The Viareggio Carnival is certainly the most famous of the events in Tuscany and also a most famous carnival in Italy besides Venice.
The Carnival of Viareggio it is one of the most famous in Italy, not only for the spectacular nature of its masked floats, but also for the tradition and history that characterize it. Indeed, it has ancient origins and its first edition dates back to the end of the nineteenth century; only later was the Burlamacco, the red and white mask symbol of the event.
The combination with the Lottery Italy and the live television have increased the fame of the most recent editions, so much so that in 2001 the new Citadel of Carnival. It is precisely in this architectural complex that the most famous floats are kept in a real museum, but it is always here that new ones are created in special hangars for the current year's edition.
Papier-mâché has become a prerogative of the Versilia artisans and the shapes and models become more and more imaginative. The Carnival parade is actually a real competition of artists, at the end of which a winning float is elected. The themes to be represented are many and usually take their cue from the socio-political situation of Italy, but also of the world; for sure it is satire that dominates the Carnival.
Like every year, the wagons in competition will parade along the promenade from 15 onwards. The queues at the ticket offices are often very long and therefore you can also decide to cross the gates already in the morning: inside there will be opportunities to stock up on confetti, eat a bite and enjoy the beach in winter. The price of the ordinary ticket is approx 15€, but there are discounts for groups and children. Children up to 10 years enter for free. The promenade, embellished with Art Nouveau buildings, will be invaded by gigantic papier-mâché masks that, at the stroke of three cannon shots fired from the sea, will begin to come alive and move along a circular path along the two main avenues.
However, the celebrations begin one month before the start of the Carnival, with the feast of Burlamacco. It's a fun show for the little ones, but even the grown-ups will have a laugh and will be amazed in front of the papier-mache sculptures. One last tip: the traffic jam to get to the motorway is insured at the end of the masked course, while, usually, after dinner the circulation resumes a regular rhythm. If you are not in a hurry to go home, perhaps it is better to think about a dinner by the sea to end a weekend in the name of an all-Tuscan Carnival.
