Carnevale - Carnival Festivals in Italy

Carnevale, also known as carnival or mardi gras, is celebrated in Italy and many places around the world 40 days before Easter, a final festival before Ash Wednesday and the restrictions of Lent. In Italy, Carnevale is a huge winter festival celebrated with parades, masquerade balls, entertainment, music, and parties. Although the official day for carnival in 2006 is February 28, Italian festivals start before that, often lasting ten or twelve days. Celebrations in Venice, one of the largest and most popular Carnevale destinations, start February 17. Read more about Carnevale Celebrations in Italy.

Besides traditional carnival festivals, Italy has some unusual carnival celebrations. Verona is home to one of the oldest Carnevale festivals in Italy, dating from 1615. Today they throw many kilos of sweets into the crowd during their carnival parade. The Piedmont town of Ivrea celebrates with a huge orange throwing contest. Read more about some of the biggest Carnevale Festivals in Italy - Venice, Viareggio, Ivrea, and Verona. Kelby Carr also has an article on Mardi Gras and Carnaval Celebrations around the World.

Travel Resources: Venice Travel Essentials | Italy Festivals