The 7 best places to celebrate Carnival In Italy

For centuries, revellers in Italy have been donning masks to join parades and parties for Carnival. This countrywide celebration arose as a way of indulging before 40 days of fasting for Lent; the name is supposed to derive from the word ‘carne’, meat in Italian (though meat isn’t the only thing supposed to be given up).

While the Carnival in Venice is widely known, almost every other town or village in Italy has its own beloved festivities; here are the best places to experience these joyous traditions.

Papier-mâché caricatures in Viareggio, Tuscany

The seaside Tuscan city of Viareggio has hosted the largest and most well-known Carnival outside of Venice since 1873. It lasts for weeks, with massive papier-mâché floats (some of the largest in the world) depicting politicians, animals and famous figures and parading through the Art Nouveau streets. The whole event is a competition, with creators of each float scoring points for the most spectacular incarnation of each year’s theme. 2018’s Carnival will start on 27th January and end on 17th February. Stay at the central and highly rated Hotel Lisa for easy access to the festivities.

Battle of the Oranges in Ivrea, Piedmont

For a truly wacky and colourful Carnival, head to the town of Ivrea. Here, locals re-enact the historic moment of their liberation from hated 12th-century tyrant Raineri di Biandrate with the Battle of the Oranges, a huge orange-throwing fight in the middle of town that fills the city with a fresh, fruity scent and turns it a vivid colour. It’s the largest food fight in Italy and you can either join the aranceri (orange-throwers) or put on a red hat to show you won’t be participating in the battle (though you may not be protected from flying fruit). The 2018 celebrations will take place from 8th until the 13th February. Escape the bloody orange aftermath by checking into Antico Casale just outside Ivrea, a beautiful brick cloistered building in the countryside.

Floral floats in Acireale, Sicily

In the baroque, coastal city of Acireale, on the island of Sicily, the annual local Carnival is often described as the prettiest in Italy. There are three different kinds of floats; papier-mâché floats with allegorical and grotesque themes, floats made out of real flowers and – last but not least – miniature floats. Masked revellers and costumed dancers parade over carpets of confetti that line the music-filled streets for weeks, alongside chess tournaments and a massive finale of fireworks. 2018’s run lasts from 28th January until 18th February. Stay right in the heart of the action at the central Residenza Cavour.

Wooden masks in Mamoiada, Sardinia

The Carnival in Mamoiada is one of the oldest in Europe, dating back thousands of years. Continuing ancient, ancestral rituals, celebrations feature characters known as ‘Mamuthones’ and ‘Issohadores’. The Mamuthones wear black masks carved out of wood and wear sheepskins and goat bells on their backs. The Issohadores wear red blouses, white hats, trousers, shawls and white masks. Parading along the streets in two parallel lines to the rhythm of the live music, it’s quite a spectacle. Arrive in time to see the Mamuthones and Issohadores make their first appearance on Saint Anthony’s Day (17th January), and check into Jannas, a B&B in Orgosolo (a few kilometres from Mamoiada).

Singing and dancing in Putignano, Apulia

Home to the longest-running Carnival in Italy, the town of Putignano is gearing up for its 624th edition in 2018. It’s supposed to have originated in 1394, when the coast of Apulia was assaulted by the Saracens. The governors of the town, the Knights of Malta, went to protect the relics of Saint Stephen, which were kept inside the Abbey of the nearby town of Monopoli. The story goes that local peasants left their work in the fields to join the impromptu procession, dancing and singing along the way. Thus, the Festa delle Propaggini was born (the day that marks the official start of the festivities) and the Carnival has been going strong ever since. Combine a visit to the Carnival with a typical Apulian experience by staying in a trullo – a dry stone hut with a conical roof that’s iconic of the region – at Abate Masseria & Resort.

Puppets and chocolate in Fano, Marche

The coastal town of Fano has been celebrating Carnival since at least 1347, on each of the three Sundays before Lent. A fundamental part of the town’s history, festivities were made mandatory in a town statute written in 1450. These days, attendance is voluntary but much of the original event remains, with the traditional procession and burning of the puppet, ‘Il Pupo’, and the ‘Getto’, aka ‘sweet rain’, where caramels and chocolates are showered from the floats onto crowds of spectators. Check into Fano for the 28th January, 4th or 11th February (any of the three Sundays on which the Carnival occurs) and make your experience even more memorable by staying in historic castle, Castello Montegiove.

Madonna di Campiglio, Trentino Alto Adige

The week-long event held in February in the mountain village of Madonna di Campiglio has been known as the ‘Habsburg Carnival’ ever since the Imperial Court, notably Princess Sissi and Emperor Franz Joseph, visited at the end of the 19th Century. Every year, this momentous occasion is recreated with a programme including balls, parades of dancers and carriages, torchlit skiing and people dressed in historical costume filling the streets and squares. The celebrations culminate with dancing and music from a live orchestra at the Hotel des Alpes, the same hotel that hosted the royal couple so many years ago. The 2018 Carnival starts on 12th and ends on 16th February; check yourself into Ambiez Residencehotel, with a pool and sauna for downtime between cultural events.