Visit Carnival

Rio Carnival

Carnival 2008 : 2 - 5 February
Carnival 2009 : 21 - 24 February

Carnival falls on the last 4 days (and nights!) prior to Ash Wednesday. In England, we celebrate it on Shrove Tuesday, quietly at home with pancakes. In Brazil they celebrate it with drums, dancing and singing in the streets in an explosion of colour and costumes. Schools and businesses close as the whole country shuts down for wild celebrations. There are carnival parades in almost every town and city but the biggest by far is in Rio.

Here Carnival has evolved into two distinct creatures:- the street carnival and the "Parade of Schools" in the Sambadrome. The latter is what has come to be known as one of the world’s biggest festivals. The best Samba Schools parade on the last Sunday and Monday of Lent in the Sambadrome – a long, linear purpose-built stadium used but once a year. The parades start around 8.00pm and finish in the small hours; tickets are as hard to come by as Cup Final tickets.

Running parallel to the main event are numerous parties and themed Balls, the best of which is held at the Copacabana Palace. This is the Ball of the season where Rio’s finest can be seen and, if you can afford the ticket - from £200 (entrance only) and from £600 for a place at a table – this is an event to be at.

Tickets to the various areas of the Sambadrome come on sale in November or December and are very hard to come by, however we usually have access to an allocation in at least one of the stands. Prices start from around £295 for a standard seat to about £500 for an area of special chairs which allows more movement and comfort and is level with the parades. Costs are slightly less for tickets to the Champions' Parade on the final Saturday, about £195 for standard and £295 for special chairs.

Accommodation at Carnival is a predictable nightmare. Hotels charge upto 3 times the normal rate for a 4 or 5 night mandatory package. Payment is 50% on confirmation and 50% two months before the event. Hotels begin to publish their rates around August but if you are booking in advance please call us. We have around 30 hotels of varying categories on our lists as well as some Apartment-hotels.

Please note that prices mentioned above are a guideline only as 2008 costs have yet to be confirmed.