Habsburg Carnival, Italy

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What is the Habsburg Carnival?

The Habsburg Carnival is a celebration that takes place every year in the towns of Pinzolo, Madonna di Campiglio and Arco. These magical carnivals are special because their main goal is to transport all their participants to the time when the locality was still ruled by the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

During the event predominate the images of Franz Joseph I of Austria and his wife Isabel Amalia Eugenia Duchess of Bavaria, also known as Sissi. During this very special celebration several shows, dinners, dances and other events are organized. Their parades are celebrated in the streets and squares. During these carnivals you are transported to the ancient times where you can participate, as long as you are dressed according to the occasion.

 

 

We accompany you to know everything that these wonderful carnivals have to offer you.

 

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When is the Habsburg Carnival

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This very special carnival takes place between the month of February and March. The celebration has been held for several years and features a variety of events that will make you think you’ve gone back in time. The Habsburg Carnival will take place from approximately February 15 to 19.

 

 

History of the Habsburg Carnival

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These carnivals date back to the 19th century, which are born along with the tourist history of the city when it began to carry out the construction of a variety of exclusive hotels. These hotels have a Habsburg imperial style.

Year after year, locals and tourists celebrate these carnivals so important to them that it reminds them of the time when Princess Sissi visited the town in her elegant dresses, which is why the villagers try to recreate those times by wearing period costumes and dresses. Floats and dances also take part during these magical carnivals.

 

Where is the Habsburg Carnival?

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The Habsburg carnivals are celebrated in a town called Madonna di Campiglio, being part of the municipality of Pinzolo and Ragoli. This locality is quite small where only 700 people live. However, it has become quite a popular tourist site over the years.

Parades and balls take place in one of the most exclusive and important salon called Salone Hofer. Piazza Palù, the Frozen Lake and Piazza Sissi are also important spots during carnival celebrations.

 

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How the Habsburg Carnival is celebrated

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The Habsburg Carnival is celebrated for an entire week, during which different events emblematic for the festivities are held. These carnivals are celebrated with the arrival of the emperors, following a royal procession in Piazza Palù. There arefireworks shows. This is followed by a festival for children and torchlight parades.

During the week people can also ski, rent period clothing and participate in dances in the various halls. It is also celebrated with a food fair and the various smaller events that occur locally.

If you want to know more about tourism in this country I recommend this guide:.

 

Tips for going to the Habsburg Carnival

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If you wish to participate in these carnivals, we recommend wearing period clothing, otherwise you will not be able to participate. If you do not have the ability to purchase the clothing, during the carnivals there are spaces where you can rent a large number of garments. Also, during these carnivals it is quite cold, we recommend you to bring warm clothes and if you feel like skiing, you can also bring your own equipment or rent it.

 

 

Events at Habsburg Carnival

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During the week different events take place that make this carnival a celebration out of this world. First, the carnivals begin with the arrival of theHabsburg court and the royal procession, then the participants head to Piazza Palù and Piazza Sissi for a fireworks display. The next day is the children’s parade and the parade of the torches. Then we move on to the royal appetizers that take place in the various venues in the area. In addition, sporting events also take place during the week.

The Habsburg carnivals end with the royal ball, a procession through thePiazza Brenta Alta, through the center of Madonna di Campiglio and then the arrival at the main hall where the balls take place. To conclude the aperitifs are held and then a live orchestral concert.

 

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Habsburg Carnival Parades

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The carnival parades begin with the arrival of the Habsburg Court, they cross the center of Madonna di Campiglio through the various squares of the town and passing through different tourist spots.

 

 

Also takes place the children’s parade, the torchlight parade and the ski parade through the different points of the town. Finally, the closing parade takes place before the big royal ball and the closing of the carnivals.

 

Parade route

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The events take place in the different parts of the city.

 

 

What to eat at the Habsburg Carnival

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During carnivals it is common to eat certain types of sweets, some of them are called graffe or castagnole which are sweet dumplings, some of them sweetened with honey. They are sweets consumed during carnival festivities. If you decide to eat some other typical dish of the region, you can go to any of the local restaurants in Madonna di Campiglio, some of these are Ristorante Chalet Fogajard, Ristorante Alfiero or Ristorante Due Pini that offer a varied menu with local and international food.

 

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Travel Insurance

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From Carnavalesdelmundo.org we recommend to hire a good insurance to visit this carnival and to know the rest of the country. For being our readers we offer a 5% discount on all IATI insurance. Read more information about all insurance offers here:

 

 

What to see and do inside the Habsburg Carnival

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During the carnivals you have the opportunity to participate in the various dances, banquets and processions that take place during thecarnival season. It is an incredible opportunity to go back in time for a few days and know how things were in those times. If you decide to be part of this fantastic experience, don’t forget to rent or buy clothes related to the theme of the festivities.

If you don’t want to complicate things, here you can book interesting excursions in Spanish in this city:.

 

What to see and do outside of the Habsburg Carnival

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If you decide to take a stroll around the locality, don’t forget to visit the different tourist attractions that the area has to offer, most of these are natural attractions worth visiting.

 

Lake Ritorto

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This is one of the most famous and imposing lakes in the region. In this particular area different walks are offered and you have the opportunity to see its imposing waters and the view towards the Alps.

 

Scuola di Sci Dolomiti

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It is a local school that offers services for learning ice skiing. The school offers different customized courses for children, adults or even private lessons. If you have some time, it is a good idea to learn something new while you are on vacation.

 

Lago delle Malghette

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This lake is located at 1,900 meters above sea level and is surrounded by the mountains of Folgarida. From here you have the opportunity to have an imposing view of the vegetation zone surrounding the locality.

Also if you want to visit museums and important buildings in this town we recommend that you book your entrance ticket in advance through Tiquets: .

 

Safety at the Habsburg Carnival

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Visiting Madonna di Campiglio is quite safe, it is a tourist area that is always busy before, during and after carnivals so security in the area is always working to provide the best service. Despite this, remember to watch your belongings at every moment, especially and you go to places with a large concentration of people. Likewise, we recommend the following products to keep your belongings safe:

 

 

Climate at the Habsburg Carnival

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During the carnival festivities, the weather ranges from -5 to 0 degrees Celsius with little chance of rain. We recommend you to keep warm during the festivities.

 

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How to get to the Habsburg Carnival

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How to get there by plane

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The closest international airports to Madonna di Campiglio are Berona Airport, Milan, Venice and Innsbruck in Austria. From these points you can use other means of transportation to reach the locality. The drive from these airports can be around 3 hours by road.

We recommend buying airline tickets through Kiwi.com or Skyscanner where they are usually cheaper. More information on this link to review Kiwi.com..

 

How to get there by train

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You can use the different train services from the terminals of Trento, Brescia or Rome, taking from 1 to 4 hours of travel time.

 

How to get there by bus

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To reach Madonna di Campiglio using the B201 bus services from Trento.

 

How to get there by car

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You can reach Madonna di Campiglio via the following freeways: Milan-Venice A4 Modena-Brennero A22 The journey can take several hours to reach.

 

Where to stay at the Habsburg Carnival

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Booking.com

 

Hotel Garnì Caminetto

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4-star hotel offering accommodation right in the center of Madonna di Campiglio. Buffer style breakfast is served and includes pastries and local products. Each of the rooms are equipped with wifi, satellite TV and private bathroom with all the toiletries.

 

Vallesinella Hotel Restaurant Bar

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This 3-star hotel is surrounded by the Dolomite Mountains. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout. The rooms are modern combined with the style of the Alps. Each room has an en-suite bathroom and the various toiletries.

 

Hotel Lorenzetti

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4-star hotel. This hotel is located only 200 meters from the Colarin cable car. They offer free spa and free internet connection. Breakfast is served daily with cakes and hot drinks. It also has access to swimming pool and restaurant serving local food.

We recommend using Booking.com to book hotels at good rates, check more information here:.

 

Booking.com

 

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