February Events 2010 |
| Date |
Events |
| 31 January and 7, 14, 16, 17 February |
ITALY Viareggio Carnival - Italy's maddest event with parades sporting huge puppets among the kaleidoscope folk, revelry of all sorts and fireworks. |
| 13 - 28 February [Wednesdays and week-ends] |
FRANCE Nice Carnival, the Cote d'Azur - a brilliant event on the lovely promenade of a terrific city, but not every day and parades are basically the same so one is probably enough. And half an hour along the coast Menton is having a small but colourful Lemon Festival during approximately the same period. |
| 6 - 16 February |
ITALY Venice Carnival - colourful, fascinating, funny and a superbly costumed environment in spectacular St Mark's Square and the misty, magical streets around. For the full flavour, buy a mask, rent a costume and go to a palazzo ball [the best is the Doge's Ball. |
| 11 - 17 February |
SPAIN Sitges Carnival near Barcelona - the wildest, gayest party of the year in Spain. |
| 15 - 17 February 2010 7 - 9 March 2011 20 - 22 February 2012 |
GERMANY Cologne Carnival - Germany's answer to Mardi Gras, a huge event marking the beginning of Lent, local festivities and a monster Rose Monday parade. |
| 11 - 15 February TBC |
GERMANY Dusseldorf Carnival - another massive and outrageously kaleidoscopic occasion, Sunday is probably the best [wacky dress] parade. |
| 13 - 16 February |
ITALY Ivrea Carnival, Storico Carnevale di Ivrea, Piedmont district of Turin - another colourful carnival, but with a different ending as the whole town partakes in a monstrous orange fight. |
| 14 - 16 February |
BELGIUM Binche Carnival, Carnaval de Binche - one of Belgium's wildest parties, a UNESCO Heritage event, half an hour south of Brussels. Sunday and Tuesday are best. |
