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This past weekend I traveled to Venice, Italy. The purpose of the trip was two fold: to see the city and to experience Carnivale, Italy’s version of Mardi Gras/Halloween. After an early train from Rome (via Bologna) we arrived midday to a sunny Venice. Because of Carnivale, the city was packed wall to wall with people. It took us nearly three hours to find our hostel, large in part because of my poor preperation skills with the directions. Another hour passed as we sorted out our hostel situation. We finally had a chance to explore the city and headed straight to Piazza San Marco, the center of Carnivale. There were thousands and thousands of people, many of whom were dressed head to toe in costumes.

I was told that many of the participants are wealthy Venitians who want to show their status. Others are fashion designers. It was quite the spectacle. In the square I met many friends studying abroad in other cities throughout Europe. It was great to see them all and catch up, even if just for a short time. As it grew dark, a small group of us took a gondola ride. It might seem cliche, but it was a very enjoyable experience. Venice and it’s many smaller canals are very different during the day than the are at night.

Afterward we ate a nice dinner along the Grand Canal near the Rialto bridge. The next day we failed to see many of the sites we wanted to see (Murano, the glass blowing island, Burano, the lace island, the bell tower and basillica at Piazza San Marco) due to the huge crowds. Despite missing all of this, it was nice to walk around and see more of the city. Although I had a great time, I would never go back during Carnivale. It was a very unique experience seeing the grand costumes and large crowds but I’d rather go back when it’s quiter and easier to do the things I want. Luckily, I will be able to go back when my Mom visits in two months!