Some three million people gather each year to attend Carnival in Venice. Festivities in the City of Water see locals and visitors alike donning old-world dresses and intricate masks to attend balls lit by chandeliers or to simply stroll along the frenzied streets.

But there are more than 70 local, lesser-known Carnival celebrations in Italy, each with their own quirks. Some revolve around food, others celebrate witty humour and many feature allegorical floats — colourful, sky-reaching papier-mâché monuments, the result of centuries-old artisanal traditions.