Carnival was originally a farming festival when masks were used to scare away the evil spirits prior to sowing the new year's crops. The word "carnevale" comes from the Latin "carne levare", meaning to remove meat, as happens on the day before the start of Lent when meat is not to be eaten.

Carnival has been an Italian festival for centuries. Each town has its own traditions, some re-introduced quite recently, for example, the Carnival in Montalto di Castro.

Carnival in Montalto di Castro
Montalto di Castro - Pescia Romana - Montalto Marina
A spectacular parade with floats, confetti and plenty of fun over the space of three days, this Carnival celebration was re-introduced just 6 years ago. The various quarters of Pescia Romana strive to outdo their neighbours, with the locals engaged for months prior to the event in the preparation of the masks, costumes and floats. The actual parade is then repeated on consecutive weekends in the centre of Montalto di Castro and Montalto Marina