Glitter, music, and masks: The world’s 10 best carnivals
Brazil
Brazil’s Rio Carnival is the world’s most famous, featuring dazzling samba parades, colourful costumes, street parties, and pulsating music, drawing millions of locals and tourists into unforgettable celebrations.
Trinidad and Tobago
Known as the ‘Mother of Carnivals,’ it blends African, Indian, and European influences, with calypso, soca, elaborate masquerades, and steelpan music, creating one of the Caribbean’s most vibrant festivals.
Italy
Venice Carnival enchants with its iconic masks, gondola parades, and historic elegance. Rooted in medieval tradition, it mixes theatre, art, and pageantry, drawing global visitors to Italy’s cultural heart.
Spain
Santa Cruz de Tenerife in the Canary Islands hosts one of Spain’s largest carnivals, with parades, flamboyant costumes, music competitions, and cultural traditions that rival even Rio in scale.
Germany
Cologne Carnival, known as “The Fifth Season,” begins on November 11 and peaks before Lent. Expect parades, floats, satirical costumes, and exuberant street parties filling the city with humour.
Belgium
The Binche Carnival, recognised by Unesco, showcases traditional Gilles costumes with feathered hats and oranges thrown to crowds, symbolising prosperity. It’s a unique blend of folklore, history, and joyous tradition.
France
Nice Carnival on the French Riviera combines flower parades, illuminated floats, and giant papier-mache figures. Its seaside beauty and artistic flair make it one of Europe’s most glamorous carnivals.
United States of America
New Orleans’ Mardi Gras is legendary, featuring jazz music, bead-throwing parades, masks, and balls. Rooted in French tradition, it’s a cultural spectacle that transforms the city into a carnival hotspot.
Switzerland
Basel Carnival, or Fasnacht, is Switzerland’s largest carnival, marked by costumed cliques, lantern parades, and satirical performances. It’s a blend of art, music, and biting humour reflecting Swiss creativity.
United Kingdom
UK’s London is host to the annual Notting Hill carnival, one of the world’s largest street parties. It celebrates the city’s diversity and how generations of migrants and their descendants have contributed to British society.