Visiting the Carnival of Venice

I would like to make photo trip visit of Carnival of Venice for the first time.

Could anyone give me some tips about how to get there cheap; about hostels..etc..

And which day ( from January 25, 2008 to February 05, 2008) is the best to take photos of the Masks ?

I know that here are already answers to be found for most of my questions; but those are mostly outdated…So, I have thought that someone might have new, actual tip.

Thanks

An ex-colleague of mine took the night train there, and stayed in a youth hostel (I think she said there were 2 in the city).

Check around with the travel agents. Some of them offer a round-trip bus from Munich to Venice without an overnight stay in Venice (you leave very early in the morning, return early the next morning, and sleep on the bus.) Grueling, but easier and cheaper than having to stay in Venice. I'm afraid I can't give you any specific travel agents' names, but a friend of mine did this two years ago.

www.bennek-reisen.de have day trips in Venice.. but you cannot prolong your stay: and 1 day is not enough forcarnival, I guess

I've been to Venice Carnival every year for the past 5 years in a row. Although you may feel as if you havent seen all of it (and you wont), one day is good to go and take photos. What I've always done (and this year is no exception) is take a night train on a friday night, wake up in Venice on saturday morning, spend the day in Venice and then take the night train home again on saturday night and wake up in Munich on Sunday morning again. It works perfectly because when you get there early in the morning, usually between 6 and 7:30 am you have the morning light, which is the softest and most striking for photography, also its the time that the costumes are starting to come out, but most of those that are staying in hotels and hostels haven't gotten out the door yet, so the streets are empty. As the crowds get larger, it gets harder to get good pictures, but that isnt to say that it isnt possible.
Getting a hotel in Venice, for a decent price during carnival is next to impossible. Most people book a year in advance, thus the overnight train is your best option unless you've thought it out enough to book a hotel way in advance.
It's too bad you didn't post about this earlier, because this coming weekend (Feb 1st/2nd) is the last weekend of Carnival.
I booked my overnight train tickets a few weeks ago and I got the last of 5 tickets to Venice for this coming weekend...
Sadly, I don't think it will be possible for you to go this year, you can try, but if you manage to find a free spot on an overnight train this weekend there is no doubt you'll be paying through the teeth.
If you have any other questions about Venice feel free to PM me. My trip this coming weekend will be my 13th trip to Venice, so I can probably help you out.
Good luck.

Treviso, just north of Venice, is a good option to stay in if you can't find accommodation in the city itself. Whilst not on the scale of Venice, Treviso is also a canal city, and a pretty place in it's own right.
Takes about 20 or 30 minutes to get to Venice on the train, if memory serves.

There's no reason why he/she shouldn't take another train, is there?

Try these guys:
http://www.geldhauser.de/reiseprogramm/suc...ziel&land=I

I wanted to go this year - but I can’t unfortunately. I went on a similar bus trip once before (with Watzinger Busreisen), had fun but (my personal opinion) was disappointed in Venice - we didn’t see many people dressed in typical melancholic Venetian masks – they were rare, it was like 1 masked person in every 200 foreigners. When you finally found a typical Venetian masked person everyone flocked around them to snap pictures and then swarmed on to the next masked person. They were all like solo artists. You definitely will see more masked or dressed up people in Marienplatz on Faschingsdienstag.

But nevertheless it was an experience, and I would go again if I could.

Tip: If you have a bite to eat don’t go on San Marco's square - there are nice “Trattorias� in the alleys - you might have to look for them but they do exist and aren’t full with tourists or have outrageous prices. I found the people there very friendly; we even got a traditional Italian “faschingkrapfen’ free from the restaurant owner. We were the only foreigners there.

Enjoy yourself!

That's the problem though, all of the trains are booked up way in advance, the chances that there will be a free space 3 days before the last weekend of the carnival are not very good...

I have been to some very good Italian restaurants in my life but none of them have been in Italy. In Venice, like the rest of Italy, I found it difficult to find a decent place to eat. I think Venice has become a place just for the tourists.

I'm not sure how it is during Carnival, but sometimes in Winter you can get really cheap digs on the far end of the Lido. You'd have to take a 15 minute bus ride and then 15-20 minutes vaporetto to get to San Marco. There are several small hotels/B&Bs out that way.

Well I just had a random look and tried for 2 feb - 04 Feb and not only do they have room they still have the saver price for €146 they possibly have cheaper prices but I just clicked on any train...For some of the trains you can't book on line, but i'm sure if you toddle down to the HBF it won't be a problem. You could also try looking for somewhere to stay in Verona or Vicenza, also try this for hostels hostelbookers (I have never used them so don't have a clue if they're any good.) Here is the train site for Italy ferroviedellostato.it , can't find an English link though so good luck!!

I thought a previous poster said that the 2nd Feb was the last day of the carnival? So those train dates unfortunately may be too late, which is why they'e problably available.

I took the train to Verona and stayed there, and took the train from Verona to Venice ( 1hour) back and forth.

Its absolute crazy in the Main Square- so, don`t even plan to stay together as a group there. We made a set time to meet on the other side, all went thru the square at our own pace and then shared the photos afterwards. There were people all over Venice in Masks an Costume. Was so cool. But one day is all you really need.

True, But I have heard that the best day of Carnival is the last day ( 5 th February).. so there is still some time..
I have found accommodation already..

Now I have still problems finding out how to get there cheap? The 2 bus companies menthioned here I cannot use:

One is doing only day trips (no possibility to go back next day) and the other organise trips with accommodation only (and not in dates I would like to go: from 2nd or 3rd - 6th February)..

Any tips for another bus comapnies? Train is too expensive..

Might go on my motorbike.. but than how to avoid snow/ice on the street when driving trough the mountains?

thanks

I think the poster probably said (or meant) the last weekend, the 2nd can't possibly be the last day as Ash Wednesday is the 6th Feb. And yes the best days are crazy Thursday (31 Jan) Rosenmontag 4 Feb and the last day Faschingsdinstag 5 Feb.

You could try hitching!