
Autore: TouringDifferent


What is sustainable tourism?
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Use environmental resources maintaining essential ecological processes and helping to protect natural heritage and biodiversity.
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Respect the socio-cultural environment of host communities and preserve their cultural heritage and traditional values.
- Secure long-term economic operations, providing socio-economic benefits to all the businesses that are distributed in the area.
Massive tourism in Venice
Sustainable tourism in Venice
How to be a sustainable tourist
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Venice is a tiny city. Yes we know there are no cars, but this doesn’t mean there are no rules to be followed. When you are walking down its streets, try and keep your right so that there is always some space on the other side for people to pass. Try not sit on the bridges or on the steps of someone’s house, especially if your idea is eating there as well. Instead look for areas with benches and trees like the one in front of the train station or the beautiful Sant’Elena gardens in Castello district. Venice is like an open air museum so it is our job as locals and yours as visitors, to all play our part respecting and taking care of it.
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Try and avoid restaurants with pictures of food and insisting waiters inviting you in. Choose tiny and cozy places, away from the crowds, that offer a great variety of fish. We are not saying it is not appropriate to have a carbonara in Venice, but make sure that is not the first option on the menu.
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Try and buy traditional products in local shops. To go back to the masks, make sure they are papier-mache and look for business with “paint your own mask” option and maybe a tiny laboratory inside. As far as Murano glass is concerned, the best thing you can do is to purchase directly on Murano island so that you are sure you’re buying something authentic, really hand made.
Future perspectives

Carnival in Venice

Carnival in Venice
Carnival is the most popular festival in Venice, its origins in the city date back to the 13th century when the Doge made it a public holiday. Originally Carnival in Venice started on the 26th of December and lasted for several weeks until the beginning of Christian Lent. Carnival was an occasion of social release. People were gathering together celebrating by eating the most tasty food and dancing all day long.
How Carnival developed?
Throughout the centuries Venetian Carnival has become famous all over Europe. People from other countries arrived in Venice to enjoy the celebrations. That way, Carnival quickly turned into a luxurious festival with elaborated costumes and masks. In that period there were parties all over the city inside the beautiful palaces on the Gran Canal. To attend those parties masks were mandatory! This way you didn’t know who the person in front of you was! You could party with a sailor, a nobleman, an actress, a commoner and you didn’t care! The idea was that of hiding your identity and your social standing in order not to judge or to be judged by anyone. You can guess that anything could happen in those occasions…and when we say anything, we really mean anything! This general freedom also had some negative outbound. Crime began to raise. With the mask on criminals were unpunished, they couldn’t recognize them! That’s why the Republic of Venice started imposing some rules to control Carnival. They forbade to wear a mask in the streets after dark. They also abolished them inside churches, monasteries and convents. We can say that even friars and nuns enjoyed celebrating Carnival!
Carnival and masks
On the bright side that of producing masks became an actual art. Venetian mask makers used their talent and creativity. They made masks with papier mache and decorated them with pearls, feathers and glitters. They could be colorful, extravagant and lavish, never sober! This is a tradition that has survived up to current days. The mask is still the most typical souvenir in Venice. If you get lost in the little alleys you can find laboratory shops and even craft your own mask.
The most famous traditional Venetian masks
BAUTA: it is the quintessential mask of Venetian tradition. It was particularly popular inside casinos (houses for gambling and brothels). As a matter of fact, its beak like shape allowed people to eat and drink without taking it off. It was also a way to disguise your voice.
MORETTA: it was a small black velvet mask. It had French origins and it was exclusively for women. Guess why? In order to wear it, they must held it in their mouth. In this way it was impossible for those women to talk! This silence was a weapon of seduction as it added a huge amount of mystery to the game.
PLAGUE DOCTOR: originally doctors used this mask during plague epidemics. It has got a long beak where they put dried herbs and flowers to avoid breathing the bad smell of their patients! The length of the beak also allowed them to maintain some distance from the corpses.
Carnival today
After many centuries of fun and great celebrations Carnival in Venice ended with the Napoleonic invasion that started in 1797. The darkest pages of Venetian history corresponded to the end of this magnificent Festival. Venetians would have to wait until contemporary times to bring the spirit of Carnival back to life. As a matter of fact, it was only in the 70’s that a group of students and local associations started organizing the first parades with music, costumes and masks. Today the main celebrations are held in Saint Mark’s Square. They still organize splendid balls inside the palaces on the Grand Canal. Tickets can be very expensive but we believe it is one of those lifetime experiences you must live at least once. Unfortunately the covid-19 pandemic has forced the cancellation of all public events. But don’t worry, Carnival 2021 will be an online event. For more info, check this link out! Fingers crossed for next year! We are looking forward to meet you soon in Venice to host you in one of our tours and have a nice spritz together…who knows, maybe right during Carnival time!
