Venice - City of Festivals
Venice has long been one of the most popular destinations in Italy for holidaymakers all over the world.
The city's history is shrouded in the fog of time, but it is believed that the city began as a place of refuge from areas beset by Germanic and Hun invasions in the early part of the Middle Ages.
This has given Venice plenty of time to develop a unique culture rife with celebrations and festivals throughout the year.
Make your plans well in advance - hotels in Venice will fill up quickly! Here is a list of some popular festivals in Venice: Carnevale di Venezia The Carnival of Venice starts about 2 weeks before Ash Wednesday and ends on Shrove Tuesday (also called Fat Tuesday or Mardi Gras), which is the day before Ash Wednesday.
The first Carnevale is believed to have begun in 1926, although its roots are much older.
Masks are the overriding theme of this event, and everyone in the city participates.
Maskmakers (mascherari) belong to a guild and are afforded a special place in Venetian society.
Every Carnevale is a chance for the mascherari to create the most ornate and fanciful masks, some of which fetch a small fortune.
La Biennale di Venezia Since 1895, the city becomes a centre for the world-famous expo of modern art, featuring sculpture, paintings and performance art from all over the globe.
From mid-June through early November in odd-numbered years, the Venice Biennial has developed into an international focal point and world stage for artists from dozens of countries around the world.
Mostra Internazionale d'Arte Cinematografica The oldest film festival in the world, the Venice Film Festival began in 1932, and takes place every year in late August or early September.
The historic Palazzo del Cinema hosts the screenings amidst a great deal of fanfare.
The Leone d'Oro (Golden Lion) is awarded to the best film and the Coppa Volpi (Volpi Cup) goes to the best actor and actress.
A recent addition is the San Marco Award, which is given to the best film in the Controcorrente (Against the Stream) category.
Be sure to dress well for this star-studded event.
Santa Maria della Salute Autumn heralds this festival, where the lagoon of the Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute is the setting.
Each November 21, Venetians converge to give annual thanks for the end of the bubonic plague, which caused the deaths of thousands between 1629 and 1631.
The construction of the basilica was promised as a tribute to the Virgin Mary for deliverance from the dreadful disease, which loosened its grip, probably due to the extreme chill in the autumn of that year, which killed off most of the plague-carrying fleas.
This is but a few of the many celebrations that Venice hosts.
Hotels in Venice are plentiful, and there are packages available which may include airfare, event schedules and meals, in addition to lodging.
Amenities in Venice hotels range from basic to extravagant, and all points between.
Choose from affordable apartments, country houses, inns and agritouristic farms, to mid-range Venice hotels and bed and breakfasts to 5-star hotels and beautiful, historically significant palaces.
Nearly all are situated within walking distance to plazas, museums and other attractions.
The city's history is shrouded in the fog of time, but it is believed that the city began as a place of refuge from areas beset by Germanic and Hun invasions in the early part of the Middle Ages.
This has given Venice plenty of time to develop a unique culture rife with celebrations and festivals throughout the year.
Make your plans well in advance - hotels in Venice will fill up quickly! Here is a list of some popular festivals in Venice: Carnevale di Venezia The Carnival of Venice starts about 2 weeks before Ash Wednesday and ends on Shrove Tuesday (also called Fat Tuesday or Mardi Gras), which is the day before Ash Wednesday.
The first Carnevale is believed to have begun in 1926, although its roots are much older.
Masks are the overriding theme of this event, and everyone in the city participates.
Maskmakers (mascherari) belong to a guild and are afforded a special place in Venetian society.
Every Carnevale is a chance for the mascherari to create the most ornate and fanciful masks, some of which fetch a small fortune.
La Biennale di Venezia Since 1895, the city becomes a centre for the world-famous expo of modern art, featuring sculpture, paintings and performance art from all over the globe.
From mid-June through early November in odd-numbered years, the Venice Biennial has developed into an international focal point and world stage for artists from dozens of countries around the world.
Mostra Internazionale d'Arte Cinematografica The oldest film festival in the world, the Venice Film Festival began in 1932, and takes place every year in late August or early September.
The historic Palazzo del Cinema hosts the screenings amidst a great deal of fanfare.
The Leone d'Oro (Golden Lion) is awarded to the best film and the Coppa Volpi (Volpi Cup) goes to the best actor and actress.
A recent addition is the San Marco Award, which is given to the best film in the Controcorrente (Against the Stream) category.
Be sure to dress well for this star-studded event.
Santa Maria della Salute Autumn heralds this festival, where the lagoon of the Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute is the setting.
Each November 21, Venetians converge to give annual thanks for the end of the bubonic plague, which caused the deaths of thousands between 1629 and 1631.
The construction of the basilica was promised as a tribute to the Virgin Mary for deliverance from the dreadful disease, which loosened its grip, probably due to the extreme chill in the autumn of that year, which killed off most of the plague-carrying fleas.
This is but a few of the many celebrations that Venice hosts.
Hotels in Venice are plentiful, and there are packages available which may include airfare, event schedules and meals, in addition to lodging.
Amenities in Venice hotels range from basic to extravagant, and all points between.
Choose from affordable apartments, country houses, inns and agritouristic farms, to mid-range Venice hotels and bed and breakfasts to 5-star hotels and beautiful, historically significant palaces.
Nearly all are situated within walking distance to plazas, museums and other attractions.
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