Brazil is Rio Carnival samba blocos and feathered madness from street corners to giant stadiums.
What to Expect
Rio Carnival is the largest in the world and it works on a completely different model to the Caribbean. The headline event is the Sambadrome — a purpose-built stadium where the top samba schools compete across two nights, each with thousands of performers and floats the height of buildings. Outside it, hundreds of free street blocos take over the city for a fortnight, and that is where most people actually spend their time.
Falls on the pre-Lent calendar, finishing on the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday — 9 February in 2027
Special Group samba schools compete in the Sambadrome across the Sunday and Monday nights
Hundreds of street blocos parade free across Rio for roughly two weeks — the real people's carnival
Each samba school fields thousands of performers; you can buy into a wing and parade yourself
Salvador and Olinda run huge carnivals of their own, in very different styles to Rio's
Places to Stay
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Ride-Hailing Apps
Uber
Widely available across Brazil's major cities including Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo.
99 (DiDi)
Brazil's popular local ride app. Often cheaper than Uber. Essential in Rio during Carnival.
inDrive
Growing in Brazil. Good for intercity trips and smaller cities.
Mas Bands
Fetes & Events
Things To Do
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Getting Around
Rio's Metrô runs extended hours over carnival and is the most reliable way to reach the Sambadrome — Praça Onze and Central stations serve the two ends.
Street blocos close roads across the city with little notice; the Metrô routinely beats taxis and rideshares during carnival week.
Driving is on the right, but a hire car during carnival is genuinely more trouble than it is worth.
Uber and 99 both operate widely and are usually cheaper than street taxis.
Carry only what you need on the road — crowded blocos are where opportunistic theft happens.
Typical Costs from the UK
Estimates only — prices vary by airline, timing and section choice. Use the budget calculator to build your own breakdown.
When to Book
Rio Carnival ends on the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday — 9 February in 2027. This is the single busiest week of the Brazilian year, and accommodation prices in Copacabana and Ipanema multiply, with minimum-stay rules common: book by September. Sambadrome tickets go on sale months ahead and the good sectors sell out; if you would rather parade than watch, samba schools sell costumes to visitors and you join a wing, which is often cheaper than a decent seat. Flights from the UK connect through Lisbon, Madrid or São Paulo. Street blocos are free and need no planning — just a schedule, which is published closer to the date.
Plan This Carnival
🎭 Feb (Rio)
MUAs & Photographers for Carnival
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