Experience the Carnival in Calabria, with its events and traditions
3 minutes
Are you wondering how to enjoy the Carnival in Calabria? You've come to the right place: this region of southern Italy offers a packed calendar of parades and traditional festivities, making the Calabrian Carnival one of Italy's most fascinating and authentic events.
Carnival in Calabria has always been one of the most highly anticipated events of the year, appealing to adults and children alike with its unique blend of folklore, traditional costumes, music, floats, and live shows. The celebrations are rooted in ancient folk customs and are renewed every year with events that are increasingly well organised and enthusiastically attended.
The most well-known include several historic carnivals, such as the celebrated Castrovillari Carnival, alongside numerous side events organised in the villages and towns of Calabria, that offer fun, culture, and entertainment for the whole family.
Discover Calabria's six unmissable Carnival events and immerse yourself in the colours, traditions, and distinctive atmosphere.
Carnival traditions in Calabria: costumes, floats, and traditional sweets
Carnival in Calabria has always been one of the most joyful times of the year, rooted in age-old local traditions, remnants of pagan rituals, and Mediterranean folklore. Are you curious about the Calabrian Carnival costume? The iconic Calabrian masked figure is Giangurgolo, a character from the Commedia dell'Arte with very specific characteristics that, on close observation, hilariously reflect those of Calabrian men: a big talker, a hearty eater, and always hungry.
It is believed that this figure originated in Catanzaro, from a character known as "Gianni l'ingordo" (Gianni the glutton) who really existed in the sixteenth century; the name then evolved into Giangùrgolo. The character became popular throughout the region and in the Italian Commedia dell'Arte theatrical style, where he is portrayed as one of the main masked archetypal characters. What are the main traditions of the Calabrian Carneval? Of course, the colourful float parades are the most loved carnival feature throughout all of Italy. They are accompanied by musical events, prize-giving ceremonies, and the inevitable tasting of typical Calabrian Carnival sweets, such as pignolata calabrese (locally known as turdìlli), the ever-present chiacchiere and castagnole, graviuòli, and the ancient chjina (shortbread filled with dried fruit).
The six symbolic Carnival venues in Calabria
Here are the top 6 places to enjoy your holidays in Calabria at Carnival time and their historic celebrations (please refer to the official websites for the full programme of each event):
1. Carnival of Castrovillari (CS)
The town of Castrovillari, in the Pollino National Park, in the province of Cosenza, is known as the “Carnival Town” because of the historic Castrovillari Carnival (which celebrated its 66th year in 2024). First held in 1959 as the International Festival of Folklore and now one of the region's historic events, this lively event is now the most famous and important Carnival in Calabria.
2. Carnival of Alessandria del Carretto (Province of Cosenza)
Have you ever heard of the beautiful and ugly Pulicinelli? These are the traditional costumes of the Alessandria del Carretto Carnival, one of the most unique carnival celebrations in Calabria. A ritual in its own right, this Carnival originated as an ancient pagan masquerade that symbolises the struggle between order and disorder, death and rebirth.
3. Carnival of Amantea (Province of Cosenza)
Held in the coastal town bearing the same name, during the Amantea Carnival (or Tyrrhenian Carnival), you can enjoy the festivities and participate in the float parades while enjoying the beauty of the ancient seaside village, which overlooks the Oleander Riviera and the "Scogli di Isca" Regional Marine Park.
4. Carnival in Malvito (Province of Cosenza)
Not far away, we arrive at the Malvito Carnival, another popular event featuring the traditional costumes of the province of Cosenza. The procession of floats, as usual, brightens up the streets of the town until the final prize-giving ceremony.
5. The Aiellese Carnival (Province of Cosenza)
Held in Aiello Calabro, the Aiello Carnival puts on a big party for children, with parades, games in the square, and traditional sweets.
6. The Great Carnival of Cittanova (Province of Cosenza)
Carnival in Calabria is also celebrated in Cittanova, in the province of Reggio Calabria, where the Cittanova Great Carnival festivities involve both young and old in an event full of floats, groups in costume, music, and DJ sets.
