Boats lit up in Venice for first weekend of carnival

Dozens of traditional boats illuminated by coloured lights and fires paraded to the sound of drums along the Grand Canal in Venice on Sunday evening in the first weekend of Carnival celebrations.

The parade, led by the "pantegana", a boat with a giant water rat, had been announced at the last moment, to avoid drawing the sort of crowds of locals and tourists that gathered along the banks of the canal before the pandemic to watch the show.

The festive procession, with performers wearing colourful, traditional costumes and masks, started from the Venice Casino. Over 100,000 people attended the first two days, more than half of them foreign tourists. This year the Venice carnival, runs from February 12 to March 1, leading into Lent.