Venice - the magical city of canals - is annually transformed into an amazing spectacle of drama, where the 17th century comes to life.

The birthplace of romance, the home of Casanova, Venice is where magic and mystery combine in a vibrant carnivale. Turning on the charm, the city is transformed into paradise with fairytales, costume balls, magnificent art, palaces, fine dining and luxury united in celebration.

It is a voyage of discovery into a fantastic world of music, theatre and games, a whirling universe of people from around the world experiencing the masks, drama and the make-up.

Built on water by men who dared defy the sea, Venice is a place like no other. Shimmering sunlight and silvery mists veil the city, softening every perspective, making it easy to understand how it became renowned for its artists’ rendering of colour. Its most famous buildings, the Basilica di San Marco and the Palazzo Ducale, are exotic mixes of Byzantine, Gothic and Renaissance architecture. It is a place enriched with secrets, inexpressibly romantic and at times given over entirely to pleasure.

A 10-day celebration, the city’s carnivale each February inspires all to transform themselves into living pieces of art by donning elaborate masks and costumes that evoke styles from the past to parade along the famous canals. While most visitors choose to merely watch the grand spectacle of the street parades of costumes, music and performers, some do take part.

The Angel’s Flight marks the start of the carnivale, with a young woman in white gliding down from St. Mark’s Campanile tower in a traditional opening ceremony.

With ancient origins, the carnivale greets the passing of winter into spring, a period in which everything is connected, its success rooted in illusion, with the humble classes treated on par with the powerful, since everyone is disguised behind a mask and the wearer can be anyone individually desired.

To witness the carnivale is to enter into a different time. Each year has a different, underlying theme that is developed under various points of view, from culture to pure spectacle. For almost two weeks St. Marks’ Square, the theatres, streets and public buildings become the centre of numerous shows, with actors, acrobats, fire-eaters, dancers and musicians bringing a celebratory atmosphere to the city, similar to the 17th century.

Carnivale is topped off with a ball for the glitterati - the Il Ballo Del Doge - held at the 15th century Palazzo Pisani Moretta. Visitors and locals alike don period gowns and dress to act and drink like the nobles of old Venice by sampling cioccolatte, a jasmine-infused hot chocolate. The ball is named after the Doges who once ruled Venice, with the palace featuring frescoes by Tiepolo and Guarona, and its grand sweeping marble staircases and two marble floors candle-lit by Murano glass chandeliers.

Four hundred guests attend the ball, all making grand entrances by gondola or boat to enjoy a fine dinner plus entertainment including opera singing and minuet lessons.

More than 500,000 visitors’ bask in the spirit of the carnivale. With reality and illusion merging, past and present mix in a truly unique and unforgettable experience.

But visitors should be warned to expect more, much more, than they ever imagine, for Venice is the city of surprises.