Carnival 2027 in Naples and around: dates, parades, chiacchiere and sanguinaccio
Carnival comes early in 2027: Fat Thursday (giovedì grasso) is 4 February and Shrove Tuesday (martedì grasso) is 9 February, the day before Ash Wednesday. In Naples itself carnival is mostly celebrated at the table, while the big parades take place in the towns of the province and in Irpinia. Here are the dates, the traditions and the historic carnivals you can reach on a day trip.
At a glance
- Main days
- Fat Thursday 4 February, Sunday 7 February and Shrove Tuesday 9 February 2027; Ash Wednesday is 10 February
- In Naples
- Neighbourhood parties and children in costume; the community carnival in Scampia, organised by the GRIDAS centre (in 2026 it paraded on Carnival Sunday)
- Historic carnivals nearby
- Palma Campania (quadriglie music groups), Saviano (papier-mâché floats), Montemarano in Irpinia (tarantella)
- 2027 programmes
- Not announced yet: exact parade and show dates usually come out in January
- Tickets
- Street parades are free; in Palma Campania grandstand seats are paid
- Getting there
- Circumvesuviana trains from Naples: the Sarno line for Palma Campania, the Baiano line for Saviano
Carnival 2027 dates
Carnival has no fixed date: it depends on Easter, which in 2027 falls on 28 March. That puts Shrove Tuesday (martedì grasso) on 9 February 2027 and Ash Wednesday on 10 February, when Lent begins. The most festive days are Fat Thursday (4 February), Carnival Sunday (7 February) and Shrove Tuesday, when the biggest parades take place.
In Naples, carnival is celebrated at the table
In the city of Naples, carnival is above all a family celebration with children in costume, and it has its own flavours:
- Chiacchiere and sanguinaccio: strips of fried, sugared pastry dipped in sanguinaccio, a thick chocolate cream. It used to be made with pig's blood, which is now banned for hygiene reasons: what you'll find in pastry shops today is pure chocolate.
- Carnival lasagna (lasagna di Carnevale): the Shrove Tuesday dish, made with ricotta, tiny meatballs, cured meats, hard-boiled eggs and cheese instead of béchamel.
- Graffe and migliaccio: sugared fried doughnuts and a semolina and ricotta cake that many families make at this time of year.
Chiacchiere are on sale in every pasticceria from January. More of the city's sweets in our guides to Neapolitan pastries and typical Neapolitan dishes.
In the city, the most heartfelt event is the Scampia Carnival, started by the GRIDAS community centre: schools, associations and residents spend months making masks and floats, often from recycled materials, and parade through the neighbourhood with socially engaged themes. Take Metro Line 1 to Piscinola/Scampia (metro and funiculars guide).
Campania's historic carnivals
| Where | What makes it special | From Naples |
|---|---|---|
| Palma Campania | The quadriglie: groups of hundreds of people in costume playing traditional Neapolitan instruments live and singing satirical songs. Records of the Palma carnival go back at least to 1858 | Circumvesuviana, Naples–Sarno line |
| Saviano | Huge allegorical papier-mâché floats built by the town's historic districts (rioni); the grand finale is on Shrove Tuesday | Circumvesuviana, Naples–Baiano line |
| Montemarano (Avellino) | The Montemaranese tarantella, danced in procession by masked groups led by the caporabballo; the festival starts on 17 January, St Anthony the Abbot's day, and ends with the "death of Carnival" | By car, about an hour and a half |
In 2026 the Palma Campania Carnival ran from 7 to 17 February, with free street parades and paid grandstands for the shows; in Saviano the floats paraded from Sunday to Shrove Tuesday. The 2027 dates and programmes have not been announced yet: we'll update this page as soon as they are out.
Practical tips
- Go on a day trip: Palma Campania and Saviano are reached by Circumvesuviana train from Porta Nolana or Piazza Garibaldi stations. On parade days the evening trains back are crowded: check the time of the last train before you set off.
- Arrive early: the streets of the town centres fill up by early afternoon, and many roads are closed to traffic.
- February is low season: a good time to visit Naples with fewer tourists and lower prices. Read the best time to visit Naples.
- Where to stay: around the Central Station area, handy for the Circumvesuviana, or in the Historic Centre to walk between pastry shops.
Pair it with Carnival
- Neapolitan pastrieschiacchiere, graffe and sfogliatelle
- Pompeiion the same Circumvesuviana network
- Mount Vesuviusthe volcano above the carnival towns
- Central Station areawhere Circumvesuviana trains leave from
Frequently asked questions
When is Carnival 2027 in Italy?
Fat Thursday is 4 February 2027 and Shrove Tuesday is 9 February 2027. The next day, Wednesday 10 February, is Ash Wednesday.
Where can I see carnival parades near Naples?
The best-known carnivals in the province are Palma Campania, with its musical quadriglie, and Saviano, with its papier-mâché floats. Both are reached by Circumvesuviana train. The 2027 dates have not been announced yet.
What do people eat at carnival in Naples?
Chiacchiere with chocolate sanguinaccio, graffe, migliaccio and, on Shrove Tuesday, carnival lasagna with ricotta, tiny meatballs and cured meats.
Where to stay for Carnival
23 places to stay in the Vesuvius area on Napolibnb.it, the Naples holiday-rental portal: you contact the host directly, with no booking fees. Every listing shows its official CIN code.
