VENICE

Engross yourself in excess and come with me to compare two Carnivals! First, I will share with you my love for and the romance that is the Venice Carnival. Next, we will travel to Rio for the magic of its’ Carnival which I will be experiencing for the very first time – with you? Travel with me in style to help me to decide which is best!

For ALL the love I have of Venice Carnival I have yet to experience Carnival in Rio. Come with me as I introduce you to one of my great loves, the familiar grandeur of Venice Carnival. And then, come join me for my first time on the utterly new and enthusiastic experience of Carnival in Rio and help me to compare the two.

There are SO many reasons you must visit the marvel that is Carnival in vibrant Venice! Many times have I been conveyed back in time to the 18th Century while attending. Best known for its’ elaborate masks, I long to show you so much more. Already a hub for global travelers long before the 18th century, with draws like the magnificent Grand Canal, St. Mark’s Square, Rialto Bridge, the Doge’s Palace and Saint Mark’s Basilica it was truly a destination for the worldly. Visiting during Carnival you are immediately drawn in by the party atmosphere where the wealth and luxury of its’ celebration is on full display. What I love most about Venice Carnival is the overwhelmingly festive and fun filled environment. Outdoor stages host wonderful evening performances and fabulous concerts from St. Marks’ Square to smaller piazzas allowing the music to permeate throughout the city.

Venice IS romance – certainly for me, and for many others as well. It blooms and comes to life at all the Carnival balls serving sumptuous banquets while providing eclectic renaissance entertainment of fortune tellers and court jesters. And oh! These balls! So many grand Venetian balls in their majestic palaces with their splendid renaissance rooms allowing you to enter a magical dimension where each detail has been taken care of rendering your Carnival experience as something absolutely unforgettable. All of Venice is dressed in striking traditional renaissance costumes and spectacular masks. (I immersed myself in full period attire complete with a magnificent mask and a stylishly traditional cloak – you will too!) You are no longer in the present day and the entire city is in on it – supporting this luxurious illusion. You are totally transported back in time. All of it will take your breath away, and all of it is a once in a lifetime experience NOT to be missed. I look forward to sharing in this transformation with you and showing it to you as the experienced Carnival goer I am.

RIO de JANEIRO

Whereas Carnival in Venice is of a time and singular place in history, Carnival in Brazil is a somewhat newer affair having only started in the 1840’s and featuring a number of cultures and traditions coming together to form what is one of the largest street parties in the world complete with parades and unique traditions. From the crowning of King Momo that kicks it all off to the Magic Ball at the Copa, we will be there for all of it in its’ Samba glory.

Electric Rio de Janeiro is the Carnivals’ capital city and host to the biggest Carnival across the globe, claiming theirs to be the reference against which all others are compared. The worlds’ largest street party begins when the king of mockery and satire – that which Carnival revolves around – is crowned King Momo and the mayor hands over the keys to the city. Samba!

The Sambadrome is the soul of the competing samba schools during the festival where they come to perform and compete for the winning title parading down the Marques de Sapucai Avenue. Over 70 different samba schools participate, each representing its’ own unique favela by expressing themselves in a combination of old traditions and modern ideas. We will have our own luxury VIP seating to view these elaborate choreographies and spectacles brought to life with ornate costumes and extravagant floats that inundate our senses as they parade on. At the end is the aptly named Apotheosis Square with its’ grand arches where parade members gather as they complete their procession, disembarking from floats and removing heavy costumes.

And now it’s time for us to dress! The Magic Ball at the Copacabana Palace is legend, luxurious and the grandest occasion of Carnival. At this elite event red carpet allure is the expectation – dress is black tie, gala dress or sophisticated costume, (opulent costume for me!) Whimsy and enchantment fill the air as we dance the night away. The glamour quotient is at its pinnacle with a host of celebrities in attendance.

The Carnival of Rio de Janeiro magically dazzles and glitters – entrenched in while celebrating its’ unique local history. Venice Carnival is a transcendary experience charming one back in time – which will I prefer…?