The best time to visit Italy, if you want to catch the incredible Infiorata festival, is during May and June. At this time of the year, especially on the occasion of Corpus Domini, many Italian towns decorate their streets with flower petals creating beautiful artworks ranging from simple geometric designs to elaborate tapestries inspired by religious art and famous paintings.

To create the flower carpets, the design is first sketched in chalk on the pavement, and then filled in with thousands of petals of various colors. Sometimes soil is used to highlight the outline of the design. At other times, wood carvings is used along with flowers. The entire process takes two or three days to complete. Often a religious procession takes place on the flower carpets after there are completed.

Photo credit: Stefano Mortellaro/Flickr