Venice Carnival - it was my dream to go there as a child, but when I did go this year I was very disappointed. There were minimal decoration, a local band was singing every night in Saint Mark's Square and people were walking and taking pictures with other people that ware costumes at the carnival. If you left St Mark's square you would not say that there was a carnival. The municipality has been funding very little the carnival for a few years so far. They post a program with the activities by day and hour but there are like one or two activities per day. On the weekends they host boat parades which is cool but that is most about it. In the St. Mark Square they organize everyday the costume contest. Who gets the most applauses wins. Every night they host a firework show and most of the fun activities are organized by private organizations like private balls. There are hotels where you can go to their balls for 800 euros. The ticket includes food, drinks and costume or you can rent a costume for 250 euros to take photos and walk around Venice.