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Venice Carnival 2027: Dates, Masks and What to Book
The Venice Carnival 2027 runs from January 23 to February 9. Dates, how it works, practical tips, and the mask-making, costume and opera experiences worth booking.
The Venice Carnival 2027 runs from January 23 to February 9, 2027, and ends, as always, on Shrove Tuesday. For eighteen days, masks and costumes fill St. Mark’s Square, the calli, the narrow streets, and the canals of the city. Most of it is free to watch; what you book is the rest: a mask to make, a costume to wear, an evening indoors.
Updated September 2026. Dates from the official Carnevale di Venezia website, checked in September 2026. The organizers had not published the 2027 program yet; we will update this guide when they do.
Venice Carnival 2027 at a glance
| Dates | January 23 to February 9, 2027 |
| Last day | Shrove Tuesday, February 9, 2027 |
| Where | Across the historic center, with St. Mark’s Square at its heart |
| Program | Not yet published by the organizers (checked September 2026) |
| Cost | Most street events are free; some events, dinners and balls need a ticket |
| Access fee | Not in force as of September 2026; 2027 calendar not yet published |
How the Venice Carnival works
In fact, the Carnival is a season rather than a single event. The official program sets a sequence of shows, parades and parties across the city, while most of the atmosphere comes from the people in masks and costume walking through St. Mark’s Square and posing on the waterfront. Traditional moments include the Flight of the Angel over St. Mark’s Square, the Festa delle Marie and a water parade on the canals; their 2027 dates will be in the official program.
As a rule, the busiest days are the weekends, and above all the last weekend before Shrove Tuesday. If you are coming for the costumes rather than the crowds, a weekday morning around St. Mark’s and the Riva degli Schiavoni is the time to see them.
Practical tips
- Book a room early: the Carnival weekends are among the busiest of the Venice winter.
- Dress for the cold and the water: it is winter, and acqua alta, the high tide, can flood parts of the city.
- Ask before you photograph: most people in costume are happy to pose, but ask first.
- Check the access fee: it is not in force as of September 2026, but the city can reintroduce it.
What to book for the Carnival
We chose the experiences below on Viator for a rating of 4.5 or higher across more than 40 reviews, checked in September 2026. They run all year, so you can also have a taste of the Carnival if you visit Venice in another season.
Make your own Carnival mask
Affiliate link: Italy2Love earns a commission if you book, at no extra cost to you.
The Venetian Carnival mask-making class is a small-group workshop of about an hour and a quarter with a local instructor: you learn how Carnival masks are made and decorated, then paint and decorate your own, and take it home. Travelers rate it 4.6 out of 5 across 583 reviews, and prices start from about $80 (checked September 2026).
Dress up in Carnival costume
The Carnival dress-up experience with a photo souvenir lets you choose from period costumes, masks, hats and feathers at a studio in central Venice and pose in six different settings, in about an hour. Travelers rate it 4.8 out of 5 across 41 reviews, and prices start from about $87 (checked September 2026). Food and drinks are not allowed in the studio.
An evening of opera in a Venetian palace
At Musica a Palazzo, singers and musicians perform Italian opera in the salons of the 15th-century Palazzo Barbarigo Minotto, moving from room to room with the audience, over about two and a half hours with one drink in the interval. Travelers rate it 4.7 out of 5 across 801 reviews, and prices start from about $113 (checked September 2026).
The rest of your Venice stay
For the city itself, compare the St. Mark’s, Doge’s Palace, Murano and Burano tours, a gondola ride, shared or private, and a cicchetti and wine tour through the city’s bars. Plan the rest of your stay with the Venice travel guide, and check the latest on the Venice access fee.
Sources: 2027 dates from the official Carnevale di Venezia website; access fee status from the City of Venice (checked September 11, 2026). Experiences: ratings, review counts, prices and inclusions read on each Viator product page (product codes 21441P34, 485390P1 and 7083OPERA). Checked in September 2026. Featured photo: Amazone7, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons.
Carnival season starts in winter, so see our guide to Italy in January for weather, holidays and closures around it.
Planning the rest of your trip around Carnival? Our guide to Italy in February covers weather by region, the ski season and other February feasts.
Carnival crowds fill St. Mark’s Square, so book ahead: our guide to St. Mark’s Basilica tickets explains the named time-slot tickets.
The season before Carnival ends with the Regata delle Befane; see our guide to Epiphany in Italy.
Where to stay
Planning to spend the night in Venice? Book a central base and you will lose less time in transit, especially if you start early. Not sure which area to pick? Our guide to where to stay in Venice compares the best areas.
Affiliate links: if you book through them, Italy2Love earns a commission at no extra cost to you.
Compare places to stay in Venice →Frequently asked questions
When is the Venice Carnival in 2027?
From January 23 to February 9, 2027, according to the official Carnevale di Venezia website. It ends on Shrove Tuesday, February 9.
Do you need tickets for the Venice Carnival?
Most of the Carnival happens in the streets, squares and canals of the city and is free to watch. However, some events, dinners and masked balls need a ticket, and the official program lists them once it comes out.
Do you have to wear a mask or costume?
No. Many visitors do, and many do not. If you want the full experience, you can make your own mask in a workshop or rent a costume for a photo session.
Is there an entry fee to Venice during the Carnival?
As of September 2026, Venice’s day-tripper access fee is not in force: its 2026 trial ended on July 26, 2026, and the city has not yet published a calendar for 2027. Check the City of Venice’s official site before you travel.
When is the Venice Carnival least crowded?
Weekdays are calmer than weekends, and the opening days are usually quieter than the final weekend before Shrove Tuesday.
Book it: experiences for this trip
Matched to this article by place and interest, then ordered by Viator rating and number of reviews (checked October 2026). Prices and availability are shown live on Viator.
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