How to Fly to Venice for Carnival

Venice has held Carnival within its watery city limits since 1268, with some disruptions during World War II. The key feature of Carnival in Venice is the use of masks created by artisans called mascheran. You can enjoy Carnival and the majestic features of Venice by flying into the city at the beginning of February.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Make Your Way to Venice

1. Map out the distance from the three airports in the Venice area to your hotel to find the right place for arrival. The closest airport to Carnival celebrations in Venice is Marco Polo International, which is one hour away from the city. You should remain flexible as you fly into Venice by looking at flights into nearby Treviso and Trieste international airports.
2. Book a flight into London from the United States to take advantage of British low-cost carriers. There are a dozen smaller airlines, such as EasyJet and Ryanair, that fly out of London into Venice on a daily basis. You can save hundreds of dollars by taking this indirect path to Carnival.
3. Stop at various European cities as you fly to Venice using connecting flights. Major European cities such as Frankfurt and Paris have international airports where you can transfer from your domestic carrier to a European carrier on the same ticket. You can avoid exhaustion from sitting on a plane for hours and see Europe as you head to Carnival.
4. Utilize the Trenitalia system from Marco Polo International to reach Venice without a rental car. This regional rail system runs past the airport several times a day and drops off passengers at the edge of Venice. You can purchase weekly passes if you plan on using the train to get around other parts of northern Italy.
5. Cut through the canals of Venice using the ACTV water bus system. You can reach different Carnival parties, concerts and celebrations in a leisurely manner. This system is inexpensive and traverses all parts of Venice.
6. Rent a car or truck at the airport and drive to one of the Tronchetto parking garages. These garages provide inexpensive daily parking at the outer limits of Venice and provide ferries and water buses into the city.

Tips & Warnings

• Travel directly from the United States to Venice for Carnival. The main route for travelers to Venice starts at New York City's John F. Kennedy Airport and ends in Marco Polo International Airport. There is also a recently opened daily route from Philadelphia to Venice.