Baroque Costume Dress-Up Photo Experience in a Palazzo Venice

A costume venue in Cannaregio

The experience takes place in a spacious and light venue of about 350 square metres in Cannaregio, the lively residential district of northern Venice, a short walk from the Grand Canal and from Strada Nova, the neighbourhood's main street. It is easy to reach from the railway station or from Rialto on foot, and the water bus stops on the Grand Canal are close by.

After a warm welcome you enter rooms filled with racks of costumes, accessories and painted backdrops. The venue is wheelchair accessible and the activity runs in any weather, which makes it a good choice for a rainy day. If you are looking for unusual things to do in Venice for an hour, this is one of the most playful.

Costumes of Baroque Venice

In the 17th and 18th centuries Venice was the most fashionable city in Europe for festivities: its carnival lasted for weeks, nobles hosted balls in their palazzi, and masks allowed everyone to mix freely in the streets and squares. Clothing was a sign of status, with silk gowns, embroidered waistcoats, lace and tricorn hats.

The costumes you wear are inspired by this golden age. The staff help you choose a gown or suit in your size and style, then you play with masks, hats and feathers to create different characters, from an elegant noblewoman to a gentleman of the Republic. It is the closest you can get to a Venice carnival costume experience at any time of the year.

Your portrait in the photo studio

Once dressed, you start in the professional photo studio, where a picture is taken of you in costume with proper lighting and a historical backdrop. This portrait becomes your photo souvenir at the end of the session, a keepsake that looks like a painting from another century.

The studio session is short and relaxed, and the staff help you with posing so that even people who do not enjoy being photographed feel at ease. Couples, friends and small groups can be photographed together, and you can change masks and hats between shots to try different looks. The result is a portrait that captures the spirit of Baroque Venice in a single frame.

Six settings indoors and on the waterfront

After the studio, the rest of the hour is yours. You move freely between six different settings inside the venue and outside by the water, taking as many photos as you like with your own camera or phone. Elegant furniture, decorated walls and the canal outside create backdrops that recall the palazzi of old Venice.

Because groups are limited to four people, there is no rush and no queue for each set. Many guests say this Venice photo shoot gave them the most original pictures of their trip, perfect to share with family and friends, and a fun change from sightseeing between museums and churches.