Infused with romance and mystery, decadence and revelry, The Venice Carnival has been luring masked merrymakers to the canal-crossed city for centuries. This year's event takes place through February 16, and with a theme like "Sensation: 6 senses for 6 districts," it's sure to be a magnificent spectacle of food, drink, music, dancing, and fabulous costumes.

Begin your grand Carnival experience with hot chocolate and sweets in the Hotel Danieli's elegant lounge, then cap off the evening with dinner and minuet dancing beneath the Murano glass chandeliers of the hotel's lavish ballroom. "Le Rois Dansent" is an opulent party modeled after one of Louis XIV's own extravagant affairs, while "Casanova's Ball" promises an evening of glittering seduction in candlelit gardens and palace ballrooms. Concerts, cocktail parties, historic parades, festivals of period costume, gondola tours, and dozens of costume balls round out the Venice Carnival's rich program. You'll be swirling with delight from morning's Baroque brunches, through the day's dizzying array of activities, until you collapse upon your regal bed at the marvelous Hotel Danieli, a 14th century palazzo outfitted for a legendary noble like the Sun King himself. Just remember to pack a costume and mask to match the extravagance of it all, or contact the hotel for advice on where to rent them. Venice Carnival is one of the world's oldest and most beloved traditions. Ever been? Share your stories.