There’s something magical about Venice that feels like stepping back in time.
It occurred to me how you can feel as if you’re in a different era, simply while walking through the rooms of opulent Venetian palaces turned into museums or art galleries.
Then, one rainy afternoon, I got invited to the Venice Dress-Up Experience. Where I was able to dress just like Venetians did back in the glorious Serenissima years.
Yes, while I was on a recent trip to Venice, I got the chance to truly feel like a Venetian in the 17th and 18th centuries. This meant wearing elaborate dresses and masks, but also hats and other garments typical of the time period.
Costumes in Venice: a dress-up experience
If you want to transport yourself to when Venice was one of the wealthiest places in the known world, then this dress-up experience is exactly what you’re looking for!
This is not all about just wearing any random costume; it’s about stepping back in time and becoming part of the city’s rich, cultural fabric—if only for a few hours.
Below, I’ll share the following from my time on the Venice Dress-Up Experience:
- Why it’s worth it
- What the process involves
- How you can add this experience to your Venice bucket list.
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What is the Venice dress-up experience?
The Venice Dress-Up Experience lets you choose from a variety of costumes inspired by the Baroque and Rococo periods, allowing you to get a sense of what Venetian nobility wore during the height of their influence.
These costumes are not just for show; they’re carefully crafted with meticulous attention to detail, using fine fabrics and embroidery that make you feel like you’ve just walked out of a historical painting.
In fact, these dresses are crafted by one of the most important costume designers in Italy and come from the Atelier Nicolao. This is the same atelier where the costumes for movies like Pirates of the Caribbean and Elisabeth were made!
Once you’re in costume, you’ll get the chance to take pictures with your own camera. Then, at the end of the experience, each participant will receive 1 high quality professional photo (in format A6) that gets printed out there and then.
So make sure to have fun and take some of the best shot you’ve ever done!
Is the Venice Dress-up experience worth it?
If you’re asking whether this is worth your time (and money) during your stay in Venice, I’m here to assure you that it absolutely is. Let’s dive into three reasons why.
- A Deep Dive into Venetian History: Venice’s history is rich and colourful, and the costumes reflect this perfectly. By dressing up, you’re not just wearing a fun outfit; you’re stepping into the shoes of Venetians who lived during a time of great opulence and political influence.
- Experience the Carnival fever all year long: Will you be visiting Venice when Carnival is not happening, but would love to dress up? Then the Venice dress-up experience allows you to do that! You can wear an old costume like those seen during Carnival and have time to try many attires and garments.
- Fun culturally immersive experience: Whether you want to surprise your travel companions and do something completely unusual but super fun and culturally immersive. Or, have a passion for fashion of past centuries, the Venice dress-up experience is a unique experience to have in this city.
How to Dress up with Costumes in Venice
Getting started with the dress-up experience is incredibly easy.
For example, you can book your dress-up slot here and head to the newly renovated studio in Cannaregio, just a few metres away from Strada Nova.
When you get to there, you will start your session straight away and wear the costume based on your size, as well as try on various hats and accessories.
Leontine, the founder of the dress-up experience, will warmly welcome you and explain every detail of the experience. She will help you pick the right outfit while sharing curious facts and historical significance of each piece.
What happens during the Dress-up experience?
If you are a lady, then the first step is to take off some of your clothes, so you can wear a gown. There’s one dress option for each size. The men’s outfits are one size.
Once you’re in your new outfit, it’s when the fun begins! In the studio, there are different settings and backgrounds and you can take pictures and recreate scenes from the past as if you were inside different palaces of Venice.
You can also head outdoors, to the studio’s courtyard that faces a canal and take some lovely pictures even there. You can then try different hats and accessories until you find the best combination that reflects your style.
Likewise, you have around 1 hour to have fun wearing atelier made costumes, several colourful hats and beautiful masks! I had fun wearing hats of all shapes and sizes.
During the session, you can take as many pictures as you want, and then one photo per person will be printed at the end of the experience.
This way, you can take it home with you, and it will definitely make a lovely photo souvenir (I gave mine to grandma because I knew that she would love it)!
Things I liked about the Dress-up experience
Here are a few standout aspects that I liked about this experience:
- The costumes: The costumes are incredible. They are not made in series. They are all handmade by a close by atelier that you should visit too!
- The personalised experience: Leontine will be looking after you, from the moment you step in the studio till the end of your experience.
- The photos: It’s not just about wearing a costume, it’s about creating memories that you can look back on. We took amazing pictures that, when I look back at them, they really did transform me into an 18th century lady.
Dress-up with costumes in Venice
This is a unique and immersive way to experience Venice, whether it’s for yourself or a gift for a loved one, so why not book a Venice Dress-Up Experience session today?
This will give you the perfect chance to step back in time, wear stunning historical costumes, and of course, create unforgettable memories that will last a lifetime.
After all, where better to dress like Venetian royalty than in Venice itself?
See my guide on unique things to do in Venice to find more worthwhile experiences.
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