A day at the Viareggio Carnival!

Have you ever experienced a carnival, Italian style? Well, I have been to the one in Viareggio and I would definitely go back!

Even though it is a small place, Viareggio is well known throughout Italy for its fantastic beaches which attract lots of tourists every summer.

However, Viareggio isn’t known only as a place for relaxation! It’s also full of fun, colours and tradition! Viareggio is famous for its carnival, which takes place in the period preceding Easter.

The Carnival of Viareggio dates back to the Middle Ages, and is taken very seriously by the ‘viareggini’, who work hard all year to build the best float!

So my friends and I decided to put on fancy dress and spend the whole last day of the carnival in Viareggio…time went by so quickly! The streets were so packed with people wearing some of the most incredible outfits, some of them very extravagant and funny!

During the day we admired the parade of huge colored floats, filled with people dancing and throwing confetti onto the heads of the crowds below! In that happy atmosphere, where everybody wants to have fun, it is very easy to relax, talk to people, take silly pictures and play practical jokes on strangers!

At night we all joined the street parties, where people go really wild dancing the night away, and why not..enjoying one, two, three or even four glasses of wine! It was just so great to be there, and in that crazy atmosphere our group of friends grew in number as time passed by! A very efficient way to practise your Italian with the locals!

Only the fireworks at the end of the night, with their beautiful colours in the sky reminded us it was time to go home! Alas, the carnival was over, but at least I was very pleased to have been!

So…if you want to learn Italian, choose one of our courses in Viareggio during the carnival! You will study Italian during the day, and put a mask on at night to feel the crazy vibe! I don’t think you can miss this chance .

Linda