This is the Untold Italy travel podcast and you're listening to episode number 111.

Ciao at all and benvenuti to Untold Italy, the travel podcast where you go to the towns and

villages, mountains and lakes, hills and coastlines of Bella, Italia.

Each week your host, Katie Clark, takes you on a journey in search of magical landscapes,

history, culture, wine, gelato, and, of course, a whole lot of pasta.

If you're dreaming of Italy and planning future adventures there,

you've come to the right place.

Chau-a-tuti, hello everyone. How are you all doing today? I'm so excited because guess what

is starting tomorrow? Carnivalet in Venice. One of the most spectacular festivals in the world and it's

making a comeback after being cut short abruptly in 2020 and cancelled in 2021. I really feel like this carnivali is heralding brighter times ahead, and we sure need that

right now, don't we?

What could be better than a midwinter party with the most amazing and incredible costumes and

parties to get you through February's darkest days?

So what is carnivali?

Well, it is a Christian tradition and the last celebration

before Lent begins on Ash Wednesday. During Lent, the time before Easter, many Catholics

deprive themselves of things that they enjoy and focus on the sacrifices made by Jesus before

his death. Deprivation comes in many forms, such as parties, certain foods, alcohol,

music and dancing. So the idea with Carnivali is that you party until you drop and spend the

period of Lent recovering. Cannavalli is somewhat similar to Mardi Gras in the United States,

and it is celebrated throughout Italy with costumes, parades, feasting

and general partying. You'll find big celebrations in Villarggio in Tuscany, Cento in

...