Carnival 2026: the best parties in Italy
Carnival is one of the most anticipated times of the year in Italy. It is a popular celebration that combines tradition, creativity and a desire to be together. For a few weeks, cities change their faces: the streets are filled with colors, music and masks, and the atmosphere becomes light and festive.
For those arriving from abroad, Carnival is a special opportunity to learn about Italian culture. Carnival in Italy is a very old tradition: some celebrations, such as the one in Fano or Venice, date back as far as the Middle Ages.
Want to know where to find the most typical and traditional Carnival festivals in Italy? Here’s a list of must-see shows and the dates they take place.
When does Carnival 2026 begin and when does it end?
Italian Carnival does not have fixed dates each year because it is tied to the religious calendar. In 2026, the Carnival period begins on Tuesday, Jan. 6, Epiphany Day, and ends on Tuesday, Feb. 17, known as Mardi Gras.
The most important moments are Giovedì Grasso, February 12, and Martedì Grasso, when the final celebrations take place before the beginning of Lent. In many Italian cities, however, the biggest celebrations are mainly concentrated in the two preceding weekends.
Dates of the most important carnivals in Italy in 2026
- Viareggio Carnival: February 1 – 21
- Venice Carnival: January 31 – February 17
- Ivrea Carnival: February 1 – 18
- Putignano Carnival: January 22 – February 17
How Carnival is celebrated in Italy
Throughout this time-more than a month-you can find events and festivals dedicated to adults and children all over the peninsula.
There is no single way to celebrate Carnival in Italy: each region, and often each city, has developed its own traditions over the centuries. From masks to gastronomy, everything can change from one area to another. A perfect example is the cuisine: there are dozens of regional variations of typical desserts such as chiacchiere, frittelle, and castagnole.
The most fun part is definitely seeing people of all ages in masks attending parades of floats throwing confetti and streamers. Carnival is also a time when irony and satire play an important role, especially in floats and street performances.
Where to celebrate Carnival in Italy
Choosing where to experience Carnival in Italy depends on the kind of experience you are looking for. Some cities offer spectacular and very popular festivals, while others focus on elegance and historical tradition. Here are some of the most interesting destinations for Carnival 2026.
Viareggio Carnival (Tuscany)
The Viareggio Carnival is world famous for its giant papier-mâché floats, which can exceed 20 meters in height. These impressive works of art parade to the beat of music and narrate, often humorously, themes of current events, politics and society.
The parade is accompanied by dancing and parties that last all day. It is an ideal choice for those who love big events and want to experience Carnival in a spectacular and engaging way.
Venice Carnival (Veneto)
The Carnival of Venice is probably the most elegant and atmospheric in Italy. Venetian masks, inspired by the tradition of the 18th century, transform the city into a great open-air theater. Walking through the calli and piazzas during Carnival is like taking a trip into the past.
Events take place mostly in the historic center, with appointments in St. Mark’s Square, such as the “Flight of the Angel”: the descent of a woman tied to a cable from St. Mark’s Bell Tower to the Doge’s Palace.
If you visit the Venice Carnival, you can easily add a stop on your trip to Verona, which is about an hour away by train. Another of Italy’s oldest Carnivals takes place here, and the atmosphere is more popular and spontaneous, ideal for discovering a different side of the event.
Ivrea Carnival (Piedmont)
The Ivrea Carnival is not like any other carnival. Its main feature is the “Battle of the Oranges,” a historical re-enactment in which for three days organized teams compete by throwing oranges in the streets of downtown.
It is an intense Carnival, participated in and deeply felt by the inhabitants. Those who visit it are not just spectators, but get in touch with a deep tradition linked tolocal history andidentity. Everyone, in fact, can take part in the Battle of the Oranges (this year it will be Tuesday, Feb. 17), just sign up for one of the nine participating teams.
Putignano Carnival (Apulia)
In southern Italy, the Putignano Carnival is one of the most important and long-lived. Here, as with the Viareggio Carnival, the protagonists are the huge, colorful and richly detailed papier-mâché floats. The representations of the 2026 floats only related to political satire and controversial social issues such as euthanasia, touristification, animal exploitation, and gambling.In addition to the incredible spectacle of the floats, the Putignano Carnival entertains its guests with concerts, themed masquerade parties, karaoke, and performances of pizzica, the traditional Apulian folk dance.
