Quiz: How Much Do You Know About Carnival Around The World?

1. Despite the raucous and irreverent nature of many Carnival celebrations, the custom is firmly rooted in Christian tradition: it is a time of feasting and festivity that precedes 6 weeks of fasting known as…

2. The Carnival of Venice is world-renowned for its beautiful masks, elaborate period costumes and grand balls. Each year, the proceedings begin with the “Flight of the Angel”, which sees an elegantly costumed woman abseil from a bell tower onto what city landmark?

3. Meanwhile, in the German Rhineland, Carnival revelry kicks off on Weiberfastnacht – a day in which women take over, donning costumes and going around town doing what?

4. In scenic Galaxidi, Greece, Carnival festivities take place a bit later, according to the Greek Orthodox church calendar. Celebrations culminate in a peculiar 200-year-old tradition that sees revellers engage in a “war” using what kitchen staple as “ammunition”?

5. Battles involving foodstuffs are a popular Carnival theme. At Carnival time in Ivrea, Italy, you may want to wear a helmet and goggles to protect yourself from all the flying…

6. And in Vilanova, Spain, anyone who hates getting sticky should avoid the city during La Merengada, a food fight in which the locals’ weapon of choice is….

7. Parades featuring spirited dancers are a key component of many Carnival celebrations across South America. At which Carnival might you expect to see the diablada, a traditional dance in which performers dressed as colourful devils are symbolically led out of hell in order to face trial?

8. Blending Christian customs with those of indigenous cultures and African slaves, the Carnival celebrations in which Colombian city can claim to be the second-largest in the world?

9. The title of “world’s biggest Carnival destination” goes, of course, to Rio de Janeiro. If you want to see the city’s famous parades firsthand, you’ll need tickets to what iconic Carnival venue?

10. The Trinidad and Tobago Carnival is bursting with Caribbean flair and fantasy, from the vibrant costumes to the mind-boggling dance moves and heart-pounding rhythms. Though soca music has come to the fore recently, the festivities are more traditionally associated with what island-born musical genre?

11. An offshoot of the Trinidad and Tobago Carnival, what European capital has hosted a Carnival-esque street festival every year since 1966 – albeit in August?

12. Looking for a family-friendly affair? Try this Canadian city, which puts on an annual Carnival extravaganza featuring ice sculptures, winter sporting events and a cute snowman mascot named Bonhomme Carnaval.

13. If you find yourself at the Carnaval de Québec and you fancy a drink, then do as the locals do: order this strong, warm tipple made from red wine and hard liquor, like whisky or brandy.

14. Founded by French settlers who brought their Catholic traditions from Europe, the southern US city of New Orleans hosts a Carnival party of epic proportions each year that goes by what French name?

15. Merrymakers in New Orleans need fuel for the festivities. Let them have cake! Bakeries around the city put their own twist on the traditional King Cake, a brioche-like pastry stuffed with all manner of sweet fillings, and usually hiding a small token. If you find the token in your slice of cake, what are you supposed to do?

16. All good things must come to an end. Many cities in Spain (and even some in Latin America) mark the end of the Carnival festivities with a strange tradition: a satirical funeral procession in which they bury what?