With the world-famous Carnival of Venice in full swing on the eastern side of northern Italy, the capital of the north-west sent off the Games with its own decadent party featuring acrobats, clowns -- and a touch of burlesque.

CNN: 'Magnificent' Games sent off in style

Notting Hill became famous for its carnival, a weekend-long pageant of Afro-Caribbean culture.

ECONOMIST: London

Imagining Rio without samba is to picture the tropical city without carnival, without its famous samba schools and parades, to erase the country's most vibrant nightlife district and its best-loved musicians from past and present.

BBC: Searching for the perfect samba beat

Before the game, a carnival atmosphere prevailed at the famous old Belfast venue, with stiltwalkers, fire-eaters and jugglers greeting spectators as they filed through the turnstiles.

BBC: Ulster restore pride in white jersey