St Mark’s Square is the fulcrum of Carnival activities, and that’s where you’ll find the most extraordinary costumes - many hoping for a chance in the best costume competition, some aiming to be photographed, and others just enjoying themselves. You’ll find bemasked odalisques posing in any scenic spot of which, of course, there’s no shortage in Venice. Organisers this year are seeking to take the pressure off St Mark’s by luring evening crowds away to the Arsenale. This move is mildly controversial; it will, however, guarantee spectacular backdrops for what promise to be striking events.