Colourful floats. Dancers. Big bands and big music. Partying in the streets until the early hours.
Whether you know it as Carnevale, carnival or Mardi Gras, the period traditionally leading up to Christian Lent is a festival time in many parts of the world. It’s become a popular event for people all around the globe to take part in – and something which simply has to be experienced if you have the opportunity.
The reason for the festival’s popularity can probably be summed up in one traditional Italian phrase: “Carnevale ogni scherzo vale“…
Anything goes at Carnevale.
In this article, we’ll learn about the origins of carnival before we take a look at some of the best places in the world to celebrate it!
The origins of carnival – the Carnevale Festivals in Italy
Etymologically, the word “carnival” comes from the Latin carne vale – meaning “farewell to meat”. It’s the same carne you’ll find in carnivore. The name reflects the tradition of giving up red meat during Lent, the Christian period of fasting or self-denial leading up to Easter.
Like many European festivals, Carnival has pagan roots. Long before Christianity, communities across the Italian peninsula celebrated seasonal festivals in late winter. When Christianity spread through Europe, these existing traditions were adapted to fit the Church calendar. Italian Catholics embraced the idea of one last big celebration before Lent – and Carnevale was born.
Today, Italy’s most famous Carnival celebrations take place in Venice, Viareggio, and Cento:
Venice is world-renowned for its elegant masked balls and baroque costumes set against the backdrop of the canals.
Viareggio, on the Tuscan coast, is famous for its gigantic papier-mâché floats, often satirical and political.
Cento, in Emilia-Romagna, has strong ties to Rio de Janeiro’s Carnival, with float-sharing and cultural exchanges. Expect high-energy parades and festive “throws” from the floats if you attend.
From Italy, the Carnival tradition spread to France, Spain, and Portugal, and eventually to their colonial territories, including much of Latin America and the Caribbean.
And it’s in the Caribbean – and parts of South and Central America – where Carnival has truly flourished. For many countries in the region, Carnival has become the main tourist draw of the year, attracting visitors from across the globe who come to experience the dazzling colour, music, and spectacle firsthand.
So where is the best place in the world to celebrate carnival?
Some of the best carnivals in the world can be found in, in no particular order:
5) St. Vincent and the Grenadines
Famous for its postcard-perfect sailing, St Vincent and the Grenadines—tucked in the Windward Islands about 190 km (120 mi) north of Trinidad & Tobago—also stages a brilliant summer Carnival known locally as Vincy Mas.
Since switching from the pre-Lenten calendar in 1977, Vincy Mas now lights up the islands from late June through the first Tuesday in July. Expect the irresistible clang of steel-pan orchestras, high-energy calypso and soca competitions, and two show-stopping street parades:
J’Ouvert (Carnival Monday at dawn) – an anything-goes romp of paint, mud, and powder that kicks off the revelry.
Mardi Gras (Grand Parade on Carnival Tuesday) – a riot of colour as costumed “Mas bands” wind through Kingstown, shimmering with feathers, sequins, and Caribbean sunshine.
Add in the Soca Monarch, Calypso Monarch, and Miss SVG pageant, and you’ve got a festival that blends deep Afro-Caribbean roots with a modern party spirit. If Vincy Mas is on your radar, book accommodation early—visitor numbers have rebounded strongly since 2023, and beach-view rooms vanish fast.
In short: steel-pan grooves, neon-bright costumes, and warm island hospitality. Not to be missed.
4) Panama City
Asian Absolute has its Americas headquarters here, so the local team knows a thing or two about Carnival in Panama City. These celebrations tend to be a little more relaxed than some of the region’s more intense counterparts… but that’s not saying much!
You can still expect plenty of dancing, drinking, and a dazzling sea of masks and costumes during the four-day festival, which usually runs from the Friday before Ash Wednesday through Shrove Tuesday (Mardi Gras). That’s roughly 96 hours of non-stop celebration.
One local twist that makes Carnival in Panama especially fun? Water everywhere. February falls during the dry season, so the fact that celebrations often include water balloon fights and huge tanker trucks (called “cucalonas”) spraying crowds with refreshing blasts of water is not only fun—it’s welcome relief in the tropical heat.
3) Goa, India
Goa inherited its Carnival tradition from Portugal, which colonised the region in the early 16th century and ruled it until 1961 – much later than most other colonial powers had left their territories. During that era, Portuguese culture took root, blending with local customs in a way that still defines much of Goa’s unique identity today.
In modern times, while you’ll still hear the strains of traditional Portuguese fado and guitar music, Carnival in Goa also pulses with a distinctly Indian rhythm. The celebrations are a colourful blend of traditions – you’re just as likely to see Hindu festival-goers setting off fireworks to honour deities, as you are to encounter Catholic communities celebrating one last big party before Lent begins.
Goa Carnival is now a celebration of the region’s multiculturalism, showcasing its vibrant music, street food, dance, and costumes. It’s become one of India’s most unique festivals, drawing hundreds of thousands of domestic and international tourists each year – especially to the capital, Panaji, where the main parade winds through the city in a riot of colour and sound.
The festivities often run day and night, with floats, live bands, dancers, and the general pursuit of hedonism! If you’re planning to visit Goa during Carnival season, it’s a good idea to book accommodation well in advance, especially in popular beach areas like Calangute, Baga, and Vagator.
2) New Orleans Carnival and Mardi Gras
New Orleans’ Mardi Gras has achieved worldwide fame – but it’s worth remembering that technically, Carnival and Mardi Gras aren’t the same thing.
Carnival refers to the entire festive season leading up to Lent.
Mardi Gras – French for “Fat Tuesday” – is the final day of that season, falling on the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday. It’s the last big celebration before the fasting and reflection of Lent begins.
For locals in New Orleans, Mardi Gras isn’t a once-in-a-lifetime event – it’s just part of the calendar. Carnival season begins each year on January 6th, also known as the Feast of the Epiphany. From that day forward, the city’s unique Krewes – private social clubs that organise parades and events – take over.
Each Krewe traditionally hosts a ball to kick off their season, usually invite-only. The most historic of these, known as the “old line” Krewes, date back to the 1800s and still elect kings and queens each year from within their ranks. More recent and inclusive groups known as “Super Krewes” boast much larger memberships and are known for extravagant parades featuring celebrity guests as their “royalty.”
Each Krewe rolls out a parade route – most famously along St. Charles Avenue en route to the Central Business District – with elaborately decorated floats. From atop them, masked riders throw beads, doubloons (aluminium or wooden coins), cups, and other quirky souvenirs into the cheering crowd. Some Krewes are known for signature throws – such as decorated shoes, hand-painted coconuts, or handmade purses.
Despite its party reputation, Mardi Gras in New Orleans can absolutely be family-friendly. While Bourbon Street in the French Quarter lives up to its adult-focused nightlife image, many parade routes – especially along St. Charles Avenue – are popular with families and offer safe, festive fun for kids of all ages.
1) Carnivals in Rio de Janeiro
Around 1.5 million tourists now flock to Rio de Janeiro each year to celebrate Carnival, joining millions of Brazilians in what remains one of the most jaw-dropping spectacles on Earth. For five days leading up to Lent, Rio explodes with blocos (street parties), bailes (costume balls), samba, beer, and cachaça (a sugarcane-based spirit often called Brazilian rum, though technically it’s not a rum at all).
Much like in Goa, Brazil’s Carnival traditions have roots in Portuguese colonialism, but the true spirit of the modern celebration comes from the Afro-Brazilian communities – the descendants of enslaved Africans who brought their music, dance, and vibrancy to the event after slavery was abolished in 1888.
One of the most awe-inspiring parts of Carnival in Rio is watching over 70 samba schools compete in choreographed parades through the streets. These dazzling performances can last more than an hour each. The most spectacular schools go on to compete in the Sambadrome Marquês de Sapucaí – Rio’s purpose-built Carnival stadium – in front of more than 70,000 cheering fans (note: not 90,000, which is a common misconception).
They don’t call Rio de Janeiro the Cidade Maravilhosa – “the Marvellous City” – for nothing.
Where to celebrate carnival
With so many great places to celebrate carnival in the world, you can be forgiven for finding it hard to choose the best! But one thing’s for sure – if you have the capability and you’ve never been, it’s time to try it. Because remember…