Even if you have never attended in person you likely know that Rio de Janeiro’s Carnival holds the title of the greatest party on Earth. If you enjoy pre-Lenten blowouts that feature hordes of sweaty, scantily clad bodies, food, music, parades, and outrageous costumes then you probably already have your plane tickets to Rio in hand.
But, before you hop on your flight there are a few things you should know about this massive five-day-long raucous all-out bash that sweeps through the seaside city each February.
First, if you don’t speak Portuguese now is a good time to take a crash course. Most locals are not well versed in English and communicating can become a frustrating venture if you are not prepared.
Second, there are basically three ways you can participate in the Carnival celebrations: join the masses at various street parties, watch the Samba parade from the stands or drop a few extra (hundred) dollars and dance in the parade itself.
To do so you must don one of the elaborate costumes known as “fantasias.” You can purchase one over the Internet prior to leaving for Rio or you can buy one at one of the city’s larger hotels. The outrageous sequined, feathered numbers will run you anywhere from $300 to as much as $1500. As far as knowing all the right moves, unless you are a professional dancer there is likely no way you will be able to compete with the local samba club members. However, it would be a good idea to learn some samba moves if you plan to participate in the parade.
If you plan to take in the event from the stands you’ll be in good company. A capacity crowd of 88,500 fills Rio’s Sambadrome stadium each year. They come to watch the city’s top 12 samba groups perform 80-minute long out-of-this-world spectacles on the stadium’s nearly half-mile-long runway. Hundreds of drummers, thousands of dancers and dozens of brightly festooned floats join them.
Sounds great, except for the fact that the Sambadrome is located in a seedy part of town, and parade tickets usually sell out months in advance. Still, if you are able to get your hands on the coveted admission stubs it’s a good idea to leave your valuables in your hotel room and only bring a small amount of pocket money.
If you are traveling to Carnival with children you may want to skip the Sambadrome all together and attend Rio’s street carnival instead. That way you don’t have to worry about expensive tickets or costumes. The street festivals feature live music and lots of dancing. If you have younger children you might consider checking out the Cordao de Bola Preta. It’s one of the city’s most traditional carnival bands and packs the city’s center on Saturday morning, allowing kids to join in the party and still make it back to the hotel for naptime.
Related Articles:
Where to Get Your Party On During Mardi Gras