For those of you who don’t know what to expect from it, be ready for the unexpected. Hopefully you will be enchanted by a foggy day, where people with long cloaks and masks mysteriously appear and disappear on the ancient Venetian alleys, or maybe you will be lucky enough to experience Venice under a blanket of snow as it is today.

One of the first things for you to do once in town, is to get a costume and a mask. There are various Venetian costume-shops where you can choose from dozens of rental costumes. Not only to show off in St. Mark’s square but even in local private parties. For a XVIII century Venetian dress be ready to spend around 150-200 euros for the first day and around 50-70 euros for the next one.

But if you are on a budget or interested in something still typical but more intriguing, this is what we suggest. Find yourself a white or gold ‘bauta’ (plain typical Venetian mask which should cost between 10-17 euros) a pair of black or white gloves and a long black cloak. Put some white make up on your face, a beauty-spot on your cheek, red lipstick (even for men) and you are done!! You will certainly be asked to pose for tourists pics. Also, do not wait for a party to get masked. On those days you are allowed to mask yourself everywhere everyday. At least this was in the past. You can then take your mask home with you as a souvenir or a gift from your Venetian trip!