Best Carnival Celebrations Around the World

Known as Fasnacht, the largest Swiss popular festival is unusual for two reasons. It starts the week after Carnival everywhere else, a possible holdover from the Reformation (Basel’s carnival is one of the world’s few Protestant celebrations). And ridiculous amounts of confetti are involved, thrown by riders on floats or dumped on unsuspecting passersby.

Insider Tip: Follow the Cliquen (Carnival cliques) and accompanying bands and musicians as they journey through Basel’s narrow streets with transparent lanterns made from wood and canvas, most more than nine feet high.