Venice Carnival: 4-Day Trip

The experience

Discover Venice and enjoy a spectacular cruise as a GIFT to the birthplace of Murano glass, with a visit to a glassworks where all its secrets are revealed, as well as to Burano, famous for its lace.

Experience the incomparable Venice Carnival and be enchanted by the colours and scents of La Serenissima as she transforms into one enormous theatre stage! Put on your mask and let us take you on a journey!

Departure

Departure and return point: Athens International Airport “Eleftherios Venizelos”
Departure time: 10:10

01 / 04

Day by day

Itinerary

01Day

ATHENS – BOLOGNA – VERONA – MESTRE (VENICE)

We meet at the airport and fly to Bologna, with our final destination the city of the Doges and the canals, romantic Venice. On arrival, we depart for the city of Shakespeare’s eternal lovers, Verona, where we will admire the Roman Arena, the beautiful Piazza delle Erbe and Piazza dei Signori, surrounded by superbly preserved medieval buildings, and of course the Capulets’ mansion with Juliet’s legendary balcony. In the late afternoon, transfer to Mestre and our hotel. Check-in to our rooms & overnight stay.

02Day

VENICE (CARNIVAL VIEWING – costume contest) – MURANO GLASS WORKSHOP

Breakfast, and today we will have the opportunity to tour beautiful Venice and watch the Carnival. We take a vaporetto to Castello, the most beautiful district of Venice. We watch a costume contest in a colourful setting full of harlequins, Casanovas and marchionesses. Unforgettable images that will stay etched in your mind: gondolas decorated with flowers and little lanterns, along with spectacular handmade masks and costumes. On our tour of the city we will visit the Holy Metropolis of Greece in Italy, the Greek Orthodox Church of San Giorgio dei Greci and the Hellenic Institute. Through picturesque cobbled alleys, dazzling canals and countless palaces we will arrive at what Napoleon called “the most beautiful drawing room in the world”, Piazza San Marco. We will see St Mark’s Basilica, the famous Clock Tower of the Moors, the Libreria Sansoviniana, the city’s library, the “Zecca”, the old mint, the Campanile, the tallest building in the city, the Piazzetta San Marco, the old and new prisons and of course the famous Bridge of Sighs. Finally we will end up at one of the remaining workshops producing the famous Murano glass. Free time to take a gondola ride, have a drink at the square’s famous cafés and lose yourself in another era among the masqueraders. Return to our hotel. Overnight stay.

03Day

VENICE (Watching the Flight of the Eagle) – MINI CRUISE TO THE ISLANDS OF MURANO & BURANO (Carnival)

Breakfast and transfer to St Mark’s Square by private vaporetto. Today, according to the Carnival programme, we will watch the “Flight of the Eagle”, traditionally performed by an athlete! This impressive event began in 2012, following the success of the “Flight of the Angel”. It features a thrilling flight in which the Carnival eagle is launched from the parapet/tower of the bell tower of St Mark’s Church for a spectacular landing in the middle of the square of the same name, among crowds dressed in fantastic costumes and thrilled by the impressive spectacle. We will then explore a different side of Venice in a wonderful way. Crossing the lagoon, we will get to know two lovely little islands. Murano is a cluster of small islands linked to one another by bridges. It is known for its glass masterpieces, as the birthplace of Murano blown glass. Our second stop today is the little island of Burano, whose houses are all painted in vivid colours and which has a tradition of handmade lace. It is the liveliest island in the lagoon, yet at the same time the most peaceful, because there are no hotels, no rooms to let and of course no cars on the island. At midday the island’s local carnival parade begins. Free time and return to our hotel. Overnight stay.

04Day

MESTRE – BOLOGNA – ATHENS

Breakfast and departure for Bologna airport and our return flight.

At a glance

What’s included

Included in the price

Economy class air tickets Athens – Bologna – Athens with Aegean Airlines.
One suitcase up to 23 kg & one piece of hand luggage up to 8 kg per traveller.
Accommodation at the selected hotel NOVOTEL VENEZIA MESTRE CASTELLANA 4* in the centre of Mestre, or similar, with breakfast daily.
Transfers and transport by luxury air-conditioned coach.
Sightseeing, excursions and guided tours as described in the detailed itinerary.
Civil/professional liability insurance.
VAT
The total cost of transport on the 2nd & 3rd days Tronchetto – St Mark’s – Tronchetto (vaporetto) & of the mini cruise to the islands of Murano & Burano (€50 in total).
Experienced tour leader - escort.