Festivals in Europe: Carnival of Viareggio / Carnevale di Viareggio, Italy

Italy is home of many fantastic festivals and one of the most colorful and visited among them is the Viareggio Carnival, held at the seaside town of Viareggio, Tuscani. 

Every year the participants in the festival create papier-mâché parade floats, masks and dolls and bring life to magical creatures and many recreations of historical and present-time famous people. The celebrations take place at the different quarters and there are many festival-related events at the town's squares, bars and restaurants.

The Viareggio Carnival is a 140 years old tradition, which has become one of the most famous carnivals in Europe and gathers annualy about 1 000 000 visitors from all over the world. The town is very close to the cities of Pisa and Florence and together with the festival this makes it a perfect location for a cultural and colorful start-of-the-year vacation.

There is, of course, a papier-mâché museum, where you can see many of the best and awarded works of the participants from the previous editions of the festival.

The 2014 Viareggio Carnival will take place at the end of February and the beginning of March.

For detailed information and current festival dates you can visit the official Viareggio Carnival web-site:

http://viareggio.ilcarnevale.com/

source: Vinima @ wikipedia.org, under the Creative Commons

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Festivals in Europe: La battaglia delle arance, The battle of the oranges, Ivrea, Italy

Europe is famous with many fascinating festivals deriving from ancient traditions and events and one ofthe most memorable of all of them is the famous "La battaglia delle arance" or the Battle of the oranges.

The battle is part of the Historical Carnival of Ivrea, which is held annually at the Italian town of Ivrea in the Turino province, takes place each year to celebrate the liberation of the town from a tyrant, who has tortured the town's polulation. There are many events part of the carnival, including the remakes of the historical moments related to the town's liberation, the most important of which is the Battle of the oranges. 

The battle itself is ferociously fought between groups of people, representing the fight of the town against the army of the tyrant. 

The events of the festival begin in early January and ends at the end of February with the Battle of the oranges and the follow-up prize giving ceremony for the heroes of the battle from both fighting camps.

Information about all the events from the Historical Carnival of Ivrea can be found on the official web-site of the event:

http://www.storicocarnevaleivrea.it

source: Giò-S.p.o.t.s @ flickr.com , licensed under the terms of the cc-by-2.0

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Festivals is Europe: Cioccolatò festival in Turino, Italy

Festivals are meant to bring a pleasure for every visitor and we would like to present you one, which will most definitely be appreciated by everyone - Cioccolatò festival in Turino, Italy. 

As you have already guessed correctly - it is a festival for chocolate and it is dedicated to bringing exquisit pleasure to all visitors. Both the number of the participant chocolate factories and the number of the visitors are significant and one thing is quite certain - there are smiling people everywhere in Turino during the few days of the Cioccolatò.

The festival gathered about 500 000 visitors in 2012 and it is becoming one of the major and certainly most delicious food events and the European festival calendar. 

The festival is switching the events dates, as it was held in March, but in 2013 it will take place between the 22nd November and the 01st of December.

More information about the festival can be found on its' official website:

http://www.cioccola-to.it

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Festivals in Europe: Corpus Domini, Orvieto, Italy

Corpus Domini is one of the traditional European festivals, which preserves the history of our continent and brings back events, which have been kept for hundreds of years. It is one of the beautiful local events, which are rarely seen in traditional traveling of the main touristic locations and is an unique experience for everyone, who wants to witness a traditional Italian festival and to be a part of the history of the place for a day.

Corpus Domini is a religious and historical festival, set after the Pope declared a religious miracle after a local monk found blood on an alter cloth during a communion. The main event of the festival is the Corteo Storico, a parade of people of the town dressed in traditional costumes.

The festival combines history, tradition and religious celebrations and is one of the little marvels, which every traveler should witness.

Information about the festival and the town of Orvieto can be found here:

Information, Events & Festivals in Orvieto

Other European Attractions:

Festivals in Europe: International Fireworks Festival Cannes

Europe Travel Destinations: Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria - A spectacular Sound and Light historical show

Europe Attractions: The Prater in Vienna 

Festivals in Europe: San Fermin Festival - The Running with the Bulls, 6-th July - 14-th July  

Festivals in Europe: Las Fallas Festival - Saint Joseph, Valencia, Spain

Europe Travel Destinations: Brussels Gourmet Tram

Festivals in Europe: Gods of Metal Festival - Rho, Milano

One of the significant events in the Metal/Hard Rock musical calender this year in Europe is the Gods of Metal Festival in the town of Rho near Milano, Italy.

It will take place between the 21st June and the 24th June and will host some of the most awaited names by the public:

Ozzy & Friends
Guns N' Roses
Motley Crue
Manowar
Slash feat. M.Kennedy and the Conspirators
Children of Bodom
The Darkness
Opeth
Black Label Society

The venue is very easy to get to from all directions, as it is located between several highways. The festival will of course present opportunity for camping, as well as assistance for accommodation in hotels nearby.

Information about tickets prices, availability and the festival itself can be found on the official Gods of Metal Festival website:

http://www.godsofmetal.it

Europe Festivals: Luminaria di San Ranieri - Pisa, Italy

Every year, on the 16-th of June, the city of Pisa, Italy, becomes a place of magic and unbelievable beauty.

The Luminaria di San Ranieri is an annual festival dedicated to the patron of Pisa - San Ranieri. At sunset on the 16-th of June thousands of candles are lighted on the facades of the city to celebrate San Ranieri, who is said to be the protector of all travelers. The festival also includes  spectacular fireworks later at night - 11 pm.

The atmosphere of the city is indescribably beautiful and peaceful. If you are on some of the bridges at the Arno river you will be in the middle of a real Tuscany fairy-tale.

More information about Luminaria di San Ranieri and Tuscany can be found here:


Luminaria di San Ranieri - Pisa, Italy

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