The term Infiorata, which translates from the Italian language as “decorated with flowers,” refers to an ephemeral artistic creation of flower petals laid down in an eye-catching design on a city street or paved surface. These floral carpets seen throughout Italy are traditionally assembled by teams of volunteers, who work with flower petals and other plant matter gathered locally. First a design is sketched upon the pavement; then begins the painstaking process of filling it in with petals and other organic material. The end effect is often likened to a colorful mosaic. Many of these floral carpets are created on the occasion of the Catholic holiday of Corpus Christi, which falls 60 days after Easter and celebrates the belief that the bread and wine consumed during the Holy Communion represents Jesus in the flesh.

In some cities, these floral carpets can consist of more than a dozen separate “panels” and stretch over hundreds of yards. The beauty of the urban environment surrounding them only adds to their appeal. What’s common to all floral carpets is their fleeting nature —those that aren’t trampled underfoot by religious processions or local children are soon carried off by gentle breezes or other forces of nature.

The Baroque town of Noto, in southeastern Sicily, is the site of one of Italy’s most famous flower carpets. This one is always assembled not on Ascension Day but the third weekend of May. In 2025, the carpet can be viewed from May 17-20 stretching across the steep Via Nicolaci. This year’s carpet will be formed from 16 separate sketches reflecting the current year’s theme “art makes peace.” A built-in irrigation system will keep the petals in tip-top form for the duration of the event. Entry to the viewing area costs 5.80 euros for adults and 3 euros for children. Online: infioratadinoto.it

Pietra Ligure is a municipality in the Province of Savona in the region of Liguria, some 40 miles southwest of Genoa. Once every three years, it hosts a unique floral carpet-laying event. The next edition of “Pietra Ligure in Fiore” is set to take place May 24-25. Billed as the largest event of its kind in Europe, more than 800 floral artists representing some 40 cities in Italy and beyond will take part. Visitors are welcome to lend a hand to the artists by working under their supervision. The works remain on display through Sunday evening. Online: tinyurl.com/bdfad9vy

The town of Spello assembles its annual “Le Infiorate di Spello” from June 21-22, when visitors to this town in the province of Perugia in eastern-central Umbria can see a true community effort. The nearby Umbrian-Marche Apennines mountains serve as the source of the millions of petals and herbs gathered throughout the spring for use in the creation of this carpet. Throughout Saturday, volunteers work feverishly to sketch out and lay down the petals needed to create masterpieces reminiscent of paintings. The subjects rendered are inspired by both religious tradition and current events. By 9 a.m. on the Sunday, the carpet has been completed and can be admired until such time as a procession led by a bishop passes over it. From this point onward, any member of the public can step upon it, bringing the cycle of build-up and destruction to its natural end. Online: infioratespello.it

Genzano di Roma, a town outside Rome, has a long and proud Infiorata tradition, and from June 21-23, the 247th edition of this event is set to unfold. The theme chosen for this year’s edition is “give hope” and ties in with the year 2025’s status as a Jubilee year for the Catholic church. As happens every year, Via Italo Belardi will be turned into a sea of flowers, covered by 15 sweeping works of art. At 7 p.m. on the event’s final day, the children of the town will run across the carpet, sweeping the petals into the wind. Online: infioratadigenzano.it

While the above-mentioned Infiorate are among Italy’s best-known and most highly regarded, floral carpets are built up in dozens of smaller towns too. In northern Italy, the municipality of Noale, in Veneto, creates its carpet June 21-22. Along the Ligurian coastline, towns taking part in the tradition include Diano Marina and Brugnato (June 22). In central Italy, the lakeside town of Bolsena in the province of Viterbo is known for its annual Infiorata (June 22). San Pier Niceto, a municipality in Messina in Sicily, is the site of what’s billed as the longest floral carpet in the world, stretching for more than a mile (June 22). Online: tinyurl.com/22u6w7us