You have not experienced a carnival until you have been to the Carnival of Ivrea! This is the wildest carnival event in northern Italy because it’s unlike any other. As an outsider looking in, I want to share with you everything I learned about it in hopes that if you are planning a trip to Italy, you may consider travelling during this season and bear witness to the madness of fun that is the Carnival of Ivrea.
What is the Carnival of Ivrea?
Let’s get down to basics because not everyone knows what carnival is (including me up until recently!). Carnival is made up of two medieval Latin words: carne (meaning flesh) and vale (meaning farewell). When you put the two words together, you get “farewell to flesh” – sounds strange but it’s about to make more sense…
You see, in the Catholic calendar, the carnival is a series of fun public festivities in February leading up to Lent and fasting. It’s typically celebrated on Sunday (Fat Sunday), Monday (Fat Monday) and Tuesday (Fat Tuesday) before Ash Wednesday. You’re meant to live your desires and indulge in all that you can before you must sacrifice/give up something for Lent.
Now that we know a bit more about the origins of carnival, what makes the Carnival of Ivrea so special? Each year, the most historic and wild food fight takes place for 3 days. Nine teams join the games and throw oranges at the carts that are drawn by horses.
Read our full guide, Battle of the Oranges: Inside Italy’s craziest festival to learn about the dynamics of the games, from its origins, how to participate, the ethics and sustainability of the use of oranges, and how the parade comes to life each year.
The Battle of the Oranges – Inside Italy’s Craziest Festival
You might wonder, well, if there is already a post about it, why am I reading this?
Well, good friend, I think you should get a taste of what you’re in for. As an avid reader, planner, and organizer, I thought I was ready and knew more or less what to expect.
I was wrong.
My expectations before visiting
I think this is the part where I should introduce myself. My name is Simona and I’m part of the team here at Backpackers in the World. I’m from Québec, Canada and have lived in Italy (in Rome to be precise) now for four years. I’ve travelled quite a lot across the peninsula, but one thing I have yet to do is witness carnival. After hearing about the Carnival of Ivrea, I thought, this I gotta see!
Carnival is one week away and as I type this I’m packing my bag and getting ready to head up north. I have sort of an idea of what to expect but I’m not sure if I have the full picture of what I’m about to experience.
Ivrea is in the region of Piedmont so I’m expecting it to be quite cold and people in colourful uniforms parading through the streets on horse and buggy towards the main public squares screaming. I don’t expect music, but I think the Rocky theme song “Gonna fly now” will be playing in my head.
As for the actual battle….is there a referee? Who calls it to start and end? Do players wear protective gear, push and shove or only throw oranges? Is there a line they can’t cross or is it a free war zone of oranges? I have many questions.
I’m expecting a referee dressed as a Medieval guard to call the start of the game. One team will be on the left and the other on the right. They’ll each have a barrel of oranges, ready for the picking. On the count of three, players will start yelling at the top of their lungs, grab oranges and start throwing. As a spectator, I’ll only see blurs of orange flying in the air and hear the glorious sounds of chaos.
Now, now, now…there is an important rule for spectators which is giving me a bit of anxiety. If you DO NOT wear a berretto frigio you could be a target to get hit with oranges. I will definitely be buying one because I’m hoping to snap some battle shots and want to stay in the neutral zone. The concept though of wearing such a hat is interesting. Ready for another history lesson?
The Berretto Frigio
In English, the berretto frigio is known as a Phrygian hat. Since antiquity, this type of hat is known as a liberty hat, being a symbol of freedom. These hats soft conical hats are red and basically mean that you are off-limits at the Carnival.
Who knows what it will actually be like? The later section has been written post-Carnival, keep reading friends!
How to get to the Carnival of Ivrea?
Ivrea is located in the region of Piedmont in northern Italy, between the cities of Turin and Milan. Turin is about 45 minutes away by car, while Milan is about 1h25 minutes away.
I live in Rome and rely on public transit since I don’t have a car. If you’re going to the car, I’ll let you rely on Google maps. For all my public-transit users, I got your back! Here is the easiest way to arrive in Ivrea. I think the best way, that is the most cost effective and efficient, is by train. It is longer than taking a flight but requires less effort in my opinion.
Forget getting to Ivrea by bus. Options to arrive at Ivrea by bus also involve taking a train (usually from Rome to Milan, then taking a bus to Turin). Trust me, you don’t want to be travelling 10+ hours to get there – there is an easier way!
GET TO IVREA BY TRAIN
In Italy, the two main train companies are Italo and TrenItalia. Both have apps, and I recommend downloading them and getting your tickets online to avoid needing to “validate” them by the machine at the train station.
FROM TURIN: Ivrea is just a 55 minutes train ride from Torino, with no changes. Trains generally leave hourly, and a one-way ticket costs €6,30 EUR. You can also check thetrainline.com to book your tickets.
FROM MILAN: There are no direct trains to Ivrea from Milan, but you can still make it easily in about 2h with one change. Trains leave about every hour and a ticket costs €12,45 EUR. The first leg is 1.30 hrs long from Milan to Chivasso, then change at Chivasso and board another train to Aosta (getting off at Ivrea).
FROM ROME: By train, the ride is about 5:40 hours long. Expect to pay around €50-60 EUR each way for the tickets. I managed to get a really good deal with Italo (yay for newsletter subscriptions!) and paid under €50 EUR for a round trip. Keep your eyes open for seasonal deals and try to get your tickets earlier rather than later. This is the quickest trajectory: Rome Termini to Torino Porta Nuova, then change at Torino Porta Nuova to Aosta (getting off at Ivrea). It’s a long trek, but the trains in Italy are a comfortable ride.
DON’T GET STRANDED: Due to the huge amount of people who tried to attend the celebrations on Sunday 2023, many people were unable to board the trains in Turin. Sunday is the busiest day at the Carnival of Ivrea, so if you want to visit Ivrea during this time we recommend going earlier in the day or using another means of transport.
GET TO IVREA BY PLANE
Taking a plane to Turin is also an option if you want to cut down on your travel time from Rome or other major cities in Italy or Europe. I wouldn’t recommend flying from Milan, in fact, there aren’t any direct flights from Milan to Turin since they’re too close to each other.
The plane ride from Rome is 1.15 hrs, so it’s quite short and the cost of tickets varies depending on the time of the year. Expect to pay between €100-200 EUR for a round trip. From the airport to Ivrea you can take the bus 268 (45-min ride – 8 stops), which costs about €7.50 EUR, to the train station Torino Porta Nuova. From here, hop on a regional train that goes to Ivrea (55min) for €6.30 EUR.
My experience at the Carnival of Ivrea
It’s been 1 day since the end of the Carnival of Ivrea and I’ve collected my thoughts on the overall experience to give you a more accurate idea of what to expect.
The truth about the town of Ivrea
Ivrea is a beautiful small town that goes all out for carnival! There are decorations of each squadra (team) in different areas of the old city centre of the town. You’ll notice people proudly walking around with their uniforms and berretti frigi (the red hat I spoke of earlier) in different styles from the more traditional style to caps and beanies.
As you walk around, you’ll find food stands and picnic tables. You can have mulled wine to warm you up, try yummy local treats such as Miassa (a thin crusty bread made from corn that is filled with cheese or meat), sandwiches, fried food, and plenty of drinks. You most certainly won’t go hungry, and there is a good chance you will drink a lot.
Also, another plus is that the train station is super close to the city centre so it’s easy to get around on foot.
The truth about the berretto frigio
So, it turns out there is no “neutral area” on the battlefield. If you are watching the battle, you are in the battle. While you may wear the hat and choose to stand way back and not throw oranges, it doesn’t mean a flying orange won’t accidentally hit you. People are generally careful, but it can happen. If you want to avoid all contact with the oranges, don’t go into the areas of the neighbourhood where the battle takes place. If you want to brave it out, then go and stay as far away as possible.
The truth about the Mugnaia
During the three days of carnival, the traditional parade takes place along the city streets, where you see floats of folklore groups and marching bands. The heroine of the carnival, and in turn the parade, is the Mugnaia (miller). Legend has it that this young woman, who was a daughter of a miller, freed her people from the tyranny of the lords. On the float, she greets the spectators wearing a long white wool dress with a green silk sash with a red cockade pin – a symbol of the revolution that is iconic in this carnival celebration. On her shoulders, she wears an ermine cape and on her head, she wears a red berretto frigio, which falls to one side of her face. Together with her on the float are other characters who help her in the generous throwing of candies and mimosa sprigs.
The truth about the Carnival of Ivrea
I had it all wrong. There is no referee during the battle. This is what it’s actually like…
The battle starts in the afternoon around 2:00 PM. Each team is located in a different part of the neighbourhood, so while you are in one part of the city centre with your team, you do not see the other teams throwing. For each team, there are baskets and baskets of oranges nearby for the players to fill up their bags and get ready to throw.
Sounds civilized? Up until this point, it is.
Different carts each representing a different “enemy”, drawn by two or four horses, make their way through each neighbourhood passing in front of each team. The people in the carts wear masks and protective gear and throw oranges at the crowd.
The team charges back by throwing oranges without having any protective gear. Now, if you’re standing up close to the carriage you WILL get hit many times very hard. The crowd was FULL of people with orange pulp in their hair and covering their faces and clothes. Some people even had bloody noses, which should not be confused with the colour of the blood oranges that stain their faces. If you don’t leave the battle with a bruise or black eye, were you even there?
The carriage usually stops mid-way and continues throwing at full force. When they finish their oranges, there is a mutual moment of peace.
It is a beautiful moment.
Those on the cart remove their masks, and the crowds start singing and chanting in unison. I was in the area where the Tuchini del Borghetto was located. When people start belting, there is a real sense of team spirit! I managed to only learn one chant, but there are many. The one I learned is:
“craaaa craaaa craaaa, il corvo vincerà!”
This loosely translates to “the crow will win” (the crow is this particular team’s mascot).
The truth about the Ponte Vecchio di Ivrea
When in Ivrea for Carnival, walk around and see the different areas where the battles take place and you’ll come across a special little area with a historic bridge, called Ponte Vecchio, and the Borghetto. I think it’s the most beautiful of the neighbouring areas where the battle happens. The bridge is Roman in origin and was of key historic importance. During a siege in 1704, it was destroyed and then rebuilt in 1716 with watchtowers, roofing, and two new side arches.
As you leave the city center beyond the bridge, you reach the area known as the borghetto – a small group of buildings tightly packed together and perched on the right bank of the Dora Baltea river. Historically, this area was the only city settlement on this side of the river. It held great importance as access needed to be heavily guarded since it was the only crossing over the river for centuries.
What I learned about the Carnival of Ivrea
I learned a few things after my experience at the Carnival of Ivrea. Some things are practical lessons learned, others are subjective. Here are Simona’s lessons learned:
- The Carnival of Ivrea is messy!
I wore clothes and a jacket that I didn’t mind getting dirty but that is not enough. You need to be prepared to wear things that you don’t ever see again. Yes, try washing your clothes, but you might not be able to get them completely clean. You need to pack the following:
- Tall billy boots (rain boots) – it gets very slippery and with so many oranges, the guck really accumulates and you’ll be stepping in ankle-high pulp and dirt.
- A sweatshirt and sweat pants – even though it’s winter, you want to be agile, be comfortable. Don’t do what I did which was wear jeans…I’d even recommend wearing splash pants (like wind-breaker pants) because they will be easier to clean.
- A cloth bag – you can buy one at the carnival, it’s convenient to fill your bag with oranges if you plan on participating in the battle.
- Extra of everything! After the events of the day, you’ll want to change your shoes and clothes. If you’re staying for the 3 days of the battle and won’t get to wash your clothes, pack accordingly. Maybe also bring plastic garbage bags.
- Cash – Places did accept cards, but some smaller markets accept mostly cash.
2. Technically not everyone can throw oranges
Those who are wearing official uniforms have paid to participate. They are the ones who, according to the rules, can throw oranges. Locals usually don’t like it when people who have not registered participate and throw oranges. I was visiting with friends who were registered so I threw a few oranges, and no one said anything to me. Generally speaking though, you shouldn’t.
3. Stay for all of the carnival events
I left on Tuesday late afternoon in order to catch the last train back to Rome. I ended up missing the ending ceremony where a tree is lit on fire as a sign of good fortune. It would have been nice to stick around a bit more to see this.
Would I recommend visiting?
I am so happy that I got to visit the Carnival of Ivrea. I’ve never seen anything quite like this, and I think it’s always fun to try new experiences. If given the opportunity, I would go again and would highly recommend anyone who is up for a bit of crazy to go.
In the name of letting yourself go and indulging, the Carnival of Ivrea lives up to the true spirit of this festive tradition!
