11 of the World’s Best Carnival Celebrations

Topping the list for the best carnival celebrations in the world is the mother of all carnival hosts, Rio de Janeiro. Snag tickets for the week-long carnival in Rio (called Carnaval) to attend the spectacular samba parades at the Sambadrome, go behind the scenes for a closer look at the dazzling costumes, then join the 2 million revelers that party in the streets each night during the world’s largest carnival celebration.

Insider tip: While the eyes (and cameras) of the world are fixed on Rio, you can enjoy a more local carnival experience in Recife, Olinda, or Salvador da Bahia.

Known for its elaborate masks, baroque-style costumes, and glamorous masquerade balls, Venice hosts one of the top international carnival festivals, drawing huge crowds of revelers from all over the globe. The 2-week-long festivities center on St. Mark’s Square (Piazza San Marco), where you can watch the costumed parades and performances.

Or, take a Venice Carnival tour to learn more about the historic traditions, which date back to the 12th century. To immerse yourself in the fun, join a carnival mask–making class or purchase tickets to one of the costume parties or formal balls held around the city.

Related: Know Before You Go: Attending the Venice Carnival

Masks and traditional costumes are also the stars of the show in Eastern Europe, where the town of Mohács in Hungary is one of the best places for carnival. Thought to date back to the 17th century when local warriors would dress up to scare off invading Turks, the town’s time-honored Busójárás carnival traditions feature parades of busós, local men dressed in fur coats and animal hides, adorned with menacing, horned wooden masks. Celebrations take place over six days and can be enjoyed on a day trip from Budapest.

One of the biggest and boldest carnival events around the world takes place in New Orleans, where the annual celebrations kick off on January 6 (King’s Day or the Feast of the Epiphany) and last through until Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday). Head to the French Quarter or the Garden District to watch the extravagant parades organized by the city’s krewes and catch the “throws” (beads and other gifts thrown from the floats). Alternatively, join a behind-the-scenes Mardi Gras tour to get closer to the action.

Insider tip: An equally spectacular—and often less crowded—carnival celebration can be found in Mobile, Alabama.

One of Germany’s renowned party cities and LGBTQ+ hubs, Cologne also hosts the country’s largest carnival festival. While the main parades and festivities take place on the week leading up to Ash Wednesday, carnival season, affectionately nicknamed the “fifth season” in Cologne, kicks off at 11:11am on November 11 (the 11th month) and is overseen by traditional characters, including a carnival Jungfrau (maiden), Prinz (prince), and Bauer (peasant). Join the fun at the street carnival in the Old Town (Altstadt), celebrate with a pub crawl of Cologne, or attend one of the masquerade balls.

The city of Oruro in Bolivia, located between La Paz and Sucre, hosts one of the world’s most unique carnival celebrations, with tens of thousands of Indigenous dancers and musicians taking to the streets over six days of parades and street parties. Inscribed on UNESCO's Cultural Heritage of Humanity list, the folkloric festival is held in honor of Pachamama (Mother Earth) and Uncle Supay (God of the Underworld). Learn more about the traditions on a walking tour of Oruro, visit the Oruro Archaeological Museum, and look out for La Diablada, the “Dance of the Demons.”

There are plenty of good reasons to visit the French Riviera in winter; the city's carnival festivals top the list. France’s largest carnival is held in the coastal resort of Nice, and features two weeks of carnival parades, complete with magnificent costumes, elaborate floats, and gigantic sculpted heads created by the Ymagiers (carnival artists). The main Nice Carnival events take place around Massena Square (Place Masséna) and along the Promenade des Anglais, including the evening Parades of Lights, daytime Flower Parades, and a grand Sunday Carnival Parade.

Insider tip: Get creative—attendees in full costume enjoy free entry to the pedestrian carnival zones.

Along Colombia’s Caribbean Coast, the port city of Barranquilla has two main claims to fame—it’s the birthplace of pop superstar Shakira and home to one of South America’s largest and most dazzling carnivals. Like Bolivia’s and Hungary’s carnival festivities, the Carnival of Barranquilla has also made it onto the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List, noted for the unique mix of African, European, and Indigenous cultures represented during the festivities.

Attend the colorful Battle of the Flowers carnival on the Saturday before Lent, followed by the Great Parade on Sunday, then witness the symbolic burial of Joselito Carnaval on Shrove Tuesday.

Carnival celebrations were first brought to the Caribbean islands of Trinidad and Tobago by French colonists in the 18th century, but the traditional fetes (parties) and mas (masquerade balls) have since evolved into one of the top world carnival festivals.

Preparations for carnival in Trinidad and Tobago start months in advance, but the big event takes place over Shrove Monday and Shrove Tuesday with a gigantic 2-day street parade through the streets of Port of Spain. It’s a riot of sequinned costumes adorned with vibrant feathers and accompanied by traditional dancing, soca and calypso music, and steel pan bands.

Another island with a big appetite for carnival is Tenerife, where the pre-Lent festival is the biggest annual event in the Canary Islands, taking place over 15 days. Santa Cruz de Tenerife is the Spanish sister city of Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro, and there are plenty of parallels to draw between the two festivals. Don’t miss the Official Carnival Parade and the Street Carnival, a flurry of dancing troops, marching bands, and magnificent costumes led by the Carnival Queen.

Carnival gets a rainbow-colored makeover in Sydney, where Mardi Gras coincides with Australia’s largest LGBTQ+ Pride event. Everyone’s welcome, so don your most fabulous costume and join the festivities, which include famous events such as the Bondi Beach Party, the Sissy Ball, and the Laugh Out Proud comedy gala. There are dozens of parties, events, and concerts held over 17 days, but the grand finale is the extravagant Mardi Gras Parade along Oxford Street, featuring some 12,000 costumed marchers and 200 floats.

Related: 15 Things To Do in Sydney if You're in Town for Mardi Gras