Colourful costumes, street parades, plenty of parties and of course great food and drink are the ingredients for most carnival events and things are not too different on Ibiza. For five days during February the main towns on the island seem to stop work and get down to the serious business of letting their hair down. If you can't quite imagine what goes on there, then think back to the best fancy dress party you ever went to and multiply it by a factor of ten. Everyone, whether part of an organised group in the parade or just watching from the pavements, is encouraged to dress as brightly, even as outrageously, as possible.

All the towns on the island seem to get into the carnival spirit, but there is no doubt that the biggest events are in Ibiza Town itself, where the Sunday afternoon parade is the main attraction. All kinds of groups get involved, from dance academies, schools, sporting teams and even groups of neighbours.

There are always plenty of things organised for children so this really is an event suitable for families. There's the usual tradition of a Sardine Burial to round of the party so if you went to the carnival with an appetite you could have enjoyed grilled sardines and a glass of wine or two with the locals.