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Venice still magical as tourist-free carnival kicks off

Venice still magical as tourist-free carnival kicks off

Venetian artisans wearing a carnival mask and costume are pictured prior to take part in a demonstration of The Confederation of Venice Artisans (Confartigianato Venezia) at St. Mark's square in Venice on February 7, 2021, as the carnival is being cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The trade association represents and protects more than 1,500 small businesses, not only craftsmen, in the Venice historical centre, the Islands and surrounding municipalities. / AFP / Marco Bertorello

Venetians artisans set their carnival mask and costumes by the Bridge of Sighs (Ponte dei Sospiri) after a demonstration of The Confederation of Venice Artisans (Confartigianato Venezia) at St. Mark's square in Venice on February 7, 2021, as the carnival is being cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. / AFP / Marco Bertorello

A mask artisan works inside his shop during what would have been Venice's annual colourful carnival, but was cancelled this year due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, in Venice, Italy, February 7, 2021. REUTERS/Manuel Silvestri

A man wearing a face mask walks by the Rialto bridge in Venice on February 7, 2021, as the carnival is being cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. / AFP / Marco Bertorello

Seagulls stand on the Riva degli Schiavoni in Venice on February 7, 2021, as the carnival is being cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. / AFP / Marco Bertorello

A Venetian artisan wearing a carnival mask and costume is pictured prior to take part in a demonstration of The Confederation of Venice Artisans (Confartigianato Venezia) at St. Mark's square in Venice on February 7, 2021, as the carnival is being cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The trade association represents and protects more than 1,500 small businesses, not only craftsmen, in the Venice historical centre, the Islands and surrounding municipalities. / AFP / Marco Bertorello

Tourists wear colourful neckties on the Rialto bridge to celebrate Venice's annual carnival, which has been cancelled this year due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, in Venice, Italy, February 7, 2021. REUTERS/Manuel Silvestri

A boy wears a carnival costume in St. Mark's Square to celebrate Venice's annual colourful carnival, which has been cancelled this year due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, in Venice, Italy, February 7, 2021. REUTERS/Manuel Silvestri

A view shows the Doge's palace on St. Mark's square in Venice on February 7, 2021, as the carnival is being cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. / AFP / Marco Bertorello

A reveller wears a carnival mask in St. Mark's Square to celebrate Venice's annual colourful carnival, which has been cancelled this year due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, in Venice, Italy, February 7, 2021. REUTERS/Manuel Silvestri

Venetian artisans wearing carnival masks and costumes take part in a demonstration of The Confederation of Venice Artisans (Confartigianato Venezia) at St. Mark's square in Venice on February 7, 2021, as the carnival is being cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The trade association represents and protects more than 1,500 small businesses, not only craftsmen, in the Venice historical centre, the Islands and surrounding municipalities. / AFP / Marco Bertorello

A general view shows a deserted Campo St. Anzolo in Venice on February 7, 2021, as the carnival is being cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. / AFP / Marco Bertorello

Closed shops are pictured on the Rialto bridge in Venice on February 7, 2021, as the carnival is being cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. / AFP / Marco Bertorello

People wear carnival masks and costumes in St. Mark's Square to celebrate Venice's annual colourful carnival, which has been cancelled this year due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, in Venice, Italy, February 7, 2021. REUTERS/Manuel Silvestri

The owner of a mask artisan shop wears a costume to mark Venice's annual colourful carnival, which has been cancelled this year due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, in Venice, Italy, February 7, 2021. REUTERS/Manuel Silvestri

The Grand Canal is pictured from the Rialto bridge in Venice on February 7, 2021, as the carnival is being cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. / AFP / Marco Bertorello

People wear carnival masks and costumes by the Bridge of Sighs to celebrate Venice's annual colourful carnival, which has been cancelled this year due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, in Venice, Italy, February 7, 2021. REUTERS/Manuel Silvestri

People wear carnival masks and costumes in St. Mark's Square to celebrate Venice's annual colourful carnival, which has been cancelled this year due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, in Venice, Italy, February 7, 2021. REUTERS/Manuel Silvestri

People wear carnival masks and costumes in St. Mark's Square to celebrate Venice's annual colourful carnival, which has been cancelled this year due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, in Venice, Italy, February 7, 2021. REUTERS/Manuel Silvestri

A boy and Venetian artisans wearing a carnival mask and costume are pictured prior to take part in a demonstration of The Confederation of Venice Artisans (Confartigianato Venezia) at St. Mark's square in Venice on February 7, 2021, as the carnival is being cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The trade association represents and protects more than 1,500 small businesses, not only craftsmen, in the Venice historical centre, the Islands and surrounding municipalities. / AFP / Marco Bertorello

Mask artisan Hamid Seddighi works on a papier-mache mask laboratory 'Ca del Sol' in Venice on February 6, 2021, as the traditional Venice carnival is being cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. / AFP / Marco Bertorello

A view shows gondolas moored in Venice on February 7, 2021, as the carnival is being cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. / AFP / Marco Bertorello

Venetian artisans wearing a carnival mask and costume pose by the Bridge of Sighs (Ponte dei Sospiri) within a demonstration of The Confederation of Venice Artisans (Confartigianato Venezia) in Venice on February 7, 2021, as the carnival is being cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The trade association represents and protects more than 1,500 small businesses, not only craftsmen, in the Venice historical centre, the Islands and surrounding municipalities. / AFP / Marco Bertorello

A person wears a carnival mask in St. Mark's Square to celebrate Venice's annual colourful carnival, which has been cancelled this year due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, in Venice, Italy, February 7, 2021. REUTERS/Manuel Silvestri

A closed bar is pictured on St. Mark's square in Venice on February 7, 2021, as the carnival is being cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. / AFP / Marco Bertorello

A view shows St. Mark's Basilica and the Doge's Palace on a deserted St. Mark's square in Venice on February 7, 2021, as the carnival is being cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. / AFP / Marco Bertorello

Carnival masks are displayed at an artisan shop during what would have been Venice's annual colourful carnival, but was cancelled this year due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, in Venice, Italy, February 7, 2021. REUTERS/Manuel Silvestri

A child plays with their grandmother's wheelchair in St. Mark's square as people celebrate Venice's annual colourful carnival, which has been cancelled this year due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, in Venice, Italy, February 7, 2021. REUTERS/Manuel Silvestri

People wear carnival masks by the Bridge of Sighs to celebrate Venice's annual colourful carnival, which has been cancelled this year due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, in Venice, Italy, February 7, 2021. REUTERS/Manuel Silvestri TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

People walk across a deserted St. Mark's square in Venice on February 7, 2021, as the carnival is being cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. / AFP / Marco Bertorello

Revellers wear carnival masks and costumes to celebrate Venice's annual colourful carnival, which has been cancelled this year due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, in Venice, Italy, February 7, 2021. REUTERS/Manuel Silvestri

A photographer takes a picture of a person wearing a carnival costume in St. Mark's Square to celebrate Venice's annual colourful carnival, which has been cancelled this year due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, in Venice, Italy, February 7, 2021. REUTERS/Manuel Silvestri

Updated 9 February 2021 22:58

February 9, 2021 22:56

Sumptuously-dressed couples promenaded around St Mark's Square in the swirling fog as Venice kicked off its celebrated carnival this weekend -- without the usual crowds of tourists, absent due to the pandemic.