Tour veneto, Carnival in Venice - February

More like a marvellous movie set than a real city, romatic Venice is known for its canals, gondolas and art treasures. Founded in the 5th century spread over 188 small islands, having 150 canals and 409 bridges, the whole city is an extraordinary archictural masterpiece.

The Carnival of Venice, celebrated every year, is famed and has gained popularity for its originality. The city, the only one of its type in the world, becomes animated by masks of every kind and costumes of the epoch. People come from the world over to attend private abd publick masked balls and masked revelers of all ages invade the small squares and the narrow streets, where music and dancing continue nearly day and night. With a mask as a prop, one can lose themself completely and experience the freedom that wearing a mask allows. Dressing up in elaborate costumes has always been the point of Carnival. Theatrical performances and an array of ancient games are organized for the amusement of Venetians and visitors alike.

ITINERARY

1 Day:
Arrival in Lido di Jesolo. Accommodation in hotel. Dinner and overnight.

2 Day:
Breakfast. Drive with your bus to Punta Sabbioni, where you will embark on a private boat to Venice. Your guided visit will begin in St. Mark's Square including the Basilica, the Belltower and the Doges Palace. The afternoon is at your disposal for further visits or shopping. Return to Punta Sabbioni by private boat. Dinner and overnight in hotel..

3 Day:
Breakfast. Private boat transfer from Punta Sabbioni to St. Mark's. The entire day is at your disposal to enjoy the beautiful Carnival masks. Return to Punta Sabbioni in the late evening. Dinner and overnight.

4 Day:
Breakfast. Home journey.

OPTIONAL VISITS / EXCURSIONS

Museums of Venice
Galleria dell'Accademia. It is one of the finest specialist collections of European art, following the history of Venetian paintings from the 14th to 18th centuries.
The Peggy Guggenheim Collection with works of her favourite modern artists, representing most of the major movements of the 20th century. Picasso, Mondrian, Kandinsky, Ernst, Chagall, Klee, Mirò, Dalì, Pollock, Magritte and Bacon are all represented.
The Arsenale, the greater medieval shipyards in all Europe and source of wonder to allwho visited. The dockyards were founded in 1104 and at their peak were home to 300 shipping companies and employed up to 16,000 people.
The Museo Correr is dedicated to the art and history of Venice.

Casino
There are two Casinos in Venice. The Casino Municipale is located in the elengant Palazzo Vendramin-Calergi, on the Grand Canal. The charm of the splendid halls decorated magnificently adds to the magic of the green tables and creates a background, unique to the exciting nights that the gaming house knows how to offer its guests. The second one, the Venice Casino, Italy's premier mainland gambling house is located near the airport.

The Lido
The Lido forms a land barrier between the lagoon and the Adriatic Sea. It became a fashionable seaside resort around the late 19th centuryand its more glorious days are depicted in Thomas Mann 's novel "Death in Venice". The "Palazzo del Cinema" hosts Venice's International Film Festival each september.

Murano
This island of the lagoon is famed as the home of Venice's glass-blowing industry, since the 10th century. There are numerous "furnaces" to visit where you can watch the glass-workers in action. The "Museo Vetrario" contains some exquisite pieces and a fascinating exhibition on the history of Murano glass techniques.

Burano
Famous for its lace industry, Burano is a pretty island with a fishing village. Its street and canals are lined with bright, pastel-coloured houses. There is a lace school opened in 1872 and a museum showing also works dating back to the sixteenth century.