Venetian Carnival Mask Making Class in Venice, Italy
Recommended by 91% of travelers
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Venice, Italy
- 1 hour 15 minutes (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Take a course on mask-making from a master artisan in Venice, and learn about the history of this ancient tradition. See the traditional art of decorating a mask and see what goes into the preparation for the Venetian Carnival. Then create your own masterpiece to create a special memory from your time in Venice.
- Small-group, Carnival mask-making class in Venice
- Learn the ancient techniques to creating beautiful masks
- Paint and decorate your own mask to take home
- Choose from several time slots to fit your schedule
What's Included
- Decoration course (you will get to keep the decorated mask)
- All necessary paints and supplies
- Live commentary
- Hotel pickup
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting points
Select a meeting point
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Itinerary
Head to Saint Mark’s Square, where your venue for the mask workshop is located. You’ll be in the heart of Venice, making it easy to fit in other sightseeing plans either before or after the class.
A Venetian master artisan explains the ancient techniques of creating beautiful masks out of papier-mâché. Learn about the traditions of Venetian Carnival and masks that stretch back centuries.
Then enjoy hands-on instruction in creating your own mask led by a master. After the class ends, participants get to take their masks home. Or, if you're in Venice around Carnival, then you can wear your mask and join in the celebrations.
A Venetian master artisan explains the ancient techniques of creating beautiful masks out of papier-mâché. Learn about the traditions of Venetian Carnival and masks that stretch back centuries.
Then enjoy hands-on instruction in creating your own mask led by a master. After the class ends, participants get to take their masks home. Or, if you're in Venice around Carnival, then you can wear your mask and join in the celebrations.
1
Piazza San Marco
1 hour • Admission Ticket Included
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Near public transportation
- Not recommended for travelers with back problems
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Most travelers can participate
- Tour does not operate in case of exceptional high tide (in these cases it can be postponed the days after otherwise it will be refunded)
- On certain dates, most travelers staying outside of Venice who are planning to visit for the day will be required to pay a €5 access fee. For further details (including exemptions) and to learn what days this fee is applicable, please visit: https://cda.ve.it
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 4 travelers
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.6
based on 543 reviews
Aaron_P, Apr 2026
This activity was a lot of fun and was a great way to get out of the bustle of Venice and do something artistic for a couple hours. It is a great activity for kids.
Learned about the history of mask making and use in Venice.
It is a cool little shop.
Lots of fun.
Joseph_A, Apr 2026
Loved the workroom and teacher....authentic experience with history. Wish is was little longer but otherwise good.
Sylvia_A, Apr 2026
The mask making class was so much fun.
Took the class with my sister & I wasn’t too thrilled about it but she wanted to go. I am glad we took the class. Even if we hadn’t decorated masks, the shop itself with all kinds of masks and what we learned about the history of Carnival would have been enough. The instructor was so knowledgeable and his family had been making masks for years & years. The class before us at 10:30 was big about 4 or 5. My sister and I were the only participants in the 12:30 class. It was nice having the instructor to ourselves to ask about the history of Carnival, the people who participate, and the party itself! You get to choose from 4 or 5 styles of masks to paint/decorate. You can get your inspiration from the masks that are hanging in the studio or you can just sit a moment & think about if you were going to Carnival & wanted to “mask up” what would you want to look like or be. For me, that was the beauty of this class, that for two hours you were able to just sit, be quiet, talk, and have a very talented & skilled teacher help you create another “you” through your mask.
If you are looking for something different to do in Venice other than just “see the sights” this activity is definitely the one for you. What I wish I had done was go next door & order a glass of wine to sip on while I was creating my mask (there is a restaurant right next to the shop). I’ll do that the next time!
Emma_C, Apr 2026
Great experience. Local shop super fun. Easy to find, owner was super knowledgeable and nice. Very small, was only us so it felt very hands on.
Allison_K, Apr 2026
What a lovely, relaxing way to connect artistically with Venice! This was a perfect break from touring and walking around for the kids, and we felt set up for success with the help to lay out a good color pattern on our selected masks. The master artisan added the final decorative embellishments while we painted the base colors, leading to unique and beautiful souvenirs that we are happy to have with us now!
Ava_W, Mar 2026
Painting a venetian mask was so much fun. I chose my colors and George created a space on the mask to separate the colors. He added the decorative design to enhance the mask. This makes for a memorable souvenir from my time in Venice.
Susan_S, Mar 2026
What an excellent teacher and so much fun! This is a family business run for several generations. Highly recommend!
Santiago_B, Mar 2026
What a great experience this was. In addition to the mask decoration, we also got a brief history lesson of the palace. This will be on our permanent list of yearly events to do. Highly recommend!!
Renee_Z, Mar 2026
Anastasia was AMAZING. She was an excellent teacher and guided us to make some fantastic masks. There were four of us in our group. Two adults and two children. She was patient and kind and made it fun and enjoyable. And even explained the history of the Venetian masks. We highly recommend this experience and Anastasia.
Jessy_B, Feb 2026
Not really offered in French contrary to what the ad says. Also: very crowded group. But fun experience especially with family.
Susan_W, Feb 2026
Wow, Georgio was great. The whole experience was very relaxed and so informative. His knowledge on the masks is second to none. I am not very artistic but I can’t tell you how pleased I am with my mask. It was such a treat.
Douglas_P, Feb 2026
We booked this in order to make masks for a ball we were attending that evening. We met the guide who showed us to the room where the decorating took place. They gave us our choice of masks to decorate while explaining the significance of each, and they also helped us to dry them so we could leave with the finished products. Very good time, we highly recommend it.
Patrick_W, Feb 2026
This experience was such a fun, unique break from tourist spots. The artisans were incredibly helpful and saved my mask from looking like a child painted it. A creative, memorable experience to share. 🎭 You also get access to the Maleficia exhibit.
Trisha_B, Feb 2026
It is done in this cute little shop. The father and son that run the experience do an amazing job. We had a lot of fun.
Jonathan_D, Feb 2026
Excellent opportunity to spend a rainy Valentine's day in lovely Venice. Generous with paint and decoration materials, friendly and helpful staff made this attraction be amazing.
Kristian_L, Feb 2026
A very fun evening painting our masks. The shop owner provided a little history on Carnival and various mask traditions/ designs. At the end, they tidy up and add a little flair to your mask so it looks a little more like a masterpiece, and less kindergarten painting (as in my case haha). Would recommend to couples and families.
Giulia_G, Feb 2026
Fun for couple/friends. Nicola was very patient with us, he hosted us in his atelier (max 6 spots) and explained us a very basic on the Carnival and the Carnival masks. It was really interesting and the workshop activity was fun and smooth, all done by ourselves with his final touch up. Also if you are not an artistic person you will enjoy the process!
Emily_C, Feb 2026
Class was very fun but slightly rushed. Recommend arriving early. However we had a wonderful time and a fun way to celebrate carnival as well!!
Jennifer_S, Jan 2026
Ten out of ten! Went as a family of four with college aged kids and this was our favorite thing. Learned from a mask making master… generationally passed down in the same family since the 15th century.
Stacie_S, Dec 2025
We had a woderful time making venetian masks with Giorgio! The workshop room was stunning on its own, with different types of masks to see. In between painting layers, he provided stories about the history of masks in Venice, and talked about the different mask types and how they evolved. This is a must-do activity when in Venice!
Paul_v, Dec 2025
Absolutely amazing experience. Georgio really makes the experience memorable with history about the masks and Venice itself.
Sreeja_G, Nov 2025
This was such a fun experience for us. Our girls 12 and 10 enjoyed painting the masks, and so did we! Giorgio was an excellent guide and regaled us with stories about his life in Venice. Highly recommend!
Charlotte_H, Nov 2025
The most wholesome morning! Giorgio, the owner was amazing! We spent nearly two hours not only painting our masks but enjoying his stories on the hortatory of the masks , and his personal travels on where the masks have and are taking him! We could have spent all day there
Kathryn_B, Nov 2025
Great location only 15 min walk to train station. Convenient for family of 5 to have 2 bathrooms. Really happy to have fewer tourists in the neighborhood. Everything in house was great - beds, seating options, towels, functional kitchen etc. Took family pics on balcony. Absolutely would stay here again
Stewart_M, Nov 2025
Make the time for this lovely relaxed experience away from the usual tourism when in Venice. An education in Venetian culture as well as a hands on workshop
Teresa_S, Nov 2025
Jo Jo our master artisan helps you to successfully create a mask. You do not have to be an artist. You really do create a mask that will be a keepsake! As an added bonus Jo Jo provides lively conversation which allows you to learn more about the history of Venice.
Kimberley_B, Nov 2025
The mask painting was lots of fun and our children really enjoyed it. They loved trying something different rather than museum trips and tours. It was interactive, educational and we walked away with some beautiful masks.
Erik_S, Nov 2025
Giorgio is a brilliant artist with exceptional talent and knowledge of the history of Il Carnevale and the making of Venetian Masks. Amazing tutor!
Elizabeth_C, Nov 2025
Artist provided good instruction on what to do, and also nice to get some history on the masks themselves. Fun activity.
Noell_M, Nov 2025
It was wonderful! Giorgio, the shop owner, was the most warm and inviting host:) his talents in mask making go well beyond just helping my husband and I create beautiful Venetian masks—he truly is a an incredible artist! His creations are stunning!
I can not recommend visiting his shop & painting Venetian mask enough! It takes the stress away and provides a beautifully meditative atmosphere!
Next time you find yourself on San Marco-stop by, say hi to Giorgio, paint a mask, and unwind!
From $82.51
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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Venetian Carnival Mask Making Class in Venice, Italy
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1 hour 15 minutes
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