Few questions about Venice carnival...

1. Most of the action is really on the last weekend before Ash Wednesday.
2. I used to go every year when I lived in Florence. I had a hard time finding good reasonably priced places after September (about 5 months ahead), unless I was willing to stay out of the historical center (Mestre, Lido). However there was no internet then, just had to do lots of phone calls. A year should be enough.

If you an get your fill of the Venetian action on the weekend, then consider taking an early train (6 hours) to Ivrea for the Orange Battles (Sun-Tues at about 2 p.m., plus other events).

Thanks - good to know. I did bookmark an article from Italy Magazine about other carnival celebrations in other towns so that could be an option as well either before or after Venice.

I have been twice and just went this year. It is really amazing. The first time I was on my own with 3 friends and we book well ahead (probably 9 mos) It was expensive, but we were a few streets from the action and on a small canal. I think it was Hotel Nicolo (?) This year I ended up doing a tour with a bunch of friends and we ended up being there near the end. I wish we had come in a day or two earlier.
On our own we were there 6 days and managed to go to a 'ball'. We brought costumes (long silk skirt, black cape) and bought a beautiful mask in Venice. The 'ball' was about 120 but worth it. I can look up details if you are interested. The balls run from about 3000 down to the cheap one that we went to. We did not go this time and I really feel my friends missed a lot of the ambiance and spirit of Carnavale. We were arriving the day of that ball and I was afraid if we were delayed we would lose our money.

With my photographer friends we would get up every morning and go down to St. Marks and the Venetians would be out in their amazing costumes and very few tourists....
You can see some of my photos from that trip on my facebook page at Terry Kathryn Lawrence Photography.

It really was like being a part of a movie and Venice was the whole movie set. I have been at other times of the year, but the winter is really special.

Thanks TK - we've used Al Campaniel B&B three of our four visits to Venice, so I would try him again. I see his rates for the room we usually end up in is 55-100 euro - so I'm guessing at Carnival it would be 100 euro, which would be in our budget for that time of year.

As much as I'd love to do a ball, I know my husband would not be on board. And I know I wouldn't dress up (as fun as it looks). Mostly, I want to go for photographic opportunities and also to enjoy the gorgeous costumes and the goings-on.

Nicole...
Well, the dressing up for me was not a 'costume'... but you do have to have some sort of mask. It was called a ball... but what it really ended up being was a concert in one of the amazing villas. There were less than 100 people there. We were all seated in one room watching the performances... classical music and a singer I think. Then, they opened the doors to another room where they had a chocolate fountain, cookies to dip in the fountain, wine, coffee, etc. It was dubbed as the 'hot chocolate ball', and we thought we were paying for a cup of hot chocolate! However, it was the hot chocolate fountain and concert... pleasantly surprised.

If you can't dress up and be whoever you want at Carnavale, then when can you do it:)? It was truly a highlight of our trip.

I am not much for costumes either, but once we got there it was so much fun!

TK - I could def get behind a hot chocolate ball! My hubby is a total stick in the mud so I know he'd never wear a mask. I'm actually thinking of trying my hand at decorating a few. Have looked into buying some better quality masks to decorate, so maybe I'll make and take one with me!

Nicole, try this on your husband: If he's wearing a mask, no one will know it's him, so his stick-in-the-mud reputation can remain intact. (Not to mention that other than you and your traveling party, no one will know him anyway).

Nicole... ok, so we are all going to gang up on him so he will do this!:)
Actually, you really don't have to wear the mask... mine was one of those beautiful ones on a stick. It would drive me crazy to actually have it on all the time. We went to a mask making workshop this last trip. We learned about how the authentic ones are made and then we all picked out our mold and everyone painted their own. It was really interesting and a lot of fun.

So you just need to post on the travel partners wanted forum here for someone to go with you to the ball....
if I'm there I'll go:) Just make it an RS meeting and see how many show up!