The carnival period is a major event in every country celebrating. Carnivals attract tourists from all over the world who wish to see a show that is out of the ordinary and where joy, festivity and good humour reign supreme. From dancing to extravagant costumes to amazingly large floats, carnivals are events not to be missed if you have the opportunity. From Nice to Rio, through Italy and many other countries, Villanovo takes you on a trip around the world of carnivals for an unusual trip that will surely make you want to book plane tickets to the destination of your dreams!
The world-famous Carnival in Venice, Italy, attracts travellers from all over the world who are curious to visit the mask festival in the romantic city of Venice.
Officially recognized in 1980, the Venice Carnival has a totally different past, for example, it was an opportunity for Venetians to express themselves freely and to mock others, or to seduce without being recognized thanks to the mask. The carnival lasts 10 days and begins with a procession of boats called the "Flight of the Rat", which depicts a large rat exploding into confetti, signalling the beginning of the festivities. The most famous costume in Venice is the "bauta", a costume that completely covers the face and body, representing the Venice of debauchery where in the past the inhabitants used to dress up for secret outings. During your trip to Venice during the festival, you will be able to recognize the costumes of Harlequin, Columbine, or Polichinelle. Be very careful with your costume, not to be confused with a simple disguise.
The world-famous carnival in Rio, Brazil, lasts 5 days. In the Christian religion, the carnival is celebrated until the eve of Lent, the aim being to offer Christians a period of celebration before the 40 days of Lent, but today, carnival reflects this image more. Rio's carnival is now an opportunity for dancers from the best samba schools to compete in front of a crowd of locals and tourists who are getting ready to watch a real show in the Sambadrome, originally the Marquês de Sapucaí Avenue. Musicians and dancers parade for 5 days. Each year, the schools propose different themes even more impressive than the previous ones, so the festival is different every year. The dancers improve every year in order to obtain the title of Carnival Champion which is awarded on Monday, after two days of competition in a stadium, under the watchful eye of 40 judges who rate the schools on 10 criteria such as the chosen theme, the music chosen, the beauty of the floats built by the school, the costumes and many others. Creativity must be evident.
>>> Rio: beaches, festivities and culture in music
Santa Cruz Tenerife Carnival
In the heart of the Canary Islands, you will find the second most popular carnival in the world after Rio de Janeiro: The Santa Cruz of Tenerife carnival. The festivities last for a month in January or February and tourism then reaches the same levels as in the summer. In 2000, Tenerife was chosen as the World Capital of Carnival and 20 years later, the theme of the festival will be, in 2020: 50's style. For a month, floats parade and dancers roam the streets and dances are organised with this theme in mind. The festival ends with the "burial of the sardine" which represents the burial of sins and defiance. As in Rio, the carnival in Tenerife is dominated by professional dancers and impressive floats with amazing decorations. For the Spaniards, the Tenerife carnival has real importance because during the Franco dictatorship, carnivals were forbidden but the one in Santa Cruz de Tenerife was celebrated secretly under the name of "winter festivities", today it is celebrated with heart and joy by locals and tourists alike.
One of the biggest carnivals in France, Nice Carnival is famous all over the world and takes place in February for 2 weeks. This year, the carnival took place from 15 to 29 February and 17 floats will parade through the city on the theme of the year "King of Fashion". Singers will fill the streets and on Saturdays and Tuesdays, evenings will be organized to discover the carnival floats. Also not to be missed: the Flower Rain, where flowers are thrown by the models dressed up on the floats creating a warm carnival atmosphere!
