The Carnival of Venice is known for the elaborate costumes and the even more lavish masquerade balls. Those balls can cost hundreds of dollars per person to attend, and honestly just weren’t ever any interest to us. We much preferred to enjoy the free Carnevale events during the day, and to wrap up one of our nights with a masquerade Venice pub crawl. What better way to meet fellow world traveling masqueraders than to don a costume and go on a Venice Carnival pub crawl to some of the best bacari of Venice?
Venice Pub Crawl Tour
Despite Venice’s freezing temperatures, Tim and I braved the cold in costume and headed to Ca’ Rezzonico to meet our guide for the Venice bar crawl. One of the best Venice tours we’ve taken, we booked the Carnival Venice pub crawl several times over the seven years that we lived in a small village nearby. Our guides were always waiting, holding a lit up sign saying “I’m doing it Venetian Style”.
Me and Tim dressed up in our Venice Carnival costumes
Venetians call this pub crawl the giro d’ombra. Giro means stroll, and ombra — slang for a glass of wine — means shade. The tradition of giro d’ombra dates back to the old days, when a portable wine bar scooted with the shadow of the Campanile bell tower across St. Mark’s Square.
These days a giro d’ombra is a typical night out in Venice. Venice nightlife is about socializing over good food and drink, often moving from bar to another to meet friends.
Once our costumed group gathered, we were off to wander the labyrinth of small alleyways and campi (squares) on the Venice walking tour of tiny historic bars.
Making new friends on the pub crawl
Our first stop was Osteria Alla Bifora in Campo Santa Margherita. Here we enjoyed a glass of Prosecco in the former butcher shop-turned-bar, with chandeliers and exposed-brick walls dating from the 12th century. We were a large group and filled every single communal table. Picking a table at the very front, we got to know our new friends Phantom and Christine (aka Anders and Polina from Norway). Making friends that we’ve kept in touch with all these years later was one of the best parts of the Venice Carnival pub crawl, and embodied the true spirit of giro d’ombra, which encouraged Venetians to socialize.
History of the Venice Carnival Masks
Bracing for the cold, onward we went to Cantina Do Mori in San Polo. Do Mori looks like it’s been around for a long time, and it has. It’s a Venetian institution.
Various cicchetti on display at Cantina Do Mori
The narrow and dim interior is decorated with pots and pans hanging down from the ceiling, wooden tables with stools, and ciccheti displayed on glass shelves. Our white wine, a Bianco Friulano, was served straight from wooden barrels. Reputed to be the oldest osteria in Venice, it’s the one-of-a-kind-atmosphere that keeps the locals coming back regularly to this San Polo bar.
Cicchetti are various small bites
We continued on to the next bacari, Osteria Alla Ciurma, also in San Polo. The interior decor is reminiscent of a boat, which is exactly how this bar got its name. It is run by two chefs, father Andrew and son Francis. They offer a wide choice of Venetian cicchetti using quality ingredients, bought daily in the adjacent market. Try the Merlot Friulano here and the cicchetti prices are some of the best value in Venice.
Our final stop on the pub crawl was Enotecca Al Volto near the Rialto. The ancient wood walls of this nearly century old bar are decorated with more the 1300 bottle labels from all over the world. Sample a Venetian Spritz, a mixture of Prosecco and sparkling water with the apertif Aperol.
If you’re adventurous, you can certainly do a giro d’ombra on your own any time of the year. Don’t worry about getting lost. Just keep reminding yourself that you’re on an island, and a fairly small one at that. When you want to find your way, simply look for small signs on the corners directing you to the nearest landmark (for example, “per Rialto”).
Bars in Venice don’t stay open very late. And the cicchetti selection is best early when they open, so start your evening around 6pm. Most bars are closed on Sundays.
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Megan Indoe says
This looks like so much fun! To get all dressed up and go out in Venice at night like this is a new bucketlist item for me! I had no idea people did this! I seriously want to go right now!
Jennifer Dombrowski says
This is only during Carnival, otherwise people would definitely look at your weird if you headed out in period dress any old night in Venice!
Marlene Marques says
Venice Carnival and Italian food?! Where do I sign in! The places you visited sound really cool. And to be able to do the pub crawl in beautiful costumes it’s impressive. Did you bring your own costumes or did you rented them? If so, was it too expensive?
Jennifer Dombrowski says
Hi Marlene,
We bought our costumes. We lived just outside of Venice, so we attended Carnival all seven years that we lived there and made good use of our costumes. We’ve included how to buy them on Amazon at the bottom of the article.
Medha Verma says
I love your costumes! Pub crawl sounds like the perfect way to avoid the expensive carnivals and still make the most of the carnival vibe and meet interesting people. I have to make to Venice during the carnival, I so want to see all those gorgeous elaborate and colorful costumes.
Jennifer Dombrowski says
Well, Carnival itself is free. But there’s not much going on in the evening time since many people do attend the masquerade balls (which are very expensive). This is a really fun tour to do and have the spirit of a ball without the huge cost.
Indrani says
Ever since I have been to Venice some years back I have been wanting to see it during festive towns. The masks are indeed so artistically made and the choice of food seems great. I too wonder if they are in the expensive category.
Jennifer Dombrowski says
A mask? There are cheap ones made in China, which you find in many of the souvenir shops. But an actual artisan made mask can be expensive. It really depends on the style of the mask and how intricately it is decorated. They are handmade though, so it’s a nice souvenir to have and very Venetian.
Paige says
This sounds like so much fun! I really love that you get to do the whole thing all dressed up too! It’s too bad it’s only during Carnival time because it would be a blast. You’d definitely have to plan this out.
Jennifer Dombrowski says
There are cicchetti bar crawls on many food tours, but what makes this one extra special is dressing up for Carnival.
Archana Singh says
Frankly, I am not much of a drinker. But this looks like a lot of fun! I would love to get all dressed up and go out in Venice at night.
Renata Green says
While I’m in Venice every other year for the Biennale, I’m avoiding it during the carneval. Anyway, a pub crawl in Venice is a great treat – with all the aperitivi…. I didn’t know you can do it organized; I’ve been always crawling on my own 😉 and did get to know other solo crawlers. I guess this organized thing is good when you are a bit bashful.
Jennifer Dombrowski says
Of course you can. Cicchetti are traditional Venetian food and any food tour of the city will have some cicchetti bars on it. Good for you that you’ve already discovered cicchetti. We obviously, as two people that lived there for seven years, also went to cicchetti bars on our own. But this is a fun thing to do that people that don’t want to spend hundreds of euros per person on a masked ball can do and still get in the Carnevale spirit with others.
Claudia says
The Carnival of Venice would be an amazing event to attend, especially in costume! The giro d’ombra sounds like a perfect way to wander the streets and visit the tiny Venetian bars that remain in the city. Can you do the giro at any time of year?
Nisha says
I agree , some times you meet a few like minded people and a lifelong friendship is born. I would like to visit Venice more than ever during the carnival. And of course visit all those cicchetti bars in a mask 🙂
Adelina says
This looks like so much fun! I’d totally get dressed up and play along. The city sure looks yummy too. Perfect with a drink.
kendall zinszer says
Jennifer & Tim
I am thinking of taking my wife as a surprise trip to 2019 Carnival. We travel quite a bit and have been in Venice a number of times.(always enjoy our stay) Because of other commitments, we will not be able to arrive until Feb 23rd.
Here is my question. This will be a surprise, so I am trying to figure out how to get a costume for my wife to Venice without her know. I can buy authentic masks ahead of time and hide them in my suit case. My costume could be my Tux with cape and hat and fancy flowing scarf. Easy to pack.
Trying to pack a gown without her knowing and it fitting might be a problem. Also, we will be flying from the US and then on Easyjet so weight is problem. Is there a reliable custom rental company in Venice that I can contact that won’t break the bank?
Your thoughts are appreciated.
Kendall
PS I speak fair Italian and my wife is fluent in Spanish and French, not that it is important.
Jennifer Dombrowski says
Hi Kendall,
What a fun surprise!
Check out our article on Venice Carnival. There’s a section on some shops you can rent from and other costume tips. My own costume packed down easily and I would have been able to get it in a suitcase, so you might just consider bringing it with you. The costume shops will be quite expensive to rent from and you’d need to reserve ahead of time. https://luxeadventuretraveler.com/guide-to-venice-carnival/
Your wife will know about the surprise trip before you depart? Ordering from Amazon is definitely an option even if you tell her just shortly before the trip. Otherwise, you could check her clothing sizes in her closet and look at the size that will fit according to those measurements.
Hope that helps!
kendall zinszer says
Jennifer
Thank you for your kind reply.
I am trying to do everything without her knowing, until we get to Venice. I hoping to put a custom together for her secretly.
Any simple suggestions on custom that would work. I am looking to do the Pub Crawl and the Casanova Cocktail Party. I believe one needs a custom for the Pub Crawl but only a Mask and formal attire for the Casanova Party.
Any additional thoughts or help is appreciated.
Kendall