Witness your personal and academic experience be transformed when you immerse yourself during the “Carnevale” magic in Rome, that takes place in February. You’ll be part of a tradition that goes all the way back to the Middle Ages when horse tournaments and bullfights took place at the Piazza Navona.
At John Cabot University, you’ll have the chance to throw yourself into the carnival festivities. Our prime location will let you experience everything that Rome has to offer. Become a global citizen along with students from 70 different countries, and live out a new adventure in Italy through our cultural programs.
Read on to learn about the carnival celebrations that await you!
Take part in the experience of a lifetime by witnessing the spectacular parades that cover every inch of the city, from famous squares to urban roads. You’ll immerse yourself in a crowd of decorated masks, handcrafted costumes, traditional floats, fireworks, and music that serenades the streets of Rome. As a student at JCU, you’ll be close to the Piazza Navona, where the well-known parade of figures, wagons, and horses takes place on February 17th. When you study in Rome, you’ll experience the carnival’s historical tradition that evokes the Berber horse race, which was abolished in 1874, by watching more than 100 horses and carriages filling the square.
More than 100 horses and carriages fill the carnival parades
No one wants to walk around Rome and enjoy the carnival festivities on an empty stomach. Celebrate the carnival with a full stomach when you taste and eat all the delicious seasonal treats on offer at bakeries and deli shops. International students in Italy studying at John Cabot can do as the locals do and delight themselves with a coffee and strips of fried frappe topped with icing sugar. You’ll also get to taste the delicious castagnole - a fried delicacy consisting of small balls of dough dusted with honey or icing sugar. If you have a craving for a nice dessert with custard cream, the local bakeries offer Bignè di San Giuseppe, a dessert filled with custard cream.
International students in Italy can enjoy delicious treats during the carnival festivities
As you walk around Rome, you’ll notice a vibrant atmosphere with acrobats, rides, and waders filling the Testaccio neighborhood in Rome. You’ll find yourself in the midst of musicians, flag wavers, and masked people who bring Roman culture to life. The Roman masks resemble characters embedded in Roman culture, including Rugantino, the most famous of all, who was dressed as a brigand with a handkerchief around his neck. Meo Patacca is another famous character from a poem written by Giuseppe Berneri in the Roman dialect of the 17th century - a work that is considered an important representation of the language and lifestyle of the Roman people in that period.
Are you looking to learn more about the local culture while at a university in Rome?
Contact John Cabot University for more information!