Let’s Party! This is your chance to go global and use your open invitation to the world’s biggest soirees. Pack a bag, hop on a plane and have a good time!
A masquerade ball is nothing without masks to obscure the identity of the wearer. And we have the Venetians to thank for this delightful subterfuge. This pre-Lenten festival of Carnival in Venice dates back to the late 1000s, with the practice of donning a mask making its mark centuries later. Elaborate costumes quickly became part of the tradition, as one could hide social standing, gender and religion behind the distinctive masks—themselves works of art and perhaps the most recognizable images from the celebrations. Today, the festival kicks off about two weeks before Ash Wednesday and comes to a close on Shrove Tuesday (Fat Tuesday). Revelers can don their masks at the elite Grand Masquerade Ball or watch the Flight of the Angel event, both of which are central to St. Mark’s Square. But you’ll find many other festivals—large and small— throughout the historic city, with enough daily parades, parties and food to keep you costumed and sated.
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Venice, Italy: Carnival
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