I Love Italian Travel - Carnevale Season In Liguria

As is often the case, Carnevale in Liguria owes a lot to the Brazilian Carnival (Carnival in Rio de Janeiro) with its allegorical floats and masks. In Liguria the most popular masks denote figures that are known as Arlecchino, Il Dottore, Pulcinella, Pantalone, Gianduja, and Columbine. The largest Ligurian Carnevale is held in the town (about eleven thousand) of Logano, approximately 35 miles (60 kilometers) southwest of Genoa, the regional capital. The locals call it Carnevaloa and the town hosts a variety of parades teeming with allegorical floats and masked participants and spectators.

On Carnevale Sunday ceremonies start when the keys to the city are presented to Beciancìn, the King of the Carnival, at the main square, Piazza d'Italia. He is greeted by locals and delegations coming from all over Italy, and, I daresay, tourists from all over the world. Several events are dedicated to children with masked balls, games, and that good old favorite, crostoli, deep-fried pasta dough dusted with icing sugar. Locals will probably assure you that this delicious pastry, best enjoyed at Carnivale and Christmas, originates in Liguria. Don't miss the spectacular horserace known as the Palio dei Borghi or the marching bands with majorettes.

Diano Marina is a town of about six thousand people located about 55 miles (90 kilometers) southwest of Genoa. Since 1966 this town celebrates Carnevale with a parade attracting thousands of costumed people complete with a folk band. The following Sunday you'll find a parade of papier mache floats festooned with flowers. Liguria is flower country.

The seaside resort town of Moneglia, population under three thousand, located about 35 miles (60 kilometers) southeast of Genoa, is home to one of the most unusual Carnevale in all of Italy. This event, known as the Carnevale della Zucca (Carnival of the Pumpkin), came about when two peasants argued over the ownership of a pumpkin that grew on the boundary separating their farms. I can't promise you pumpkin pie but you should enjoy this Carnevale and the local food and wine.

San Remo, the flower capital of Liguria, hosts the Sanremoinfiore (San Remo Flower Parade) that some call a carnival on the last Sunday in January. Every city of the Italian Riviera presents a float in the form of an original flower composition. If you feel like viewing some high-level competition, you can cross the French border and visit the Carnival of Nice. It's a big one. It's a fine one. It's nice. But it's not Italian.