CARNIVAL FIESTA, TENERIFE

Until a couple of weeks ago I had no idea that the second biggest carnival in the world takes place in Tenerife... ?! Tenerife is the largest of Spain's Canary Islands and is situated in the Atlantic, to the South West of Morocco. It has a population of around 900,000 and every February hosts a huge five-day carnival, attracting over quarter of a million people from all over the world. The streets of the capital city, Santa Cruz de Tenerife (which is actually twinned with Rio de Janeiro), transform into parties and there's music, colour, glitter and feathers everywhere you look.

Thomas Cook Airlines fly from 10 UK airports to Tenerife so can whisk you away for some winter sun from near wherever you are. Thomas Cook hosted an evening of headdress making, cocktail shaking, samba dancing and glitter painting for us a couple of weeks ago, where I was able to find out more about this popular holiday destination and its famed carnival.

Every year Tenerife's carnival is themed, so that punters can dress up accordingly - they've had pirates, space odyssey, Bollywood, circus, and all sorts of other curiosities. The theme for 2016's carnival is the Roaring 80s and takes place from the 9th to the 14th February. If you fancy joining in with all the glitter and fun, then check out Thomas Cook's carnival survival guide here, where you can find flights, info, and the best places to stay.