Venice Carnival

When: February 4 to 13
Where: Venice, Italy
Cost: Prices of events and balls vary, visit www.venice-carnival-italy.com.

The Venice Carnival is the highlight of the year in this glorious city.

Processions, masquerades, traditional ceremonies, music and all-round festivities fill the canals, squares and palaces of this ancient city for two weeks.

St Mark’s Square, the theatres and the famous campi burst into life with musical, theatrical, acrobatic and dance performances. The whole city is filled with revellers from all over the world and there are dozens of masked balls, brunches in period costume and gala dinners to attend.

As night falls, the masked balls come to life; the gothic Palazzo Pisani-Moretta hosts the grandest of them all. Guests arrive in gondolas along the moonlit Grand Canal for the Ballo del Doge, Mascheranda Ball or Ballo Tiepolo. The candlelit palaces host Venetian cuisine, baroque music, ballroom dancing and sumptuous costumes.

Alternatively, the supremely elegant Gran Ballo della Cavalchina at the Teatro La Fenice greets guests with a gilded auditorium filled with dancing couples, acrobats and live music.

For more information visit www.carnevale.venezia.it.

Fly to Venice from Malta with Ryanair.