Carnival

The origins of Carnival trace back to ancient Greek and Roman spring festivals, later embraced across Europe, especially in France, Spain and Portugal, where people celebrated with parties, costumes, and dancing. The Portuguese brought these traditions to Brazil in the 1800s, and by 1850, Rio de Janeiro’s elite were hosting grand masquerade balls inspired by Paris.
But Brazilian Carnival quickly evolved into something far more unique. Influenced by African and Amerindian cultures, it became a lively, inclusive street celebration. Traditional class structures were playfully inverted, aristocrats dressed as commoners, men cross-dressed, and the poor paraded as royalty. For a few days each year, social boundaries were blurred in joyful chaos.

Today, Carnival in Rio de Janeiro is the biggest and most iconic celebration of its kind. It begins on the Friday before Lent and runs until Shrove Tuesday, drawing over 2 million extra visitors to the city. During these five days, Rio transforms entirely with nonstop music, dancing and colour.

Carnival in Rio takes two main forms. The first is the street parties (blocos) – around 500 of them spread across the city, all free to join. These offer the most authentic, spontaneous experience of Carnival and feature themed music, costumes, and dancing in the open air.

The second is the Sambadrome parade, a spectacular samba competition held in a purpose-built stadium. Each night from Sunday to Tuesday, four samba schools perform elaborate routines, with stunning costumes, giant floats, and hundreds of dancers. One school is crowned the winner, and the top performers return for a Winners’ Parade on Saturday. Shows run from 9pm to 3am, and seating options range from budget spots to VIP boxes.

Whether you join a street bloco or witness the glamour of the Sambadrome, Rio’s Carnival is a cultural phenomenon like no other.