The historical origins of this annual event are still uncertain, what is certain is that we are most likely talking about the most original and colorful festival of all! Retrace with us the 5 best carnivals in Italy and dive into a world of masks, costumes, parades, floats, sweets typical of the period and local traditions.
Viareggio
A stone’s throw from the sea, on the splendid coast of Versilia in Tuscany, we find the first carnival of our tour. The Viareggio carnival , one of the most famous events in the whole peninsula, boasts over 140 years of history. The unique feature that often distinguishes it from other Italian carnivals are its satire-laden floats, with cardboard caricatures representing politicians, sports figures and ordinary life.
The Viareggio carnival will begin the parades of floats on February 1, 2015 with the three cannon shots that will open the dances along the avenues of the sea. The parades will take place every Sunday in February, except for the last day, which will be Saturday 28 February; on this evening the winning chariot will be elected.
Prepare your mask with the famous person you like the most and book your hotel on the Viareggio seafront right now !
Gastronomic specialty of Carnival: Schiacciata alla Fiorentina.
Ivrea
Located along the Serra Morenica, which with its 25 km is the longest, massive and straightest hill in Europe, we find Ivrea , with its traditional carnival that dates back to 1808. The Ivrea carnival requires all participants to wear a garment. mandatory: a red cap.
This secular festival recalls traditions of the past, which mixes the historic Napoleonic army with popular uprisings. The main attraction of this splendid carnival event is undoubtedly the legendary Battle of the Oranges , which this year will take place on February 14th, 15th and 16th.
In a nutshell, it is a real war with oranges: 9 teams of “Aranceri” will parade on wagons along the main streets and squares of the cities (each wagon carries a maximum of 10 people) and will throw oranges at will towards those who will be around; naturally, even the unfortunate passers-by will be able to pick up the invitation and respond with a splash of orange!
Find your ideal hotel away from the battlefield and don’t forget the fruit basket if you’re just passing through these days.
Gastronomic specialty of carnival: Friciò.
Acireale
The carnival, as previously mentioned, is an event that extends over the whole peninsular and… insular Italy! Even in Sicily this masked event is full of charm, especially in the splendid and mild Acireale . The Carnival of Acireale will be staged from January 31st to February 17th 2015.
This event is defined as the most beautiful carnival in all of Sicily and remains among the best in Italy since its origins which date back to the 16th century. Initially it was a tradition to find oneself on the street and challenge each other with lemons and oranges; over time this citrus throwing was banned and nowadays, it is a splendid party in the streets of the city center where papier-mâché floats parade.
A true feast of masks, flowers, colors, music, lights, confetti and fantasy. As in Viareggio, there are also great caricatures of the most famous people here. The strong point of this carnival, however, lies in the “mammoth” dimension of the floats that parade through the streets and which often require months and months of planning.
There are three different types of floats that parade starting from Piazza Duomo: the Allegorical-Grotesque floats (in papier-mâché), flowered floats and the miniature floats. The most imaginative of all, will be proclaimed the winner during the closing day.
Gastronomic specialty of carnival: Pignolata.
Putignano
The Putignano Carnival celebrates its 621 edition this year; we are therefore talking about a centuries-old carnival, very rich in history. For the 2015 event, a theme was chosen that will leave you carte blanche on the choice of costume: the 7 deadly sins. The opening date of the fashion shows is set for January 31st and the closing date for February 17th.
The Putignano Carnival is an event that knows how to mix the centuries-old tradition with the innovative creations of recent years, expect anything to turn on the city’s floats.
Gastronomic specialty of carnival: Farrata
Venice
We pass from a centuries-old carnival to an almost millennial carnival: the Venice carnival . It is the most famous Italian carnival in the world that attracts thousands of tourists every year from every corner of the planet. From January 31st to February 17th the city will be invaded by floats and, a distinctive element of this carnival, masks of all kinds!
The mask is the essential element of the Venetian Carnival , you will have the opportunity to see them of all kinds, colors, shapes, sizes. Seen from above, Venice will almost look like a bag of confetti, so many are the colors that the city can offer in these carnival weeks. Choose your favorite mask and fly to this museum city to not miss this unique event.
Gastronomic specialty of carnival: Fritole
Viareggio, Ivrea, Acireale, Putignano and Venice are the symbol of the Italian carnival. All you have to do is choose a mask, a costume, join the big party and search for your perfect flight and hotel on momondo.
