Venice Vacations

Carnivals And Festivals

It is only to be expected that a city with a long history and a seafaring tradition would have a number of celebrations like carnivals and festivals in Venice. Coupled with a strong reliance on the tourist trade and Venice hotels, the need to have colourful festivals and carnivals automatically explains itself.

Carnivals and festivals in Venice had proved very beneficial for the Venice tourism. Travellers and tourists in Vence enjoy the Venice carnival and the other celebrations and tour agents often time their arrival to coincide with these. The main among these are -

The Venice Carnival - This is extremely popular with tourists. During February and March, locals and tourists both throng the halls ad the roads in colourful historical costumes and masks. Music fills the air and the world seems enchanted. The excellent weather also helps. The dates this year are Sat 10 Feb 2007 - Tue 20 Feb 2007.

April the 25th - while this is the National Holiday of Italy's liberation and is celeberated all over, in Venice, there is another reason to celebrate. In the year 828, two enterprising merchants removed the remains of St. Mark from Egypt and brought them to Venice. This was a daring adventure and gave the city a patron saint. Needless to say, the date was 25th April.

Redentore - this festival, celebrated on the 3rd Saturday of July, celebrates the end of the dreaded plague in 1577. The is also called the 'famous night of fireworks' and is a favourite with children as well. The plague was thought to have been caused by rats brought ashore in trading ships. Nearly 50,000 people died and the plague was only controlled after cats were imported from Syria and (what many people believe) with divine intervention. It is a different matter that most of the male cats have now been neutered and Venice may slowly lose its feline population.

Yet another famous festival is the Festa della Sensa or a 'marriage with the sea'. This is celebrated on the 17th of May to demonstrate the interdependence and the control over the seas that ancient Venice had. A symbolic gold ring is offered to the lagoon as a symbol of affection and permanent attachment.

The Venice Film Festival - The oldest Film Festival in the world is held in Venice, Italy and over the years has become a must see event for enthusiasts. The festival began in 1932 and with the exception of a few years has been held ever since. Dates are August - September each year just as Venice begins to cool a little. All major Venice hotels are occupied by the celebrities from around the world at this time.

The city offers something for everyone, and even if the carnivals do not interest you wait till you read about the treasure troves waiting in the architecture and the monuments while you enjoy your Venice vacations.

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