Top 10 World Carnivals - Candidly ranked by Howard Hillman

Top 10
Carnivals
of the world

rankings you can trust

Carnival in Rio
Brazil

Trinidad Carnival
Trinidad and Tobago

Salvador de Bahia Carnival
Brazil

Venice Carnival
Italy

New Orleans Mardi Gras
USA

Cologne Carnival
Germany

Munich Fashing
Germany

Santa Cruz de Tenerife Carnival
Canary Islands, Spain

Quebec Winter Carnival
Canada

Nice Carnival
France

Festval
tips and insights

When to go

The vast majority of carnivals span the several days immediately before Ash Wednesday (when partying ends and fasting begins). The Ash Wednesday date varies significantly from year to year, but usually falls in the February to March period.

A few carnivals (including Quebec's) begin and end well before Ash Wednesday.

Most carinvals feature ...

Street parades

A long line of flashy floats are accompanied by a mass of colorfully (and sometimes scantily) attired dancers and singers. Spectator stands line the route.

Pulsating music

It's loud, incessant, and repetitive, but a vital part of the ambiance. So is exuberant singing.

Balls

Private balls have more cachet and higher admission costs than public ones.