Full disclosure: My family nearly didn’t go to the Viareggio Carnival. We’d already been to a few carnivals in our time - how was this one any different? Boy, are we glad we changed our minds! The scale and sheer wow factor of the carnival makes it truly something out of this world. It’s difficult to sum up in words just how magical an experience this was. It was a highlight of our Jan-March cohort in Tuscany.
What is the Viareggio Carnival?
The Viareggio Carnival is a world-famous festival of masks and floats that takes place in the coastal city of Viareggio, Italy. It is one of the oldest and largest carnivals in the world and is known for its satirical floats that poke fun at current events and personalities. In 2023, there was a huge float with Elon Musk disguised as the alien from ‘Mars Attacks!’, for example.
The first Viareggio Carnival was held in 1873 when a group of wealthy middle-class men decided to organise a parade of floats adorned with flowers. Many local citizens, as a sign of protest, then decided to put on masks to display their distaste for the high taxes they were forced to pay.
The carnival quickly grew in popularity, and by the early 1900s, it was attracting people from all over Italy. In 1925, local sculptor Antonio d'Arliano introduced the use of papier-mâché in the construction of floats, which allowed for even more elaborate and complex designs.
Today, the Viareggio Carnival is a major tourist attraction and draws over one million visitors each year. The carnival spans a month and features four major parades of floats (usually over the weekends), as well as a variety of other events, such as concerts, street performances, and food festivals.
Is the Viareggio Carnival family-friendly?
Very much so! There are plenty of activities for people of all ages to enjoy. The parades are a particular highlight, and feature floats that are both visually stunning and thought-provoking. There are also plenty of opportunities for people to dress up in costumes and join in the festivities. We didn’t dress up and spent the day feeling very plain and underdressed! If you have children who are fans of Halloween and love a costume, you should bring it along!
✅ The parades are mostly held during the day, so they are not too late for young children (although, the party goes on well into the evening if you have some night owls on your hands).
✅ There are plenty of floats that are suitable for all ages, from whimsical and colourful floats to more satirical and political floats.
✅ There are also a variety of other family-friendly events, such as concerts, street performances, and food festivals.
✅ The city of Viareggio is a safe and family-friendly destination and a great way to experience Italian culture. The parade follows the beachside promenade (passeggiata) that follows the huge expanse of golden sands. The town itself has some really interesting architecture and is a little reminiscent of the famous boardwalk area of Atlantic City.
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When is the next Viareggio Carnival?
🗓️ Here is the 2024 programme:
Saturday 3rd February
1st PARADE – Carnival Opening Parade=
The world's biggest allegorical floats parade on the promenade of Viareggio. Fireworks at the end of the parade.
Thursday 8th February
2nd PARADE – Evening Parade
The world's biggest allegorical floats parade on the promenade of Viareggio.
Sunday 11th February
3rd PARADE
The world's biggest allegorical floats parade on the promenade of Viareggio.
Tuesday 13th February
4th PARADE – Evening Parade
The world's biggest allegorical floats parade on the promenade of Viareggio
Sunday 18th February
5th PARADE
The world's biggest allegorical floats parade on the promenade of Viareggio
Saturday 24th February
6th PARADE – Carnival Closing Parade
The world's biggest allegorical floats parade on the promenade of Viareggio. Winners’ proclamation and fireworks at the end of the parade.
For more information and tickets, please visit the official carnival website. Tickets can also be purchased at the gate on the day.
How can Boundless Life families experience the carnival?
The seaside town of Viareggio is very easy to reach from Pistoia. There are regular direct trains from Pistoia station and these take about an hour. The trains are double-deckers which our kids LOVED and they always wanted to sit upstairs to get the best views. The train ride takes about an hour. When you arrive in Viareggio you will need to stroll 10-15 minutes to the seafront. Just follow all the costumes down any of the straight roads running away from the station to the seafront - you can’t get lost!
If you would like to join us for our January-March Experience in Tuscany you will have the opportunity to take in this unforgettable event! Hop on a call with us to bag yourself one of the few remaining spots.
