For a whole month, from 1 to 28 February, Viareggio transforms into the factory of fun, including parades of giant papier-night parties, fireworks, masked balls, theater, culinary events and big sporting events worldwide. Why? Because Carnival of Viareggio, most interesting, beautiful and unusual Italian carnival came to town!
The Carnival of Viareggio was born in 1873 when there was the first parade of festively decorated carriages in the historic Via Regia, the heart of the old town. It was transferred to the Promenade at the beginning of the twentieth century and it has grown in size and popularity year after year. The Carnival of Viareggio fills a whole month of daytime and nighttime festivities with parades of allegorical floats, local parties, masked balls and festivals of all kinds.
These days the Carnival of Viareggio is even more the protagonist. Every year on Mardi Gras the Carnival of Viareggio is live on national television (RAI 3) to invade into television screens of Italy with the cheerfulness of its spectacular floats. Each year famous guests, politicians and sports figures come in Viareggio to admire their papier – mâché effigy as well as thousands of people decree the success of the event.
In 2001 was inaugurated the new Cittadella del Carnevale , an extraordinary architectural complex entirely dedicated to the creation and preservation of the Carnival of Viareggio. Sixteen Hangars, where the allegorical floats are built, overlook on a giant elliptical square. The Cittadella is also the place where during the summer the major outdoor events take place. Here visitors can find two museums, one dedicated to the history of the Carnival floats and the other to Carnevalotto , a valuable collection of works of art created by contemporary designer.
More information viareggio.ilcarnevale.com
Take a look at our pictures of Viareggio Carnival 2015!
More about Viareggio and its carnival on unseentuscany.com:
