Celebrate: Carnevale and Festa della Donna

Every season offers opportunity to celebrate life in Italy and this year, the end of winter gives us two special “feste”

This past Tuesday, Fat Tuesday, was the  official final day of celebrating the Italian version of Mardi Gras or as it is known here: Carnevale.  In Italy, the biggest celebrations are in Viareggio and Venice.  The Tuscan beach city of Viareggio is about an hour west of Florence. The parade along the promenade attracts many who come to be seen in their costumes as well as view the elaborate papier-mâché floats   The parades go on for over a month extending for a couple of weeks following the beginning of Lent. It is fun to watch as children sport their costumes and throw paper confetti at each other, not only in Venice and Viareggio but in every neighborhood of Italy.  Confetti or colorful paper dots cover sidewalks adding to the festive mood. Below is the entrance rug to a hotel in La Villa in the Dolomites. So it’s costumes, parades, confetti and treats. Very much a fun masquerade and a time to PARTY!

Here at the Hotel La Majun, the staff celebrates…

I join in the fun.

Pastry shops and bars display mounds of Carnivale treats and in Florence it is Cenci! These fried cookies (and oven baked if you are trying to cut some of the calories) are hard to resist.

Each region of Italy has it’s version of Carnevale treats and while in the Dolomites last week I tasted the fruit filled beignet or donut that is made during this time.

This year, the party continued with the International Women’s Day, or Festa della Donna, falling on Saturday March 8. The bright yellow mimosa flower is the symbol of this event.  It is lovely to see the city decorated with mimosas and it is almost a sure thing that women will receive a gift of a mimosa bloom either at their local bar or restaurant, or from their employer or a fan.

The anticipation of the many seasonal traditions, rituals and festivals in Italy adds to one’s appetite for fun, food and frolic and enriches the soul as well.