Viareggio

Located on the Ligurian Sea, 10 km of beaches, of which at least 4 are part of the Natural Park of Migliarino, San Rossore and Massacciuoli, Viareggio not surprisingly, in the past has been called the Pearl of the Tyrrhenian Sea, being a popular tourist destination and famous all over the world. According to the center of Lucca province by population, it is known not only for beach tourism also for the equally famous Carnival, with its parade of papier-mâché floats, as well as for the art nouveau architecture and deco decorating the city. Today, Viareggio is also an active industrial and manufacturing center, especially in the field of shipbuilding, known throughout the world for fishing and floriculture.

Carnival of Viareggio

The Carnival of Viareggio is considered one of the most important and most popular carnivals in Italy and Europe. Its key feature is made up of floats that parade along the famous promenade and on which dominate huge papier-mâché caricatures. The carts, which are the largest and bustle of the world, represent the city a tradition dating back to 1873, when some rich merchants, they decided to disguise themselves to protest too much tax. Since then every year this parade floats that allows you to create perfectly interpret the thought and the discontent of many people. After a period of six years represented by the First World War, the tradition flourishes more splendid and magnificent than before. The event resumed in 1921 when the floats paraded on two marvelous avenues to sea, the mythical walk parallel with Belluomini Avenue. In 1971 he played the first carnival of the local marina. During the third millennium will provide great new features within the complex of the Citadel with papier-mâché giants that are enriched with new technologies to create more complex movements and special effects. The ratio of the Carnival of Viareggio and art has always been very tight, as evidenced by the numerous contributions of artists such as Lorenzo Viani, Renato Santini, Uberto Bonetti, Sergio Staino, Dario Fo and Jean-Michel Folon. Currently the headquarters of the wagons is located in the Citadel complex, inaugurated in 2001 and built according to the design of Francesco Tomassi. It is located in the northern area of ​​the city, the wagons are in hangars that can be visited by groups and individuals not only during the carnival period. Also this complex is also a center of culture and entertainment, with open spaces that can be used all year round: the elliptical square surrounded by hangars themselves is an excellent venue for concerts and other events; it was in fact used for the traditional Gaber Festival dedicated eponymous artist and in numerous concerts and world-class musical for the whole summer period. Within the other hand it was made a museum and a guided tour on the history of the city carnival.