Francavilla al Mare’s Carnevale d’Abruzzo may not be Italy’s biggest Carnival, and does seem small for those more accustomed to Rio, or even Notting Hill in the summer.  It had but 5 tractor-pulled floats but for sheer numbers of gappy smiles it shone like there is no tomorrow.

Five floats seems to be what an Abruzzo carnival contains in the way of procession, we nipped back and checked out Carnevale Morto di Montorio al Vomano, similar but Francavilla won for a blast of colour and best satire as Berlusconi was hoisted and paraded along on King Rat TV.

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