Viareggio Carnival

Viareggio's Burlamacco is undoubtedly one of the most famous masks of the Viareggio Carnival, a centuries-old tradition that has been performed in the heart of the city since 1873. Legend has it that Viareggio's traditional procession of floats originated at the tables of the historic Caffè del Casinò at the wish of the young people of Viareggio. From the idea to its realisation, it was a short step: the first floats paraded through the streets of Viareggio on Shrove Tuesday in 1873 and since that year, ever more majestic and elaborate, the triumphant floats have become the symbol of the city throughout the world.

In addition to Burlamacco, a mask created in 1930 by the futurist painter Uberto Bonetti, over the years his companion Ondina, the symbol of the Viareggio summer, Faraboletto, Marcopolino, Burlanotte and Pincianello have also emerged. To get a taste of the work that goes on behind the floats that march through the city every year, a visit to the Viareggio Carnival Museum is a must.

Credits photo: Deborah75

The Viareggio Carnival parades, also known as Corsi Mascherati (masked parades), take place every year on the Viali a Mare, a stone's throw from the beach. We use the plural because since that first parade in 1873, the celebrations in Viareggio have extended to the entire Carnival period with six different parades attended by up to 600,000 spectators each year.

Experiencing the tradition does not only mean standing open-mouthed in front of these wooden and papier-mâché masterpieces and cheering for the most beautiful and majestic ones, but also reveling in the Viareggio Carnival songs that are chosen year after year to represent a unique event in the world. A few examples: Maschereide of 1922, Carnevale magico of 1958 and Un tuffo tra i coriandoli of 2019.

The planning of the Viareggio Carnival floats begins well ahead of time, starting with the sketches that the Carnival artists create in preparation for the construction of the floats. The magic happens at the Cittadella del Carnevale, the place where the workshops for the builders and the hangars where the floats are constructed and stored are located. 

Discovering Viareggio during the Corsi Mascherati also has the advantage of allowing tourists and visitors to sample delicious Tuscan Carnival sweets. Delicacies such as frittelle con riso e uvetta (fritters with rice and sultanas) are just one of the gastronomic symbols of the Viareggio Carnival. Equally famous are the Ondine, fried sweets named after the mask of Ondina, Burlamacco's companion.

It is impossible to resist the chantilly-filled bomboloni and the tasty Tuscan cenci di Carnevale, a variant of chiacchiere with the addition of Vin Santo in the dough for a more aromatic flavour.