I’ve been to Venice a few times, and I also find that the romance of the city remains.  This trip was no different, however the romantic charm took on a different grandeur as it was the infamous Venetian Carnival.

Carnival happens in a number of cities – basically during the 40 days of Lent, parties and rich foods used to be off limits.  Therefore, the celebration took place in the days leading up to Lent to help “get it out of your system”.

In Venice, Carnival is a huge celebration, and it is famous for the opulent masquerade balls, street performances, and just general music, drinking and craziness.  The beauty of the event is that with the masks, there is no way to differentiate between the rich and poor. Everyone is dressed up, roaming the streets and having a good time together.

While we didn’t entertain the idea of spending a fortune for tickets to a masked ball, we thoroughly enjoyed people watching in San Marco Square.  There were street artists and singers, costume contests and bands.  It was a great place to grab a table at a café, enjoy an Aperol spritz or bellini

and take in the scenery.

A note on Bellinis: the Bellini was invented in Harryin Venice. It is a mix of white peach juice and Prosecco. The nice ones are made onsite at all the bars, but you can also buy them in a bottle!

In the evenings, we enjoyed dinner and a few drinks. While Venice is not known for its night life, Erbaria on the West side of the Rialto Bridge where the main vegetable market is held during the day, was hopping – people were just standing outside all around the square enjoying drinks from

the bars surrounding the area.