Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Literature lovers might like to pass by Piazza Shelley, the only tangible reference to the
romantic poet who drowned in Viareggio; his body was washed up on the beach and his
comrade-in-arts, Lord Byron, had him cremated on the spot.
MONUMENT
La Citadella di Carnevale
(Via Santa Maria Goretti; 10am-noon Mon-Fri summer, 10am-noon Mon, Wed & Fri winter)
A
couple of kilometres from the seafront is 'Carnival City' aka 16 gargantuan hangars which
serve as workshops and garage space for the fantastic floats, crafted with a passion by
each highly skilled and prized
carrista
(float-builder), for Viareggio's annual carnival.
The largest floats featuring a papier-mâché merry-go-round of clowns, opera divas,
skeletons, kings etc are a staggering 20m wide and 14m tall, take five months to build and
carry 200 people each during processions. Stroll around the complex and a
carrista
will
inevitably invite you into his workshop. Otherwise, discover Carnevale history and the art
of making
teste in capo
(the giant heads worn in processions) and
mascheroni a piedi
(big
walking masks) in the small on-site
Museo del Carnevale
(Carnival Museum).
Consorzio Marittimo Turistico
( 01 8773 2987;
www.navigazionegolfodeipoeti.it
;
adult/child 6-11 €30/15; mid-Jun-mid-Sep)
In
summer sail for the day to Porto Venere and Liguria's iconic cluster of medieval seaside
villages known collectively as Cinque Terre. There is one boat daily; check the season's
timetable online.
BOAT TRIP
Festivals & Events
Carnevale di Viareggio
(
www.viareggio.ilcarnevale.com
)
Viareggio's annual moment of glory lasts four weeks in
February to early March when the city goes wild during Carnevale - a festival of floats,
many featuring giant satirical effigies of political and other topical figures, which also in-
cludes fireworks and rampant dusk-to-dawn spirit. Tickets for the 3pm Sunday proces-
sions (adult/reduced €15/10) can be bought on the same day from ticket kiosks on the pro-
cession circuit or in advance from
Fondazione Carnevale
(
CULTURE
05 845 80 71;
ht-
tp://viareggio.ilcarnevale.com
;
Piazza Mazzini 22)
.
