It has been defined ”The most beautiful Carnival in Sicily” and it is the third most beautiful one in Italy. It is one of the oldest on our island and every year it takes place with great enthusiasm in its city of birth: we are talking about the Carnival of Acireale. The origins of this carnival are very ancient, even if the first documents that testify this festivity date back to 1594: this, in fact, was about a payment order.

L’Abbatazzu
L’Abbatazzu is among the first historical masks of the Acese carnival that ironized on the clerical class of the time, and in particular on the Abbot-Bishop of Catania. This mask of ancient origin has been in use since 1667. People who paraded put on extravagant clothes and large white wigs on their heads, and they also wore damask dresses and wandered around with large books.
The large napkin hanging around their necks was an ancient symbol that infected people wore, and perhaps also had the purpose of warding off fear in a time studded with wars, famines and epidemics. L’Abbatazzu was also called ”Pueta Minutizzu” (”Minutizzu poet”) because he recited grotesque and mischievous poems.

Il Baruni e i Manti
‘Il Baruni” was the second successful mask after ”l’Abbatazzu”. Another dominant mask in the scene of the Acese tradition was that of the ”Manti”: they were covered by large black silk cloaks and, compared to the Venetian Bautta, they were later replaced by the ”Domino”, also banned for reasons of public safety.
To parade through the streets of the city and to animate it during the days of Carnival, there are the allegorical floats in papier-mâché, but also the famous walking parades of masks and children in disguise who bring joy, cheerfulness and lightheartedness.

The flowered carts
During the last week also parade the flowered carts, something that distinguishes this carnival from the others, and they are also equipped with mechanical movements and lights. In this period of the year preceding Lent, the city is filled with masks, confetti, lights, art, flowers, music but above all a lot of human warmth.