The Adventures of Giacomo Casanova during the Venice Carnival

The Carnival of Venice was undoubtedly the best time for every kind of gallant adventure. The party atmosphere and unbridled fun that was breathed and the few checks by the authorities were ideal!

A character who particularly enjoyed the Carnival was definitely the famous Giacomo Casanova (1725- 1798), adventurer and libertine, a symbol of Venice in the 1700s.

One evening during the carnival of 1745 Casanova and his friend notices a beautiful commoner from St Giobbe who was drinking with her husband and two other friends, and thought it best to organize an incredible hoax.

They stood by them as public officials and imposed her husband and friends to follow them to the island of St Giorgio, in the name of the Council of the Ten, leaving the unsuspecting woman alone in Rialto. After abandoning those poor fools in St Giorgio, Casanova and his friend returned to Rialto and led the woman to the 'Do Spade' inn where they had dinner and enjoyed themselves with her all night; after which they sent her home.

The Do Spade tavern, which can be traces back to 1488, still exists: amorous encounters no longer take place here, but one can eat well!

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