POPULAR FESTIVAL IN ITALY

1. Venices Carnival Venice (Veneto)

Who doesnt know the Venices Carnival? Its season starts two weeks before
the date of Carnival with lots of spectacular events throughout the city.
During carnival season walking through Venice, alongside people wearing the
most fabulous costumes is like stepping back in time.What you absolutely
cannot miss out on? Gondola and boat parades along the Grand Canal, Mask
parades in St. Marks Square, Carnival for Children in the Cannaregio district
and Grand fireworks show on the final day, which end the carnival
celebration.

2. Historic Regatta Venice (Veneto)

Every year, on the first Sunday of September, Venetians row like they were in
1489. If you are travelling in Venice during this period, you will have the
chance to see spectacular rowing races on the Grand Canal commemorating
the welcome given to Caterina Cornaro, wife of the King of Cyprus, who in
1489 renounced her throne in favour of Venice.

The most famous regatta takes place between April and September: the
event starts with a parade of boats decorated in 16th-century style and
powered by crews in period costume.Out of the Regata Storicas four races in
different categories, the main event is the mens caorline (broad, snub-nosed
lagoon vessels) contest. The men need all their muscles to make these
seaborne beasts surge ahead.The races start in the Castello area and
proceed west up the canal to the former convent of Santa Chiara, where the
boats turn around a paleto (pylon) to pound back to the finishing line at Ca
Foscari, cheered on by the locals.

3. Battle of the Oranges Ivrea (Piedmont)

Every year on the third week of February, the city of Ivrea (Piedmont)
celebrates the Battle of the Oranges, an event, which attracts thousands of
people from all over the city (and beyond) in which participants are divided
into 9 teams and fight in a real battle pelting oranges at each other.
According to legend, this curious tradition represents the uprising against a
cruel tyrant, the terrible Ranieri di Biandrate, who claimed the right to sleep
with any bride on her wedding night. Unfortunately for him, a girl named
Violetta refused to sleep with the tyrant and cut his head off with a
dagger.Thats why every year, during the Battle of the Oranges a girl is
chosen in order to play the role of Violetta, while the destruction of tyrants
castle is symbolically represented by the throwing of the oranges (which
represent Ranieris head.)