• Intrepid pedestrians navigate ice floes in Venice's St. Mark's Square

    Luigi Costantini / AP

    A woman wades through high water with ice floating on its surface in a flooded St. Mark's Square in Venice, Italy, early on Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2013.

    The natural phenomenon of high water ("acqua alta") which floods the Venice lagoon generally occurs between autumn and spring when high tides are reinforced by seasonal winds. The water reached a height of 143 centimeters (4 feet 8 inches) on Monday night. 

    -- The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse

    Barbara Zanon / Getty Images Contributor

    A man carries a woman during high tide in Venice on Feb. 11, 2013.

    Francois Xavier Marit / AFP - Getty Images

    Water rises on St Mark's Square during an acqua alta late on Feb. 11, 2013.

  • Santa Clauses surf, laugh and row around the world

    Luong Thai Linh / EPA

    Members of a Laughter Yoga club practice laughter yoga in Ly Thai To Park in Hanoi, Vietnam, on Dec. 23. About 200 members of the club wearing Santa Claus costumes gathered at the park to celebrate the upcoming Christmas and New Year. Laughter yoga is a physical exercise that has recently been imported to Vietnam.

    Made Nagi / EPA

    A Balinese man dressed as Santa Claus takes advantage of the good sea conditions as he goes surfing off a beach in Kuta, Bali, Indonesia, on Dec. 22.

    Manuel Silvestre / Reuters

    People dressed as Santa Claus row boats on the Venice canal on Dec. 22.

     

  • Venice sees highest tide since December 2010

    Marco Secchi / Getty Images Contributor

    A general view toward St. Mark's Basin is seen during the high water on Nov. 11, in Venice, Italy. More than 70% of Venice has been been left flooded after the historic town was hit by an unexpected and exceptionally high tide. The sea level rose very quickly to 150 centimeters due to strong southerly winds and heavy rain.

    Marco Sabadin / AFP - Getty Images

    A man carries luggages on a flooded St. Mark's Square.

    Marco Secchi / Getty Images Contributor

    A woman walks on a flooded street along a canal.

    Marco Sabadin / AFP - Getty Images

    A man sits in his shop as tourits walk in a flooded street.

    AFP - Getty Images

    People take a coffee in a flooded shop.

    Reuters

    A woman stands on a bench above a flooded street.

    NBC's Claudio Lavanga reports from historic Piazza San Marco, in Venice, Italy, where a storm surge combined with high tide left 70 percent of the city submerged.

     

  • Sailing away in Venice for the America's Cup

    Olivier Morin / AFP - Getty Images

    The America's Cup fleet compete during the America's Cup World Series Match-Racing in Venice's lagoon on May 18.

    Stefano Rellandini / Reuters

    An aerial view shows the Grand Canal in Venice lagoon on May 18.

    Olivier Morin / AFP - Getty Images

    France's Team Energy (L) New-Zealand's Team Fly Emirates and Italy's Team Luna-Rossa (C) compete during the America's Cup World Series Match-Racing in Venice's lagoon on May 18.

    Olivier Morin / AFP - Getty Images

    The America's cup fleet sails in front of of St Mark's square during the America's Cup World Series Match-Racing in Venice's lagoon on May 18.

  • Marco Secchi / Getty Images

    A woman dressed in a carnival costume poses for pictures on the side of a canal in St Mark's Square on Feb. 17 in Venice. The annual festival, which lasts nearly three weeks, will see the streets and canals of Venice filled with people wearing highly-decorative and imaginative costumes and masks.

    A masked gaze along the canals of Venice

    Nestled on a gentle lagoon, Venice is a world treasure whose timeless beauty encourages all manner of excess - including the prices at Carnival time.

    The rest of Italy and the euro zone may be tightening their belts as a result of a debt crisis, but visitors to Venice in the two weeks before Lent begins can still indulge in a whirlwind of masked parades, costume balls, parties, brunch with "cicchetti" and live entertainment. Continue reading.

    -- Reuters

  • Manuel Silvestri / Reuters

    The traditional Columbine descends from Saint Mark's tower bell on an iron cable during the Venetian Carnival in Venice, Italy, Feb. 12.

    Columbine swoops over Saint Mark's Square to kick off Carnival in Venice

    ...the most famous event of the carnival was the "Flight of the Angel" or "Flight of the Turkish" or even "Flight of Columbine". An acrobat from a boat went along the ropes until the belfry of the St. Mark's Bell Tower, then descended on the Loggia Foscari of Doge's Palace where he offered a floral tribute to the Doge of Venice in person. Actually this event takes place in total safety and with a reduced route. It runs at noon the first Sunday of Carnival and marks the official opening of the event. During the two weekends of Venice Carnival arrive more than 100,000 visitors.

    -- From the Inn Venice city guide

    Related: 'It's a Snap' travel images on PhotoBlog

  • Ice clogs the canals of Venice, Italy

    Marco Sabadin / AFP - Getty Images

    A small boat passes on a canal covered with ice on Monday in Venice, Italy. Temperatures fell to 14 degrees Fahrenheit in Milan on Monday as 59,000 households remained without electricity in Italy and officials declared a gas supply emergency.

    Luigi Costantini / AP

    A view of the Cannaregio channel, partially iced because of unusually low temperatures, in Venice on Monday. Schools will be closed in Rome on Tuesday, as Italy copes with unusually heavy snow for the Mediterranean country. So far, ten deaths have been linked to winter weather, including two people who were crushed under a collapsed roof south of Rome, and a 91-year-old woman in the northeast port of Trieste who was knocked down by strong winds. In the north, rescuers had to pluck people from their homes, as piles of snow reached 3 meters (10 feet) in some areas. In Milan, Italy's fashion and financial capital, temperatures fell to 10 degrees Fahrenheit on Monday, and the authorities opened a section of the city subway to shelter some 100 homeless people.

    Manuel Silvestri / Reuters

    A boat floats in a frozen lagoon in Venice on Monday. Bitterly cold weather sweeping across Europe claimed more victims on Sunday, brought widespread disruption to transport services, and left thousands without power with warnings that low temperatures would continue into next week.

    More images from freezing weather in Europe in PhotoBlog.

    Related story: Venice rebels againts cruise ship intrusions

  • La Befana rows into the canals of Venice for Epiphany

    Reuters

    Men dressed as "La Befana", an imaginary old woman who is thought to bring gifts to children during the festival of Epiphany, row boats down the Grand Canal in Venice, on Jan. 6. The orthodox Christian holiday of Epiphany is observed as the date when the Three Wise Men visited baby Jesus.

    Marco Secchi / Getty Images

    Two of the participants sail under Rialto Bridge on the Grand Canal ahead of the 34th Befana Regata on Jan. 6 in Venice, Italy.

    Marco Secchi / Getty Images

    A participant of the Befana Regata helps launching a support boat ahead of the regata on Jan. 6 in Venice, Italy.

    See how others celebrate Epiphany in PhotoBlog.

  • Dancing in the streets from Rio to New Orleans: Carnival celebrations begin across the globe

    By Carissa Ray

    Performers on stilts in Rio, greased poles in New Orleans (to keep the revelers grounded - of course) and creepy masks in Venice. What's not to love about Carnival?  Read our travel stories about the opening celebrations in Rio and the huge crowds New Orleans is anticipating.

    Rodrigo Abd / AP

    This year's King Momo, the crowned and costumed Milton Rodrigues, center, dances as he holds the key of the city during carnival celebrations in Rio de Janeiro , Brazil, Friday, March 4, 2011. Covered in confetti and to the sound of drums, Rio's mayor Eduardo Paes handed the key to the city to King Momo, the mythical figure who reigns over the chaos of Carnival, officially opening this seaside city's five-day annual exaltation of music, booze and flesh.

    Radovan Stoklasa / Reuters

    Performers walk through town during the biggest Slovak carnival festival in Zilina on March 4. Some three hundred people from across the country wearing masks participated in the carnival. The carnival season called "fasiangy" takes place from Epiphany through Ash Wednesday in celebration of the end of winter and coming spring.

    Gerald Herbert / AP

    A member of the Krewe of Chaos throws trinkets to the crowd during their Mardi Gras parade on St. Charles Ave. in New Orleans on March 3. The crescent city expects its largest crowd for the annual celebration since Hurricane Katrina struck in 2005.

    Gerald Herbert / AP

    Participants grease the poles of the Royal Sonesta Hotel in the French Quarter of New Orleans, in preparation for Mardi Gras, on March 4. The annual event is to keep revelers from climbing the poles.

    Rodrigo Abd / AP

    A reveler on stilts greets a boy during a ceremony marking the official opening Carnival season in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on March 4.

    Barbara Zanon / Getty Images

    Two women wearing carnival costume pose in San Marco square during the Venice Carnival on March 4 in Venice, Italy.

     

  • Snow falling across Europe creates a wintry scene in Venice

    Marco Secchi / Getty Images Contributor

    Tourists walks in Piazza San Marco covered with snow on Dec. 17, in Venice, Italy. Snow has fallen across much of Europe today and is expected to continue over the weekend, causing traffic chaos and disrupting Christmas deliveries.

    Marco Secchi / Getty Images Contributor

    A Gondolier checks his gondola covered with snow on Dec. 17, in Venice, Italy.

    Marco Secchi / Getty Images Contributor

    A general view of snow falling along one of the canals on Dec. 17, in Venice, Italy.

    Marco Secchi / Getty Images Contributor

    A Gondolier helps a patron out of his gondola on Dec. 17, in Venice, Italy.

    By Carissa Ray

    The tranquil scene photographer Marco Secchi sets in Venice has a cinematic quality. For more images of winter around the world, check out our slideshow.

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