The most beautiful carnivals in Italy

The Carnival is a real tradition in Italy! Since ancient times, this feast has been celebrated with elaborate costumes, impressive masks and events of all kinds.

If you’re wondering where to find the most beautiful Carnivals in Italy, this is the guide you’ve been waiting for your 2026 getaway. All that’s left to do is pick a costume and start packing.

A festively decorated carousel horse

10 cities to enjoy the best carnivals in Italy

Every year, the Carnival is celebrated with lots of dance, confetti, masks and fun parade floats. The events are the perfect chance for everyone to have fun and contribute to the revival of ancient Italian traditions.

Discover the best Italian carnivals from north to south and decide which will be your next destination!

Here are 10 Italian cities famous for their carnival celebrations:

1) Muggia and its "vegetable dance"

Every February, this small town in Friuli-Venezia Giulia comes alive to celebrate its most anticipated event.

Dating back to 1611, the Carnival begins with the iconic Ballo della verdura (the “vegetable dance”), following a dance routine similar to the one established by Theseus when he defeated the Minotaur. Everyone dances happily wearing garlands of vegetables on their heads!

Get ready to discover one of Italy’s most distinctive Carnivals, also known for its rare tradition of celebrating without face masks. Curious to see it for yourself? From Trieste train station (just a 15-minute walk from the port), take bus line 20 and reach Muggia in about 30 minutes.

2) Venice: over a week of masked balls

The Carnival of Venice has always been considered the most elegant in Italy and around the world.

The historic Venetian masks, once a symbol of freedom and transgression, are paired with sweeping cloaks and 19th-century costumes. Get your camera ready, because you’ll meet people wearing them in every corner of the city!

In Venice, the Carnival opens every year with the Venetian Festival on the water, a parade on gondolas. Among the most iconic events are the Flight of the Angel from St. Mark’s bell tower and the Festa delle Marie, a spectacular procession of 12 Venetian girls that ends with the crowning of the most beautiful Maria.

Travel tip: while in Venice, consider a day trip to explore the islands of the Lagoon. The Venice - Murano connection only lasts 30 minutes.

Locals in beautiful Venetian costumes at the pier of Venice

3) Cento: the “Rio de Janeiro” of the Emilia Romagna region

Cento is a small art city in the province of Ferrara and is among the most famous in Northern Italy for its carnival. Huge floats pass through the main streets of the city, reaching the balconies of the houses!

You should also know that the Carnival of Cento is twinned with the Rio de Janeiro one, featuring the same music, costumes and samba dancers. When you see the floats approaching, stand by for the famous gettito: a throwing of gifts to the public. From candies and chocolates to gadgets and toys, no one goes home empty-handed!

Useful info: did you know that from Cesenatico you can reach the town of Cento in less than 1.5 hours by car?

4) The Carnival Parade of Viareggio

The Carnival of Viareggio is one the most spectacular events in Italy. Every year, the town of Viareggio, 40 km from Livorno (in Tuscany), turns into a live stage with dance, music shows and gastronomic festivals.

The floats parade for about 2 km on the main street of the city. These gigantic and provocative papier-mâché works are then exhibited at the Carnival Museum, which houses the most beautiful ones. Don't miss it!

Travel tip: while you’re in the area, consider a day trip from Livorno to Capraia. The island is perfect even outside the summer season.

The huge parade floats of Viareggio in the city center

5) Mamoiada: Sardinia’s Ancient Carnival

Mysterious and fascinating, the Carnival of Mamoiada (a small village in the heart of the Barbagia region in Sardinia) attracts thousands of visitors every year who come to experience and discover the island’s deepest traditions.

The stars of the event are the Mamuthones and Issohadores, masked characters symbolizing the relationship between humans and nature, life and death, protection and purification. Their appearance for the 2025 Mamoiada Carnival is scheduled for March 2 and 4 (Shrove Tuesday), marking the grand finale of the celebrations.

Alongside the parade, visitors can enjoy traditional dances, folk songs, and local food, rediscovering some of Sardinia’s oldest customs.

Travel tip: to reach Mamoiada, take a ferry to Olbia and then drive for just over an hour. Check all ferry routes to Sardinia and book your Carnival escape in advance.

6) The Carnival of Fano: the oldest in Italy

Celebrated since 1347, the Carnival of Fano is the oldest in the country. This small town of the Marche region fascinates its visitors every year with art, culture, gastronomy and music.

In addition to the floats and the burning of the Pupo (the traditional Fano Carnival figure), the most awaited moment of the parade is the giro del getto: a give-away of candies, lollipops and chocolates for the spectators!

The celebrations end with the parade of the Musica Arabita (which means “angry” in the local dialect), a quirky musical band that plays music using pots, dishes and objects of all kinds, spreading a joyful atmosphere.

7) Procida: Island parades of music and color

Carnival on the island of Procida is a heartfelt community event. A traditional masked parade led by a marching band winds through the streets to Marina Grande harbor, where prizes are awarded for the most creative costumes. DJs, food stalls and seaside celebrations keep the party going all day long.

Getting to Procida is easy: the island is served year-round by ferries and hydrofoils from Naples and Pozzuoli, with short crossing times that make Procida an ideal destination even for a quick winter getaway.

8) Agropoli and the beautiful parade floats of the Cilento region

Agropoli is a beautiful seaside village in the province of Salerno, famous for its Blue Flag beaches but also for its legendary carnival!

This major event draws locals from all over the Cilento region, as well as plenty of curious visitors. The floats parade from the promenade of Agropoli to the city center, and the magnificent creations of the local papier-mâché masters are accompanied by a festive atmosphere.

Agropoli’s Carnival tradition is rich in symbols, many of which are linked to the past: the traditional festival mascot of the village is Kajardin, which gets its name from the leader of the pirates who invaded Agropoli in the 16th century.

Get ready to have fun with music, dance and singing competitions, and don't forget to try the delicious polpette di San Biagio (savory, deep-fried balls)!

Travel tip: while you’re in the area, consider a day trip to explore some of the most beautiful villages along the Amalfi Coast.

Beautiful papier-mâché work made for the Agropoli Carnival parade

9) Putignano: 600 years of Carnival celebrations

Putignano is an ancient village  located 300 m above sea level and just 30 minutes from Bari. In addition to being famous for its natural landscapes and caves, it is known for its carnival.

Among the oldest in Europe, the Putignano Carnival was celebrated for the first time at the end of 1300, when the relics of Saint Stephen were moved to the village to protect them from invasions. According to legend, the townspeople welcomed them with great festivities, smearing their faces with farinella (a blend of chickpea flour and toasted barley). This tradition gave rise to Putignano’s iconic Carnival mask: Farinella.

The protagonists of the Carnival in Putignano are the floats made of papier-mâché, which follow a different theme every year. Teams compete really hard to win the float competition and there’s only one winner!

Useful info: the Putignano Carnival takes place every year in the historic center and can only be accessed with an entrance ticket.

10) Acireale and the true Sicilian folklore

Acireale is a city of ancient origins and some say it is home to the most beautiful carnival in Sicily! Flower-decorated floats, masked groups and musical bands parade every year downtown.

The parade floats in Acireale are a mix of caricatures of celebrities, politicians and footballers, accompanied by bands and folk performances. There is even a contest to distinguish the most beautiful miniature floats!

To admire the Sicilian Baroque during the carnival, all you have to do is take the ferry to Messina and drive for about 1 hour! Hydrofoils from Reggio Calabria to Messina reach the island in just 30 minutes.

Fun fact: did you know that confetti and streamers were created in Italy? In 1875, engineer Enrico Mangili came up with the idea deriving from the perforated paper used for the breeding of silkworms! 

Parader walking on confetti before taking off with the broom

February is coming…have you already decided where to celebrate the Carnival? On Ferryhopper, you can find lots of useful information on how to reach the Italian Carnival cities and book your ferry tickets online with just a few clicks!

Good to know: find up-to-date ferry schedules for Italy on our page!