There are moments when simply being somewhere isn’t enough. Sometimes, you want to see a destination at full volume: streets taken over by celebration, traditions passed between generations and entire cities temporarily transformed by colour, music, costume and ritual.
That might mean watching samba schools sweep through Rio’s Sambadrome, disappearing into a cloud of rainbow powder in India or looking upwards as thousands of lanterns drift across the night sky in Chiang Mai. Festivals offer a different way into a destination – one where the culture you came to discover isn’t confined to museums, monuments or guided tours, but unfolding all around you.
Choose your dates wisely and these are some of the world’s best festivals to build a holiday around.
Rio Carnival, Brazil
There’s carnival, and then there’s Rio. Held each year before Lent, Rio Carnival began as a Portuguese colonial tradition of feasting and merrymaking before Afro-Brazilian culture helped transform it into the dazzling spectacle recognised around the world today. The headline event takes place in the purpose-built Sambadrome, where samba schools compete with meticulously choreographed performances, elaborate floats and spectacular costumes. Months of preparation go into a procession that becomes a riot of rhythm, feathers, sequins and colour.
But Rio Carnival is far bigger than its famous parade alone. Across the city, street parties pulse with live music and dancing, spilling from one neighbourhood into the next.
For a more elevated experience, premium Sambadrome seating comes with private hospitality, while a beachfront hotel makes a suitably glamorous base for dipping in and out of the action.
STAY: Copacabana Palace, A Belmond Hotel
Right on Copacabana Beach and in the heart of Rio, this Art Deco icon offers a suitably glamorous retreat from Carnival’s non-stop energy.
Holi Festival, India
If you’ve ever seen photographs of India engulfed in clouds of pink, yellow, blue and green, chances are you’ve already encountered Holi Festival.
Known as the Festival of Colours, Holi is rooted in Hindu mythology, marking the triumph of good over evil while also welcoming the arrival of spring. Across India, coloured powder fills the air as music, dancing and shared feasts bring people together.
For travellers, choosing where to experience Holi reveals different sides to the celebration. In Mathura and Vrindavan, where festivities are linked to the playful legends of Lord Krishna, events stretch across several days with temple rituals, flower showers and jubilant processions. Jaipur and Delhi bring their own energy, with drumbeats, dancing and colour throwing taking over public spaces.
Don’t expect to remain a spectator for long though. Holi is a festival to get involved in – and wearing white is unlikely to remain a sensible sartorial decision for very long.
STAY: Rambagh Palace, Jaipur
Jaipur’s former Maharaja residence brings plenty of regal Indian splendour to a Holi escape, while placing guests in one of the cities highlighted for its colourful celebrations.
Carnevale di Venezia, Italy
Venice has always had a flair for theatre, but during Carnevale di Venezia, the entire city seems to slip into character. Elaborately dressed figures emerge beneath colonnades and cross centuries-old bridges, their faces concealed behind masks, while musicians and performers bring an added sense of spectacle to the piazzas and canals.
It’s a tradition stretching back to the 12th century, when masks allowed Venetians to temporarily blur the city’s rigid social boundaries, with nobles and commoners able to celebrate side by side. Today, historic styles such as the austere white bauta and long-nosed medico della peste remain instantly recognisable symbols of Carnival.
Piazza San Marco provides the grand public stage, hosting parades and contests of elegance, but Carnival becomes particularly seductive after stepping through the doors of one of Venice’s palaces. Secure a ticket to a masked ball on the Grand Canal and, for an evening of music, dancing and Venetian grandeur, you’re no longer simply watching the spectacle – you’re part of it.
STAY: Aman Venice
Housed within a 16th-century Grand Canal palazzo, Aman’s frescoes, chandeliers and historic grandeur feel almost purpose-made for the masked glamour of Venice Carnival.
Yi Peng Lantern Festival, Thailand
At first there are only a few points of light. Then dozens become hundreds, hundreds become thousands and, before long, the night above Chiang Mai is filled with glowing lanterns drifting silently upwards.
That extraordinary sight is the defining image of Yi Peng, Thailand’s Lantern Festival, which takes place around November’s full moon. Rooted in ancient Lanna rituals, the release of a lantern traditionally represents letting go of misfortune and welcoming good luck for the year ahead, giving the beauty of the occasion a deeper symbolism.
In Chiang Mai, the experience extends from sky to water. Yi Peng coincides with Loy Krathong, when decorative krathongs are floated along rivers and lakes, so temples, streets and waterways become illuminated alongside the lantern-filled sky. The result feels simultaneously celebratory and contemplative – an evening of golden light with centuries of tradition behind it. Hotels can advise on private lantern releases and more exclusive vantage points, allowing you to experience one of Thailand’s most mesmerising nights away from the busiest crowds.
STAY: Four Seasons Resort Chiang Mai
Set among rice paddies and tropical gardens just outside Chiang Mai, Four Seasons offers a peaceful, distinctly Northern Thai base for experiencing Yi Peng’s lantern-filled celebrations.
Día de Muertos, Mexico
To experience Día de Muertos is to encounter a very different relationship with remembrance. Rather than hiding death away, families across Mexico welcome the memory of loved ones back into everyday life, surrounding photographs and keepsakes with flickering candles, vivid orange marigolds, sugar skulls and favourite foods.
These ofrendas, or altars, are central to a celebration rooted in pre-Hispanic traditions and the belief that the spirits of the departed return to visit. It makes Day of the Dead deeply personal even at its most spectacular, and understanding that meaning adds another dimension to the painted faces and processions that have made it famous around the world.
Late October and early November see particularly vivid celebrations in Oaxaca and Mexico City, where music and processions spill onto the streets. Yet some of the most memorable encounters can be quieter ones, from guided night-time cemetery visits to meeting artisans who create masks and paper marigolds, or learning about traditional pan de muerto. More than a visual feast, Día de Muertos offers an affecting glimpse into how Mexico celebrates memory with colour, creativity and joy.
STAY: Quinta Real Oaxaca
Set within a beautifully restored 16th-century former convent in Oaxaca’s historic centre, Quinta Real offers an atmospheric, history-rich retreat at the heart of the city’s Día de Muertos celebrations.
Music festivals worth travelling for
Then there are festivals where tradition takes a back seat and the soundtrack gets considerably louder. The world’s great music festivals have evolved into travel events in their own right, each with an identity extending well beyond whoever happens to be headlining.
Coachella brings fashion, music and art together beneath the Californian sun, making what happens around the stages almost as much a part of the experience as the performances themselves. Burning Man, meanwhile, heads deep into Nevada, where the desert becomes a temporary canvas for ambitious art installations and music-filled nights that blur into dawn. And then there’s Glastonbury: mud, wellies and all, it remains an opportunity to watch some of the industry’s biggest names perform at one of the UK’s most celebrated music festivals.
Coachella calling? Read our full guide on how to do Coachella right (and in luxury).
They’re wildly different experiences, as are all the festivals on this list, and that’s precisely their appeal. Travel for Carnival and Venice becomes a stage; arrive in Mexico for Día de Muertos and traditions of remembrance come vividly into view; visit Chiang Mai during Yi Peng and the sky itself becomes part of the occasion. Sometimes choosing when to travel can reveal as much about a destination as choosing where to go.
Whether you’re planning a luxury festival holiday, looking for extraordinary cultural experiences or simply want to build your next tailor-made trip around an unforgettable event, our personal travel managers can make it happen. From luxury hotels and flights to festival tickets and one-of-a-kind experiences, we’ll bring every element together.
Call Winged Boots on 0203 816 0985 or submit an online enquiry to start planning your next luxury holiday.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best festivals in the world to visit?
Some of the world’s most memorable festivals include Rio Carnival in Brazil, Holi in India, Venice Carnival, Día de Muertos in Mexico and Thailand’s Yi Peng Lantern Festival.
What are the best cultural festivals to travel for?
For immersive cultural experiences, consider Holi, Día de Muertos, Yi Peng and Carnevale di Venezia, each offering distinctive local traditions, rituals and celebrations.
When is Rio Carnival?
Rio Carnival takes place annually in the days leading up to Lent, usually in February or March. Premium Sambadrome seating can offer a more exclusive way to experience the celebrations.
Where is the best place to experience Holi in India?
Mathura and Vrindavan are renowned for multi-day Holi celebrations linked to Lord Krishna, while Jaipur and Delhi offer lively celebrations filled with music, dancing and colour.
Where is the Yi Peng Lantern Festival held?
The most famous Yi Peng celebrations take place in Chiang Mai, Thailand, where thousands of lanterns illuminate the night sky alongside the related Loy Krathong festivities.
Can you plan a luxury holiday around a festival?
Yes. Winged Boots can create tailor-made festival holidays combining flights and luxury hotels with tickets and special experiences, helping you make the festival part of a wider trip.
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