coats, masks… everything resembled a performance in which each participant played his or her part.

A clown dance and an unexpected encounter

To the rhythm of the waltz, a little abashed, we entered the wonderfully decorated hall, where, in the centre, the multicoloured crowd whirled in dance and the costumes, decorated with gold, lace, multicoloured embroidery, shone with a rainbow of colours. Suddenly another harlequin stood in front of us, bowing with refined elegance. We stopped and looked at him for a moment in mute surprise. The figure leaned over and whispered mysteriously in Italian ‘we are not alone here’.

The flight of the angel – the climax of the carnival

With a large group of courtiers, led by a bunch of dancing harlequins, we went out again to St Mark’s Square to witness the flight of the angel (Volo dell’Angelo). Amidst the cheering crowd and to the accompaniment of music, none other than another harlequin was descending a rope from the church’s bell tower. He must have spotted us from above, because as soon as he touched the cobblestones, he joined our retinue.

The magic of Venice after dark

As the sun began to set over the lagoon and the city pulsated with the lights of the balls and the sound of music, it was easy to believe that Venice is a place where dreams come true and where it is worth forgetting reality, at least for a moment, allowing oneself to be seduced by the magic of masks and Venetian splendour.

Morning at Caffé Florian

In the morning, as tradition dictates, we went for coffee at Caffé Florian in St Mark’s Square. This café is a gem of Venice with over 300 years of tradition. The coffee served on silver trays with beautiful snacks made you want to stay there as long as possible.

Farewell to Venice

It’s not only during Carnival that Venice has something that makes you want to return to it. And when the masks fall… normal life begins again.

Benvenuti al Carnevale di Venezia!