I’ve been in love with the idea of Carnival since the movie Rio came out. If you’ve seen it, you know what I’m talking about: the bright colors, feather bikinis, massive parades, and samba.

As a 13-year-old girl I would imagine my trip to Brazil where I got to put on my costume and dance on top of a float, just like in the movie

Well, 11 years later, I found myself taking the first steps to make my dream come true: attending Carnival in Sitges Spain. If you find yourself in Europe around the end of February, this event is an absolute must-see.

If you grew up in the US, you might know Carnival as Mardi Gras: pre-Lent celebrations full of drinking, party crowds, and collecting beaded necklaces on Bourbon Street in New Orleans.

The Carnival celebration is similar all over the world, but in Europe they do something that Americans don’t: go full out in costumes.

It made plenty of sense to me when I first learned about it; Carnival happens at the end of Winter, when it’s always a good idea to wear layers or bring a jacket.

The way my roommate explained the tradition to me, costumes were supposed to be funny or witty, like Halloween in the States.

As this year’s Carnival was my first experience, I wanted to completely commit to the tradition. I didn’t have anything witty in mind, but I was considering a 70’s themed look. In my search I came across the perfect outfit: a bright green and orange set with a green laced brassiere.

The moment I saw it, I knew I was going to be a disco queen. I wanted the biggest afro, as much gold jewelry as I could fit on my body, and I wanted to be covered head to toe in glitter.

My plan was perfect, the best of both experiences: the costumes of European Carnivals with the bright colored glamour from the Americas.

Getting to Sitges is a relatively simple trip on a regular day. It’s a small family beach town located Southwest of Barcelona.

The train ride from Barcelona is about an hour long and costs 9 Euros for a round trip ticket – traveling by bus or car takes 35 minutes.

Many travel companies provide charter bus rides; the group I went with met up at a local bar and gave us free shots before departing.

Sitges Carnival begins when the King of Carnival rides into town. For a week there are massive parades, 24-hour parties in clubs and bars, and outdoor family activities.

I attended the Rua de la Disbauxa, or Debauchery Parade, which absolutely lived up to its name. I wasn’t sure what to expect going in, but when I arrived, I had the time of my life.

We parked in Sitges just as the parade was about to begin. As I stepped off the bus, I was met with the sight of thousands of people in bright colored costumes dancing in the streets. It was cold, but I could see immediately that the weather wouldn’t stop a thing.

As we made our way downtown, I saw every outfit imaginable, from superheroes to Drag Queens. Kids ran around with face paint and bubble guns while adults held make-shift costume competitions in the street.

By the time we found a spot the parade had begun. I watched in amazement as I saw my first Carnival float. It was a pink flamingo the size of a two-story building covered in vibrant pink feathers and jewels. Dancers stood on each part of the body in glittering flamingo outfits and silver heels.

Behind them came a column of men wearing what I could only compare to Hawaiian hula outfits: bejeweled loincloths and flowing capes bluer than the ocean, accented with peacock feathers around their shoulders and gold bangles on the ankles and wrists.  

Every float was magnificent, followed by trains of people dancing to salsa, samba, and the occasional Bad Bunny song.

In the crowds, spectators danced and sang while sharing beer with strangers. It’s impossible to describe the sense of community among the colorful chaos.

Sitges is well known for its self-proclaimed status as the Gay Capital of Europe. If you can imagine what that would look like during a festival, multiply it by 10. While there were plenty of bars and clubs to attend, the ones with a rainbow flag in front had the most energy.

We checked out different bars until we found one complete with reggaeton, low-priced drinks, and conga lines. For 3 hours we drank, danced, and limboed. I even found myself a dance competition – luckily for me there was no voguing or death-drops.

After a spectacularly failed round of group jump rope, we knew it was time to go home. By the magic of Carnival, we were right on schedule and found our way back to the bus.

If Sitges Carnival sounds like your type of celebration, consider booking your stay in Barcelona and securing transportation with a travel group!