Ciao and welcome to Immersion Travel Italy, the podcast where we don’t just visit Italy, we experience it. Hosted by travel author and festival enthusiast Katerina Ferrara, each episode takes you deep into Italy’s heart and soul: from candlelit processions and centuries-old traditions to unforgettable festivals that bring entire communities together.

🎭 In this episode, we’re heading to Venice, city of canals, mystery, and theatrical splendor, to talk all things Carnival.
Katerina is joined by Eveline Baseggio, a brilliant Italian teacher, art historian, and cultural guide with a Ph.D. in Art History, who has dedicated her career to bringing Italian culture to life for students around the world. Eveline not only knows Venice intimately, she’s leading an extraordinary Carnival tour next February that blends art, history, fashion, and immersive experiences in one of the world’s most magical festivals.

✨ Topics covered in this episode:

• The origins of Venice’s Carnival and how it became the most theatrical celebration in Europe during the city’s Golden Age.

• Why Carnival captures Venice’s true essence, its theatricality, mystery, and civic traditions.

• Eveline’s behind-the-scenes look at planning an exclusive Carnival experience: from finding hidden hotels through personal connections to arranging tailor-made costumes and private photographers.

• Unique workshops where guests craft their own Venetian masks and even create personalized perfumes, echoing 17th- and 18th-century traditions.

• How fashion, art, and seduction intertwined in Venice’s Carnival, with references to Canaletto, Tiepolo, and the city’s distinctive cultural codes.

• The importance of slowing down, learning the stories behind places, and embracing immersive experiences rather than racing through a checklist.

• Eveline’s personal memories of Venice — walking quiet, foggy calli at night, discovering architectural details, and savoring moments when the city feels like it has slipped back in time.

🌊 Along the way, Katerina and Eveline share their shared passion for authentic cultural immersion, from visiting mosaic artists in hidden workshops to meeting the last battiloro (gold beaters) of Venice, families who keep ancient crafts alive. They discuss how meaningful encounters and hands-on experiences create lasting travel memories, whether it’s a cooking class in Sicily or a masked ball in Venice .

🎟️ Eveline’s upcoming Carnival tour offers rare access and small-group intimacy during Venice’s busiest season, including a tailored costume fitting, attendance at a masquerade ball, and curated art visits designed to make travelers feel like they’ve stepped into a painting. She shares how language immersion is woven into the journey, making it accessible for learners at all levels.

📌 Links & Resources (Eveline is closing the Venice Tour Registration October 16, 2025 but check Collina Italiana for other tours)

• Eveline’s tours: https://collinaitaliana.com/

• Email Eveline: [email protected]

• Katerina’s Venice Travel Guide: https://amzn.to/48OhHfT

🎧 Whether you’ve dreamed of gliding through misty canals in costume, attending a Venetian ball, or simply want to understand the deeper cultural layers behind this iconic festival, this episode will transport you straight into the magic of Carnival.

☕ So grab your espresso and join us as we go behind the mask in Venice.