Viareggio Carnival 2026: the ultimate guide to Tuscany’s most spectacular show

It’s one of the most famous Carnival festival in Italy, the Viareggio Carnival 2026 it is a riot of colors, satire, and Italian craftsmanship that transforms the Tuscan village into a stage of imagination.

Founded in 1873, this historic festival enters its 153rd year in 2026, with its majestic papier-mâché giants and a vibrant atmosphere. Whether you are a first-time visitor or a returning fan, the 2026 edition is set to be a wonderland Carnival to attend.

The Viareggio Carnival in Tuscany is among one of the most popular in Italy, an event to see at least once in the life. The real stars of the event are the massive papier-mâché allegorical floats that parade along the seaside boulevards and the town's promenade.

Before we dive into the details of the parades and history, here is an overview of what you will find in this guide:

• Official 2026 program & parade dates

• The magic of allegorical floats

• The history of Viareggio Carnival

• Symbolic masks: Burlamacco and Ondina

• The Carnival Citadel and Museum

• A walk through Art Nouveau Viareggio

• Practical Info: Tickets and Parking

• Other must-see Carnivals in Tuscany 2026

The heart of the Viareggio Carnival—and every edition since 1873—consists of the six Corsi Mascherati (Masked Parades). For this 2026 these are the official dates to don't miss the giants parading along the Viali a Mare:

1. Sunday, February 1 – 3:00 PM: Opening Parade & Inaugural Fireworks.

2. Saturday, February 7 – 5:00 PM: Second Parade (Night Edition).

3. Thursday, February 12 – 5:00 PM: Fat Thursday Parade (Night Edition).

4. Sunday, February 15 – 3:00 PM: Fourth Parade.

5. Tuesday, February 17 – 3:00 PM: Shrove Tuesday (Mardi Gras) Parade.

6. Saturday, February 21 – 5:00 PM: Grand Finale Parade, Awards Ceremony, and Closing Fireworks.

To watch the masked parades, you can purchase tickets for individual dates or a season pass. Children under 1.20m usually enter for free.

During parade days, the city center is closed: we suggest using the "Park & Ride" areas located at the stadium or the North/South entrances of the city

It was 1873 when the high society youth of Viareggio had the idea of staging a parade to celebrate Mardi Gras. From then on, the fame of the Carnival in this Tuscan town grew in parallel with that of its allegorical floats, which were increasingly majestic, built in wood, scagliola and jute by the 'Maestri Carristi'.

In 1921, the first official song, which is now the event's anthem – 'Coppa di Champagne' - was born, and in the same year, a band enlivened one of the floats with its music for the first time; in 1923, the Pierrot was the first wagon to move its head and eyes and, two years later, the papier-mâché technique made it possible to build increasingly imposing constructions.

After the stop of the two world wars, the Carnival restarted; in 1954, it was broadcast on the newborn RAI (Italian Radio Television). Four years later, its fame reached farther and farther afield thanks to Eurovision.

In this way, the Viareggio Carnival became international, an event that attracts audiences worldwide and offers a month of celebrations, parades and various events.

Wondering how the Viareggio Carnival floats are made? Those mammoth structures are made of papier-mâché, up to 20 metres high and about ten metres wide, and they advance through the crowds on the Viali a Mare to amaze them with their scenic impact, their movements and their colours.

All of this, in reality, was created from a few simple things: clay models, plaster casts, sheets of newspaper and a glue made of water and flour, as well as a lot of skill and imagination; a few ingredients which, when put into the right hands, create something extraordinary.

There are more than 25 craftsmen's companies (and more than a thousand people at work) in which the master builders hand down this art from generation to generation, hoping each year to win the first prize awarded by the jury. 

Wondering how the Viareggio Carnival floats are made? Those mammoth structures are made of papier-mâché, up to 20 metres high and about ten metres wide, and they advance through the crowds on the Viali a Mare to amaze them with their scenic impact, their movements and their colours.

All of this, in reality, was created from a few simple things: clay models, plaster casts, sheets of newspaper and a glue made of water and flour, as well as a lot of skill and imagination; a few ingredients which, when put into the right hands, create something extraordinary.

There are more than 25 craftsmen's companies (and more than a thousand people at work) in which the master builders hand down this art from generation to generation, hoping each year to win the first prize awarded by the jury.

Every self-respecting event has its protagonists: Burlamacco and Ondina both appeared for the first time on a poster in 1931 and they always stayed together, as the symbolic masks of the Viareggio Carnival.

Burlamacco was born in 1930 from the imagination of the painter, graphic artist and set designer Umberto Bonetti and, from his own pen, the following year Ondina came to life, in the guise of the typical summer beach lady. The artist wanted to create a character that would encapsulate the two souls of Viareggio life: Carnival and summer. This is why Burlamacco looks like this: he is inspired by the masks of the “Commedia dell’Arte” but is dressed in a chequered suit that picks up the white and red of the beach umbrellas on the coast.

So great is the importance of Burlamacco and Ondina that in 1998 the 'Burlamacco d'Oro', a prize awarded by the Carnival Foundation, was instituted. This is the award that Viareggio gives every year to men and artists from the world of entertainment and communication, while for women in the same sector there is the 'Ondina d’Oro' award.

The Carnival Citadel is where the floats take shape and life: inaugurated in 2001, it is the largest themed area in Italy dedicated to masks and includes workshops and hangars as well as a large collection of historical documents. Inside, there is the Viareggio Carnival Museum, where the statue of Burlamacco welcomes visitors who can admire the models of the floats that have won prizes in recent editions and discover, among other things, the stages involved in making papier-mâché works and then have fun creating small artefacts. 

Viareggio actually deserves to be known for its beauty as well as its Carnival: it is a famous seaside locality in Tuscany with historic Art Nouveau buildings and examples of Art Deco.

The pedestrian and cycle path that follows the seafront, Passeggiata Margherita, is the richest in this respect, and here, amidst the bars, ice-cream parlours and crowded restaurants, you can admire a succession of fine architecture from the early 20th century; among these, the Gran Café Margherita with its two turrets topped by yellow and green tiled domes will certainly catch your eye. The café was once Viareggio's most elegant establishment, frequented by high society and the maestro Giacomo Puccini, and now houses a restaurant, cafeteria and bookshop. Also in the area near the seafront we find the Hotel Liberty, the Bagno Balena with its vintage portal, the Clock Tower and the statue of Burlamacco.

Villa Argentina, one of the most beautiful examples of Art Nouveau architecture in Italy, and Villa Paolina, home of Pauline Bonaparte, are also worth a visit. The former belonged to a wealthy landowner of Argentine origin named Francesca Racca Oytane and offers paintings by great artists of the time and gilded stucco decorations on the ceiling and walls, as well as precious floors such as the black Belgian marble floor of the ground floor hall.

Villa Paolina was the home where Pauline Bonaparte received her lover; today it houses the Civic Museums and some important offices, but its flats, used for hosting exhibitions, can still be visited. The building is a beautiful example of neoclassical style and its layout offers a new interpretation of the Roman domus, with a beautiful colonnade facing the sea and all the bedrooms and lounges facing the beach.

In addition to Viareggio, Tuscany offers other Carnivals to be noticed. Let us see them together. 

The Foiano della Chiana Carnival, in the province of Arezzo, is ancient: its first edition dates back to 1539. Here, during the Sundays of the Carnival period, four large allegorical floats parade in front of a jury, accompanied by masks, music and dancing. The event's patron is King Giocondo, who opens the festival every year and sanctions its end with his death. 

In Castiglion Fibocchi, in the province of Arezzo, what appears to be the oldest carnival event in Tuscany is staged: the Carnival of the Sons of Bocco. Every year, the medieval village is transformed into a giant open-air theatre, thanks to more than two hundred participants with their faces covered by papier-mâché masks that parade through the streets.  

The town of San Gimignano, a UNESCO World Heritage site in the province of Siena, also hosts a large carnival festival full of colour. The parade of floats and masks gives this enchanted medieval jewel an unusual atmosphere.

Also to be noticed is the Carnival of Follonica, in the province of Grosseto, born in 1910. Here, each 'contrada' parades with its allegorical float and various prizes are up for grabs: in addition to the best float, the Carnival Queen is crowned. The event ends with the 'burning of the King', a giant papier-mâché mask burnt on the beach in front of Piazza XXV Aprile. 

Very special, with a charm of bygone eras, is the Calenzano Medieval Carnival. Figurantes and flag-wavers parade through the streets of the centre to the castle of Calenzano Alto, where a challenge between the counties is staged. Again, the event ends with the burning of King Carnival.