MASK PAINTING COURSE
ca' Macana
Ca’ Macana is a wonderful Venetia mask workshop that offers a range of mask painting courses for children and adults. In Dorsoduro they have two mask showrooms, where you can see all their hand-crafted original one-off pieces and watch their artists at work, as well as two painting workshops.
The courses are extremely well organized. It’s a family-run business and their friendly and knowledgeable staff include people who speak Italian, English, French, and Russian. During the mask-painting course, children can choose from a variety of handmade papier-mâché masks that they then decorate themselves with beautiful paints, guided by an instructor.
FAMILY FRIENDLINESS
Mask painting courses are for children aged 4 years and upwards. There is a toilet on site, and they have aprons for protecting clothes. You can leave the children (maximum one hour) or join in the course yourself. Masks are ready to take home directly at the end of the course, so the kids will love leaving the workshop wearing their masterpieces!
INSIDER TIP
If you plan to drop the kids off an have an hour to yourself, pop round the corner for a quick aperitivo at Campo Santa Margherita, like at Osteria alla Bifora.
Course prices
A one-hour mask decoration course costs 49 euros per person (the price decreases the more people that you are in the group; 44 per person if you are two people, 39 per person in groups of three or more). Mask and paints are included, and your group will also receive a copy of their book “Masks in Venice”, which details the history and tradition behind Venetian masks. You can also choose private two-hour mini courses and during the year (especially during Carnival) they run various lectures and demonstrations (watch out for them on the official Carnival programme).
Address: Dorsoduro 3172 (note that there are 4 workshops and showrooms)
Street: Calle de le Boteghe
Nearest waterbus: Ca’ Rezzonico (line 1)
Phone: 041 520 3229
Closed: Open every day
Payment: Cash only
Opening hours: 1000-2000 (winter until 1830)
Website: www.camacana.com