The charm of Venetian culture is best experienced during the marvelous festivals and carnivals that are the highlight of local cultural life. The most attractive event is undoubtedly the Carnival: a splendid celebration that makes both locals and tourists forget everything else within the eight days in January (or February) each year when this colourful event is carried out. The programme consists of a row of concerts, balls, theatre performances and emblematic processions with masked participants. Namely, the rich decorated masks and costumes with magnificent ornaments represent the major appeal of Carnival. Their mass production has become one of the most profitable branches of tourist industry in the city. The Venetian Carnival is the second most renowned and spectacular event of this kind in Europe after the Fasching in Germany. Carnival first appeared as a typical Catholic custom and its origins can be traced back to the 18th Century, when the glorious winter parties took place on the streets of Venice.

Venetian architecture and urban planning are also a characteristic feature of local culture. Splendid imposing palaces, cathedrals and churches reveal the high level of development of Venice’s economy and society during different historical periods, particularly the Renaissance. These cultural monuments of extraordinary significance symbolise Venice worldwide, as the countless canals and waterways are widely recognised as one of the most miraculous facilities in urban planning – ever. They give the ‘City of Water’ its unmatchable romantic and glamorous ambience.