The 2024 Battle of the Oranges: Italy’s Most Outrageous Festival

Carnival of Ivrea is Italy’s most traditional, unique, oldest, colorful, and historic carnival held annually before Lent. The Battle of oranges in the carnival is widely recognized as the craziest festival in Italy worldwide. Not just this, the Battle also symbolizes freedom from oppression. 

It is a three-day-long food fight festival that involves 500,000 pounds of oranges thrown in the streets & squares of Ivrea. Over 100,000 spectators travel to Ivrea to attend this craziest festival every year. You can even get into one of the tribes to throw the oranges! 

The Story Behind The Battle Of Oranges

Well, the Battle of Oranges is traced back to the event that occurred in the 12th century. Back then, the lord of Ivrea made the rule, that obliged the newly married women in the city to spend their wedding night with him. 

While most women accepted this in his fear, Violetta, Miller’s daughter, refused to do so and chopped off his head. This act not just set the city free and made Violetta a symbol of freedom but also sparked a revolution against the oppressive rulers. The Battle of Oranges is the event representing the historical rebellion.

How Does The Battle Of Oranges Work?

There are nine teams in the Battle of Oranges, representing the commoners and aranceri (orange throwers) on the horse-drawn carts as guards. Each of the nine teams is from a specific town. The three main battlegrounds are Piazza di Città, Piazza Ottinetti, and Piazza Freguglia.

The idea is to hit the opponents with the oranges and take them out of the game. Also, on each day of the Battle, a historical parade takes place, including characters representing Violetta, General, his staff, and many others. The Battle is also accompanied by the musical and folklorist groups from Europe. 

When is the Battle Of Oranges? 

Battle of The Oranges or Ivrea carnival takes place on the last three consecutive days, from Sunday to Tuesday prior to Lent. Generally, it tends to remain more crowded on Sunday than you would ever expect, and you need to pay a certain charge to enter the carnival. 

Wondering when it will be in 2022? The carnival in Italy is dated from 27th February to 1st March 2022. 

As looking at the current scenario, we suggest you confirm and check the status before booking your tickets. 

What & What Not to Wear in The Battle Of Oranges?

If you are wondering if you could dress your best and wear anything you like for the Battle of Oranges, then hold on a second. You cannot! You will be encrusted in orange pulps from head to toe. So, dress carefully!

Footwear

After the Battle, you can see orange pulp all over the streets, making them too slippery, squelchy, and hard to walk. Falling over it is the last thing you would ever want. So, be prepared well in advance. Wear non-slip, waterproof, ankle-length boots to the Battle. 

Clothing 

The Battle’s clothing is a lot different from what you might not even think of. Keep aside your expensive bags and designer clothes when leaving for the carnival in Italy. No single human being would care about your fashion at the Battle. So, put on your old clothes for the carnival. 

Red Phrygian Cap

The red Phrygian cap is essential when heading into the Battle. It represents that you are a spectator and should not be hit with the oranges. Yes, it is true.

If you step bare-headed, the drunken aranceri would cast you with oranges, calling you a ‘traitor’. So, to save yourself from the oranges, do not forget to get this red cap from roadside stalls at the town center. 

This was about what you should wear. Now, there are certain things which you should not wear in the carnival like:

Glasses

You are likely to get bluntly smashed with oranges. An orange on the face can hit your glasses and injure you. So, it’s better to keep them at the place you stay. 

Precious Items 

Your accessories, bag, or anything expensive you are carrying will be at high risk of getting damaged or lost in the crowd. It is suggested not to carry along such expensive items to the battle.

Where To Stay?

Make sure you stay overnight, especially on Tuesday, to attend the amazing closing ceremony. When it comes to accommodation during the carnival, you have plenty of options to choose from, like B&Bs, hotels, inns, and guesthouses. Il Tuchino B&B, located in the medieval heart of the town, and Castello di Pavone, a castle on the hilltop overlooking Ivrea, are pretty good options to consider.

Not just this, you can even check out options for homestays in the city. Nothing is more exciting than living with an Italian family. 

What To Eat?

At the Ivrea carnival, there’s some delicious & tempting food you cannot resist eating. During the carnival celebrations, the stalls serve fat beans, also known as ‘fagioli grassi’, in large cauldrons all over Ivrea. It is a rich, tasty local dish made with beans, pork, bacon rind, sausages, pig trotters, pig bones, lard, and onions. 

You will find many other dishes served on the stalls around the town during the carnival celebrations. Do try Salam D’La Duja, the Capunet, and the carnival’s famous & tastiest fried sweets called Dolci di Carnevale. 

How To Get There?

Ivrea is just an hour away from Turin. You can take a flight, bus, train or taxi from Turin to get there. However, traveling via taxi or train is considered feasible. The primary train operator in Italy is Trenitalia. It runs from Turin to Ivrea every hour. 

You can rent a car and drive on your own or book Benvenuto Limos. Whether you want to travel from Turin to Ivrea, from airport to hotel, or anywhere else, you can travel anywhere in Ivrea comfortably & conveniently in our luxury chauffeur-driven limousines. You can choose and book the vehicle according to your needs and the number of people traveling. 

Useful Tips For The Battle Of Oranges 

– Do not take off your red cap at any cost. 

– Oranges literally fly everywhere. Of course, nothing would save you as staying behind the safety nets will. But remaining behind the net all the time will not be fun. 

– Watch out for the cart loaded with orange throwers. As soon as it comes closer to you, just turn back and cover your face with your arms. 

– If you are carrying your phone and camera to the Battle, cover both with a transparent plastic bag to protect them from all the sticky orange pulp. 

– Do not throw oranges on the cart drivers, men leading the horses and the horses as they are not a part of the Battle. 

– It is better to make your children stay in the hotel room while in the Battle as in the crowd it could get difficult to carry or keep an eye on them. 

– Glass bottles, cans, and drinks in glasses are not allowed. 

– Do not carry a pushchair, wheelchair, bicycle, or luggage to the Battle. Get into your hotel before the Battle.

Apart from attending the famous carnival of Italy, there’s a lot more you can do in Ivrea. Book the city tour with us today to explore other scenic attractions of Ivrea.