Carnival in the Bologna area runs from late January to Shrove Tuesday (Martedì Grasso), which falls in February or early March depending on Easter. The city centre gets costumes, confetti and seasonal sweets, but the most spectacular events happen outside Bologna itself — particularly in Cento, 30 kilometres to the north. This guide covers the main events worth planning around.
Cento Carnival
The Cento Carnival is the standout event of the season — large enough to have earned the nickname “Carnival of Europe.” Its history is documented as far back as 1615 in frescoes by the local painter Guercino, and the format has remained consistent for centuries: enormous allegorical floats, built over the course of the year by five competing local associations, parade through the town centre on consecutive Sundays from early February to early March.
The defining tradition is the gettito — floats throw sweets, confetti and small gifts directly into the crowd. The final Sunday brings the announcement of the winning float and the burning of the Tasi (Cento’s traditional carnival mask) with fireworks in Piazzale della Rocca. Arrive early; crowds are substantial on the main parade days.
Getting there: Line 97 bus from Bologna, departing from Via Indipendenza, takes around 50 minutes and runs hourly. No car needed. The nearest stop to the parade route is a short walk from the town centre.
San Giovanni in Persiceto
About 20 kilometres west of Bologna, San Giovanni in Persiceto hosts one of the oldest carnivals in the region — its 2026 edition was the 152nd, which puts its origins in the 1870s. The programme typically runs on two Sundays in February, with animated floats built by local associations. It’s smaller and less touristed than Cento, which means less queuing and a more local atmosphere. Straightforward by car; doable by bus with a change.
Pieve di Cento
Pieve di Cento sits between Bologna and Cento and runs its own separate programme — flag-wavers, masks and floats through the town streets, usually across three or four dates in February and early March. Compact enough to cover on foot. Worth combining with a visit to Cento if you are spending the day in the area.
Bologna City Centre
Bologna’s own carnival is more dispersed than the town events. The Quadrilatero market streets and the area around Piazza Maggiore see costumed groups, children in masks and stalls selling seasonal sweets in the weeks leading up to Shrove Tuesday. One event worth noting is Il Carnevale degli Animali — a children’s concert by the Senzaspine Orchestra, a playful reimagining of Saint-Saëns’ suite performed specifically for Carnival season. Check the orchestra’s programme for the current year’s date.
Traditional Carnival Sweets
Two sweets appear in every Bologna pasticceria from January through Shrove Tuesday and nowhere else:
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- Frappe (called sfrappole in the local dialect): thin strips of fried dough, dusted with icing sugar. Light and slightly crisp. Eaten the day they are made.
- Castagnole: small fried dough balls, sometimes plain, sometimes filled with cream or jam. The ricotta version is worth seeking out.
Both are made to order at traditional pasticcerie in the city centre. They disappear from menus the day after Shrove Tuesday. If you are visiting during Carnival season, eating them once is obligatory.
Planning Around the Dates
Exact dates shift each year because Carnival ends on Shrove Tuesday, which moves with Easter. The Cento Carnival typically runs for four or five consecutive Sundays; San Giovanni in Persiceto and Pieve di Cento usually schedule two to four dates each. For the current year’s programme, check the Bologna Welcome events calendar and the official Cento Carnival website closer to the season. If you are visiting Bologna in February more broadly, our guide to what to do in Bologna in February covers the full month.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is Carnival in Bologna?
Carnival season runs from Epiphany (6 January) to Shrove Tuesday (Martedì Grasso), which falls between early February and early March depending on Easter. The main parade events in Cento, San Giovanni in Persiceto and Pieve di Cento are concentrated on Sundays from early February to early March. Bologna city centre events are most active in the week before Shrove Tuesday.
Is the Cento Carnival worth a day trip from Bologna?
Yes, particularly on a main parade Sunday. The papier-mâché floats are genuinely large-scale — built over the course of the year by five competing associations — and the gettito (throwing of sweets and gifts from the floats) makes it participatory rather than just a spectator event. Allow half a day at minimum. The bus takes around 50 minutes from Bologna and runs hourly, so it is easy to do without a car.
How do I get from Bologna to Cento for the carnival?
Line 97 bus from Via Indipendenza in Bologna runs approximately hourly and takes around 50 minutes to Cento. It is the most direct public transport option. On main parade days the town centre fills quickly — arriving before the parade start time is advisable. Return buses run until the evening.
What are traditional Italian carnival sweets?
The two most common in Bologna are frappe (called sfrappole locally) — thin fried pastry strips dusted with icing sugar — and castagnole, small fried dough balls sometimes filled with ricotta, cream or jam. Both are strictly seasonal and only available in pasticcerie from January through Shrove Tuesday. They are made fresh and best eaten the same day.
Are there carnival events for children near Bologna?
Yes. In Bologna city, the Senzaspine Orchestra performs Il Carnevale degli Animali — a children’s concert based on Saint-Saëns’ suite — during the Carnival season each year. The parades in Cento and San Giovanni in Persiceto are also family events; the gettito tradition means children in the crowd receive sweets and small gifts thrown from the floats.
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