Viareggio Carnival 2026: dates of six parades and how to buy a ticket cheaper

Every February, Viareggio becomes the center of the Tuscan carnival for three weeks. Allegorical papier-mâché figures roll along the Passeggiata promenade, bands play, and in the evening fireworks light up over the sea. Each figure is assembled by hand in the Cittadella del Carnevale workshops, where the carnival museums also operate (verified 09/2026 on the official carnival website).

In 2026, the festival spanned three weeks: six parades took place from February 1 to 21, plus evening neighborhood feste rionali (schedule of the six parades, 01/22/2026). Figuring out the dates, tickets, and grandstands on the first try is tricky: the price depends on the day of purchase, and grandstand seats are numbered in advance.

Below you'll find the schedule for all six parades, ticket prices, a grandstand map, and practical tips. You'll understand which day to choose, where to stand along the promenade, and how much to budget for the trip.

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Dates and times of the six parades

💡 In short:

• Six corsi mascherati are scheduled for February 1, 7, 12, 15, 17, and 21, 2026.
• Daytime parades start at 3:00 PM, evening parades at 5:00 PM.
• One ticket is valid for one parade on a fixed date; admission is free for children under 1.20 m.
• Dates and entry rules: 09/2026, verified on the Carnival Foundation ticket page.

The 2026 carnival opened on Sunday, February 1 with a daytime parade. The start is announced with three cannon blasts, and in the evening the first fireworks thunder over Piazza Mazzini (opening program, 01/22/2026). Three of the six parades end after dark, already under the lights.

Daytime parades are more convenient for families: you can see the details of the figures in daylight, and the crowd disperses earlier. Evening parades create a different effect, when spotlights and music turn the promenade into a long stage. Pick the day that suits your pace and don't try to cover both formats in a single day.

If you're coming for one day, choose any daytime parade. If you're staying for a week, wait for the evening of February 12: Giovedì Grasso splits the carnival in half, and that same evening the festa rionale Carnevale Storico takes place.

How the Viareggio carnival works

The festival is built on allegorical figures made of papier-mâché (cartapesta). They are assembled from cardboard, wire and glue, then painted by hand based on artists' sketches. Work on a single figure takes months, which is why the workshops open their doors long before the first parade.

© Mehrdad.t1987 · CC BY-SAPhoto: Mehrdad.t1987, CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0), Wikimedia Commons

The 2026 program featured nine first-category figures, four second-category, eight group masks and eight individual masks (2026 participants, 01/22/2026). The first category includes the largest compositions, the second category the smaller ones, and alongside them come groups and individual masks.

Satire is mandatory. The 2026 list included "Grand Casino. Rien ne va plus", "The Last Hop(e). Il cambiamento climatico è una bufala", "Nemmeno con un fiore" and "Io vivo in questo momento" (list of figures). Politicians, climate debates and global topics are mocked without politeness, and that's why people come to the promenade from all over Tuscany.

The figures are born in the Cittadella del Carnevale, a complex of carnival workshops and museums (verified 09/2026 on the official website). The museums are open year-round, so you can see the workshops outside of February as well.

Tickets and prices for the parades

To get onto the route, you need an entry ticket: it opens the zone along the Lungomare on the day of one parade (entry rules, 09/2026). Tickets are sold online and at the entrances on the day of the show, names are not written on them, so you can pass a ticket to another person.

© Chris Sampson · CC BYPhoto: Chris Sampson, CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), Wikimedia Commons

The cheapest option is to buy a general ticket (biglietto cumulativo) for all six parades at once. In presale from December 5, 2025 through January 6, 2026, it cost 40 € for adults and 30 € for children from 1.21 m tall up to 14 years old. From January 7, 2026, the price went up to 50 € and 40 € (presale rates, 01/19/2026).

General admission tickets are sold at the Fondazione Carnevale ticket office at the Cittadella entrance, at 17 Conad stores in Viareggio, Camaiore, Massarosa, Forte dei Marmi, Pietrasanta and Seravezza, and at FarmaCity pharmacies in Viareggio (points of sale, 1/19/2026).

The ticket office at the Cittadella is open on weekdays from 9:00 to 13:30 and from 15:00 to 18:00, on Fridays until 17:00, and on weekends from 15:00 to 18:00. On parade days it is open from 9:00 without a break (ticket office hours). There is a separate line for groups: +39 0584 580 741 (ticket office contacts, 09/2026).

Sales for the next edition are already open on the official website. An admission ticket for one parade starts at 16.50 €, and Giovedì Grasso evening is offered at a reduced rate (as of 09/2026, rates for the new edition).

If you want to add Tuscany tours to your trip, check out tours and excursions on GetYourGuide.

Buy a single-entry ticket if you plan to attend one to three parades. From four entries onward, do the math on the general pass: at €16.50 per entry, it works out cheaper than individual tickets and removes the hassle of buying on site.

Grandstands and spots along the route

Along the route, people watch standing up, and the entry ticket is enough for that. A grandstand adds a numbered seat on top of it, the surcharge is paid separately, and the ticket office sometimes offers an "entry plus grandstand" package (grandstand rules, 09/2026). Numbered seats sell out first, so book seated options before your trip.

Arrive early: spots by the barriers fill up quickly, and that way you watch the figures up close. The second option, standing a bit further back near the cafes, gives you an easy exit after the finale, because the main crowd moves along the promenade.

February on the coast is changeable. Dress in layers and bring a raincoat: evening parades run until dark, and the wind from the sea is cold. Comfortable shoes also matter, since you will walk part of the route.

What else is happening in town: feste rionali

While the parades roll, a second wave of celebration spreads through the neighborhoods of Viareggio. Feste rionali start at 7:00 PM: first the rione Vecchia Viareggio on January 31 and February 1, then rione Marco Polo from February 5 to 7, Carnevale Storico on February 12, Carneval Darsena from February 13 to 17, and rione Croce Verde Centro on February 20 and 21 (feste rionali schedule, 01/22/2026).

© DV · CC BY-SAPhoto: DV, CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0), Wikimedia Commons

On these streets, they set up kitchens with local fish, musicians play, and separate daytime programs are prepared for children. Traffic is closed off, and for the evening the neighborhood turns into one long open-air table.

Besides the neighborhood festivals, the city hosts masquerade balls and exhibitions, and the carnival museums are open in the Cittadella del Carnevale (carnival museums, 09/2026). If you are staying for several days, the evening rionali offer something the promenade does not: a relaxed local rhythm and food without lines.

How to get there and where to stay

Viareggio sits on the Pisa-La Spezia railway line, with its own station almost in the center of town. From the station to the seafront you can walk, and regional trains connect the city with Pisa, Lucca and La Spezia. On parade days the center is closed to traffic, so a car is more of a hindrance than a help.

Hotels in Viareggio and throughout Versilia get booked up well in advance for the carnival weeks. Book before you travel, otherwise you will be left with options far from the sea. Browsing Versilia hotels on Trip.com is convenient because you can filter directly by your check-in dates.

If you are flying through Pisa, sort out the transfer from the airport in advance: on parade days taxis get more expensive, and buses require a change.

What to see nearby in Tuscany

From Viareggio it is easy to take a day trip inland into Tuscany. Pisa has the leaning tower, Lucca is ringed by tree-topped city walls, and Pietrasanta is known for its sculptors' workshops. Beyond La Spezia begins the Cinque Terre coast, served by trains that run along the sea.

Inland Tuscany offers a different story: hills, vineyards and medieval fortresses. The closest place to that story is Lucca with its city walls, reached from Viareggio by regional trains.

These outings are best placed between parades: on Wednesdays and Mondays the seafront is quiet, while trains run on their regular schedule.

⁉️🤔 Frequently asked questions

When did the Viareggio carnival take place in 2026?

Six corsi mascherati were on the calendar from February 1 to 21, 2026. The final parade took place on Saturday, February 21: after it the jury announced the winners, and the evening ended with a final fireworks display.

How much did tickets for the 2026 parades cost?

A general ticket for all six parades cost €40 in presale and €50 from January 7, 2026 (Vivere Viareggio). A single-parade ticket can be bought online or at the entrance on the day of the show.

Do I need to buy a grandstand seat?

You can watch along the route with a regular entry ticket. A grandstand gives you a numbered seat for a separate surcharge, and it is worth booking in advance: numbered seats sell out first (grandstand and entry rules, 09/2026).

What should I bring to an evening parade?

Warm layered clothing, a raincoat and comfortable shoes, because evening parades run late into the night.

How do I get there from Pisa or from the airport?

From Pisa airport the easiest option is to take a train or book a transfer in advance: on parade days the center is closed to traffic, and parking is hard to find.

Where should I stay during the carnival weeks?

In Viareggio and throughout Versilia, hotels for these weeks get booked up in advance (hotel prices in Versilia). Look for options closer to the seafront: then you can walk to the parade route and get back in the evening without a taxi.

In short: what to book

If you have one free day, buy a ticket for a daytime parade and arrive early. If you are going for several days, consider the general ticket for all six parades: it removes the hassle of buying on the spot and works out cheaper than individual entries (calculation for six parades).

If you are traveling with children, choose daytime parades and neighborhood events: entry is free for children under 1.20 m, and little ones are fine with a couple of hours on their feet. If you are going as a couple or with friends, the evening parades on February 12 and 21 offer the most intense atmosphere.

Accommodation in Viareggio sells out first, so hotel prices in Viareggio on Trip.com are worth checking right away. Book your airport transfer from Pisa and your grandstand seat together with your hotel.