Experiences
Activities
The best carnival celebrations around the world
Where to party, and where to sleep after
Some places throw a party, and then some places throw a party. The kind that takes over entire cities, where costumes are mandatory, music shakes the streets and sleep is just a suggestion. These are the world’s greatest carnival celebrations, where parades stretch for miles and people dance until sunrise. Pack your most ridiculous outfit, book your hotel early and get ready to party.
Cologne Carnival, Germany
Dates: November to March
The carnival chaos starts in Cologne in November, but peaks in February with the five-day street party leading up to Ash Wednesday. The Rose Monday Parade is the main event, featuring elaborate floats and people dressed as jesters and clowns. If you want to wake up near the action but still get some sleep, the Excelsior Hotel Ernst is a solid choice. It’s right by the Cologne Cathedral, meaning you can step straight from your warm, soundproofed room into the madness outside.
Mardi Gras, New Orleans, USA
Dates: January to March
Mardi Gras isn’t just one day – it’s a whole season of parades, parties, and a general refusal to take life too seriously. The krewes (social clubs) plan over-the-top floats, masked balls, and bead-throwing spectacles in the weeks leading up to Fat Tuesday. The main parades roll down St. Charles Avenue, but locals will tell you the best parties are outside the French Quarter. The Roosevelt New Orleans, just a short walk from the parade routes, offers a prime location without being in the direct line of rowdy tourists – you can even get your carnival makeup done in the lobby.
Rio de Janeiro Carnival, Brazil
Dates: February to March
Rio Carnival is the biggest in the world, drawing millions for a week of samba, sequins and street parties that never seem to end. The highlight is the Sambadrome parade, where top samba schools compete with elaborate floats and costumes. If you want a taste of old-school Rio glamour, check into Copacabana Palace, where the annual Copa Ball attracts the city’s elite. The rest of the time, expect to see people spilling out of bloco street parties, covered in glitter, singing and dancing until sunrise.
Carnival of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain
Dates: February to March
Tenerife’s Carnival is two weeks of extravagant costumes, parades and one of the most over-the-top beauty pageants you’ll ever see. The crowning of the Carnival Queen involves contestants strutting around in outfits so elaborate they need wheels to move. The grand finale is the "Burial of the Sardine," a bizarre but entertaining funeral procession for a giant papier-mâché fish. If you need a break from the non-stop action, the Ritz-Carlton Abama on the island’s quieter coast offers some breathing room, plus Michelin-starred meals that require less effort than tracking down a churro stand at 3 a.m.
Nice Carnival, France
Dates: February to March
For two weeks, Nice swaps its usual Riviera elegance for parades, giant papier-mâché heads, and thousands of flowers being tossed from floats in the famous "Battle of Flowers." The whole thing started as a way for locals to pelt each other with flour and eggs, but these days it's a little more refined. Most events happen around Place Masséna and the Promenade des Anglais, where people in elaborate costumes parade past as crowds cheer. If you want a hotel that’s close to the action but still peaceful, Hôtel du Couvent in the Old Town is a former convent with its own gardens – ideal for recovering from too much carnival fun.
Carnival of Venice, Italy
Dates: February to March
If other carnivals are all about chaos, Venice keeps things elegant. This centuries-old festival is a whirlwind of masked balls, candlelit gondola rides and costumes so intricate they could pass for museum exhibits. The grand opening features an acrobatic show over the canals, and the famous Volo dell’Angelo sees a performer zip-line from St. Mark’s Campanile in full 18th-century attire. If you want to go all in, the gorgeous Hotel Danieli is hard to beat. Just minutes from St. Mark’s Square, you’ll be right in the heart of the action.
Toronto Caribbean Carnival, Canada
Dates: July/August
Toronto might not have the tropical weather, but it sure knows how to throw a Caribbean-style party. This festival, better known as Caribana, is a sea of feathered costumes, soca music and food trucks selling everything from jerk chicken to roti. The Grand Parade along Lake Shore Boulevard is the main event, but the whole city gets involved with parties, boat cruises, and plenty of dancing. The 1 Hotel Toronto, with its rooftop pool and eco-chic design, is a great place to recover after a day of revelry – plus, it's just a short trip from the parade route.
Notting Hill Carnival, UK
Dates: August
London’s biggest street party brings two days of Caribbean culture, music, and food to the streets of West London. Expect steel bands, sound systems blasting reggae and dancehall, and more jerk chicken than you could possibly eat in one weekend. Sunday is family day, but Monday is when things get wild, with the main parade winding through Notting Hill and Ladbroke Grove. The Laslett hotel is right by Notting Hill Gate and is named after the carnival’s founder, Rhaune Laslett. The best bit is it’s stumbling distance from the carnival route.