Essenze di Venezia

ESSENZA DI CARNEVALE 2023 As some of you asked – what’s the difference between contemporary Carnevale in Venice, and Carnevale of the past? 

So let’s travel back in time for a minute, say, to the year 1770: 

#1: In Piazza San Marco, there would have been a huge fair, food stalls, and a stage showing plays of „la Commedia dell’Arte“ (image #1 by Venezia Unica). 

#2: All around Venice, in the corners of the campi (squares) and along the calli (streets), there would have been fritoleri (vendors) offering frittelles (image #2 by Rosa Salva), and 

#3: in the 18th century, people would have enjoyed hot chocolate in the late afternoon at Caffé Florian. Wearing masks – watching commedia dell’arte plays, enjoying street food like fritole (frittelles) and drinking coffee and hot chocolate in one of the many botteghe del caffè (cafes) - image #3 by Caffè Florian.

#4: And then, on some evenings, participating in luxurious banquets, especially in the palazzi lining the Grand Canal (image #4 by Antonia Sautter Creations).