The Viareggio Carnival

The Carnival of Viareggio is one that really puts Tuscany on the map not only in Italy but also internationally. The celebrations have a long tradition dating back to 1873 when local merchants decided to protest against heavy taxation by dressing up in extravagant costumes and parading with a series of carnival floats adorned with flowers through the town’s streets.

Since then, the event has evolved into one of the best known ‘festivals of fun’ in Europe that attracts thousands of visitors every year, testament to its success.
The Carnival takes place in the period before Lent, starting on Sunday Septuagesima and ending on Shrove Tuesday, so the date is variable every year according to the dates for Easter but usually falls around February.

The main attraction that visitors are drawn to the festival is the magnificent floats created by local artists who are real master craftsmen in papier mache. Traditionally these artists create caricatures of celebrities, politicians, and sportsmen to the enjoyment of the audience who particularly enjoy the satirical edge to these stunning creations.

The parade starts on the seafront where the town’s beaches run alongside the Ligurian Sea and then travels through the streets lined with Liberty style buildings as it heads towards the centre. Music accompanies the participants wearing brightly coloured masks and costumes much to the delight and entertainment of the crowds.
So if you find yourself in Tuscany at the time of the festival, it is indeed an occasion not to miss if you want to experience some cultural traditions and of course, some fun.

How to Get There
Viareggio is a town of Lucca Versilia, the coastal area of north-west. By motorway, coming from the south, take the Autosole (A1), up to Florence, and then the Firenze Mare (A11) and the Livorno-Genoa (A12). From the North, however, you can take the Autosole (A1) to Parma and then the Cisa motorway (A15) to S. Stefano, and then Genoa-Livorno (A12) to the Viareggio exit