Venetian Carnival Mask Making Class in Venice, Italy
Recommended by 91% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
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 local instructor 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
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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
- 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 595 reviews
Review summary
Last 12 months
110 reviews
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Travelers praise the tour guides for their deep knowledge and engaging storytelling about Venetian masks and Carnival traditions, highlighting their patient and personalized teaching style. The family-friendly mask-making activity is noted for its creative, hands-on approach and variety of styles, offering an inclusive environment that appeals to all ages. This culturally rich experience is frequently described as memorable and educational, providing lasting keepsakes and enjoyment for both children and adults.
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This was a unique experience off the beaten path in Venice. It was a fun way to learn about Venice culture and use our creativity!
This was one of the top 3 activities we experienced during our entire trip to Italy. It was a very small local shop and we were able to pick which mask we wanted to paint. We got to choose the colors and the artist walked us through it all. She finished the mask with her own final touch. 10/10!! HIGHLY recommend. Owner had been creating masks for over 25 years. Her entire family are artists and contributes to the business. We were the only ones in the shop with one artist. It was peaceful and was very enjoyable. We were able to take our mask with us immediately. Very reasonably priced.
A truly one of a kind experience. My 10 year old son loved every minute of it. I highly recommend this for anyone traveling with children.
Response from Host, Oct 2026
Dear Guest, We appreciate your feedback. Thank you and we hope to see you in Venice again. Regards, Customer Care Team
A very fun experience. It was a small group of 5 people. We were given the choice of which mask and what colors. After painting Nichole (?) explained the history of masks and story behind each type of mask
We had a great time. It was a perfect
Souvenir to bring back home. We learned all about Carnivale from the master
This experience was very much worth the money, it was a lovely chilled out time. Giorgio, who does the experience was one of the nicest people ever and very patient.
A wonderful experience the instructions were easy to follow and the finished product will be hanging on the wall when we get home. We thoroughly enjoyed it. Would definitely recommend.
One-time totally amazing experience! George, an authentic artist in painting these faces was so helpful throughout this mask painting experience and gave us the history behind it which we felt like it made our experience even better. We would suggest this class to anyone and everyone when visiting Venice.
I was the only person in there. It is a small shop but that's its charm. It is a family business and the nephew of the owner showed me how to make it. I had many options to chose from and colors. I had fun!
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Dear Guest, We appreciate your feedback. Thank you and we hope to see you in Venice again. Regards, Customer Care Team
Fun activity for kids and grown ups. You choose your mask, and after a short explanation from the master, you choose your colors and work on your mask. Don’t worry the person will help you along the way and will upgrade your mask at the end. You can obviously buy masks from him. A small place, a bit hot in a summer afternoon but great experience for the family.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Dear Guest, We appreciate your feedback. Thank you and we hope to see you in Venice again. Regards, Customer Care Team
This was the most brilliant experience with both adults and. 12 and 13 yr old loving it. The timing was perfect with just over an hour. Painting a mask with guidance from a master was such a unique and creative experience in itself but also understanding the history of masks in Venice just completed what was undoubtedly an absolute highlight of our 10 day Italian journey
What a wonderful activity this was, a highlight from our short visit to Venice! We loved spending time in this family-run atelier surrounded by all of the beautiful-professionally made masks and learning the fascinating stories behind many of them. Painting our own masks was so much fun and they looked great! Our kids are thrilled to bring home these special souvenirs and memories and have already asked if we could go back for another visit and to paint more masks. I would not hesitate to book this again, thank-you!
By far the best thing that we have done!!! Nicholas was so awesome and so wonderful at explaining everything and very informative about alot of history in mask making.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Dear Guest, We appreciate your feedback. Thank you and we hope to see you in Venice again. Regards, Customer Care Team
This was a great activity for the kids and they left with a highly personal souvenir to take back home.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Dear Guest, We appreciate your feedback. Thank you and we hope to see you in Venice again. Regards, Venice Tours Customer Care
This was such a fun experience! We learned a little about the history of Venetian masks and received a lot of guidance on making our own. I'm so glad we chose this experience during our visit!
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Dear Guest, We appreciate your feedback. Thank you and we hope to see you in Venice again. Regards, Customer Care Team
Was quaint and nice owner. The masks were quite simple and he drew the pattern and final touches. Nothing fancy about masks for the price. A little underwhelming tbh. Wouldn’t suggest.
This was a very fun and unique experience. My kids are between 13 and 7 years old (boys and girls), and they all loved it! They can’t wait to display their masks at home. They were dry before we left, and they pack easily.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Dear Guest, We appreciate your feedback. Thank you and we hope to see you in Venice again. Regards, Customer Care Team
We painted a small white formed mask with acrylic paint. I was expecting a larger selection of more intricate masks to choose from and the opportunity to add feathers or some kind of accessory decorations. For this price I was disappointed. The mask was quite lovely once he embellished it with raised silver paint, but I would go in with a realistic expectation that you will be painting a simple mask. Very nice master painter.
Great experience. Wish it was a little bit longer. Anna our instructor was patient and kind. She explained very well.
This was a great experience that was relaxing but also educational. Our kids had so much fun and we loved the masks we made. I would recommend giving guests an extra 15 minutes if possible!
Lots of fun and you get a beautiful mask , teacher excellent 🙏😊 many colours to work with , and loved the prison
We had such a wonderful experience, we are a family of four with a 9 year old girl and 13 year old boy, we ALL had so much fun!!
I would recommend this experience to anyone walking around Venice, you see so many masks- both artisanally crafted and cheaply made for souvenir shops. It was so fun getting to create our own! The workshop offers enough guidance to ensure a beautiful finished product! Even my five year old’s mask is wonderful. I would also recommend this shop to anyone looking to purchase a mask. The shop owner is a true artist!
Great chance to create your own mask in a traditional place. Giorgio is very talented and willing to help you
My family loved making the masks. This is a must in my mind. What a souvenir to take home with us for a remembrance.
No artistic or creative skills required. A very lovely family activity indeed! My teenagers truly enjoyed the experience.
An awesome hands on experience with a true master of his art - George was excellent and his stories are a must!
Georgio is a very good and patient teacher. We were easily able to make beautiful masks even without knowing what we were doing. We got to choose a paper mask and our colors. Georgio helped with the design and putting on the finishing touches. At the end we each got to take a beautiful mask home. I highly recommend this for adults & children.
We had an incredible time painting Venetian masks—such a fun and memorable experience in Venice. It’s a perfect activity for both adults and children. There were four of us, all adults, and we laughed the whole time while getting creative. It’s a unique way to experience the local culture, and we each left with a beautiful hand-painted mask to take home. A truly special keepsake from Venice. Highly recommend!
First off, I must say this will be a slightly frustrating experience for creative people who may attend the workshop with their own ideas of what they’d like to paint. There is no such opportunity, as you are strictly told to paint within the lines drawn by the tutor in a uniform manner, and I don’t deny that he is a true atelier as the shop’s display of impressive masks speak for themselves, but the experience was a little deflating for me as I wanted to create something more exciting than what I ended up with.
My boyfriend really enjoyed the experience and we both came away with masks that were artfully finished by our tutor, but every time I look at mine I feel a little frustrated at all the restrictions placed about how it was decorated.
I also got the impression that the tutor was very introverted as he gave us minimal direction then went outside to smoke as we painted, only once making small talk and saying nothing of the masks or the history of Italian theatre. For the cost of the experience, I was hoping for a little more culture than just sitting us in front of three acrylic paints and told to colour within the lines…
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$74.75
per personWas $78.68(-5%)
up 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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