Rio de Janeiro's skyline and Sugarloaf mountain, the city that fills for Carnival

Rio de Janeiro · Carnival

Carnival in Rio de Janeiro.

The world's biggest party takes over the whole city for a week. Here's how it works — the free street version and the grand parade.

Visiting Rio · 9-min read

Carnival in Rio de Janeiro.

Carnival is Rio's defining event — a week when the entire city stops for music, costume and dance. There are really two Carnivals happening at once: the free, chaotic, joyful street parties called blocos that move through every neighbourhood, and the ticketed, world-famous samba-school parades in the purpose-built Sambódromo. Most visitors do some of both.

The date moves each year because it's tied to the church calendar — Carnival runs in the days before Lent, which puts it in February or early March. Below is what each half is like, and how to be here for it.

Copacabana beach and Avenida Atlântica, one of the routes Carnival blocos pass through

Feb / Mar When date set by Lent

Blocos The free part street parties, everywhere

Sambódromo The grand part the samba parades

~1 week Lasts the city at full volume

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The blocos — the free street Carnival.

The blocos are the soul of Rio's Carnival: hundreds of free street parties, each a band and a moving crowd, that wind through neighbourhoods across the city from morning to night. Some draw a few hundred people, others hundreds of thousands. They're in Ipanema, Leblon, Copacabana, Botafogo, Santa Teresa and the old centre — you don't buy a ticket, you just find one and join.

This is the part you'll spend most of your time in. Wear a costume or at least something bright, keep your valuables minimal and close, and follow the crowd — the schedule of blocos is published each year.

02 / 04

The Sambódromo parades.

The parades most people picture from television happen in the Sambódromo, the long parade avenue lined with grandstands, designed by Oscar Niemeyer. Over the main Carnival nights, the top samba schools each stage a one-off, hour-long spectacle of thousands of costumed dancers, drummers and giant floats, competing for the year's title. It is extraordinary, and it runs late into the night.

This part is ticketed, in everything from grandstand seats to private boxes, and it sells well ahead. If the parade is a priority, sort tickets early and plan to sleep the next morning.

Rio de Janeiro's dense South Zone from above, the city that hosts the Carnival parades

03 / 04

Where to base yourself.

Stay in the South Zone. Ipanema, Leblon and Copacabana all host major blocos on their own doorsteps, are walkable, and are the easiest bases to get home to when transport is stretched. Being able to walk back from a street party — rather than relying on a car in closed-off streets — matters more during Carnival than at any other time.

Like New Year, Carnival books early, with longer minimum stays and higher rates. It's the second date of the year to lock in well ahead.

Ipanema beach and neighbourhood, a good Carnival base in Rio de Janeiro

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Doing it well.

A few honest pointers. Pace yourself — it's a marathon of long, hot days. Travel light at the blocos and keep phones and cash secure in the crush. Stay hydrated, use the official bloco schedule to pick your parties, and build in a slow morning or two. And book your bed as early as you can: Carnival is one of only two dates where the whole city fills at once.

Ipanema beach busy with people, Rio de Janeiro

Где остановиться

Book a home for the trip.

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Carnival rewards a walkable South Zone base — somewhere you can get home to on foot. These are the homes we rent in the thick of it.

Rentals in Ipanema Walk home from the blocos View homes → Rentals in Copacabana Beachfront, central View homes → Beachfront rentals On the sand View homes → Penthouse rentals Room for a group View homes →

Good to know

Questions, answered.

When is Carnival in Rio de Janeiro?

Carnival's date changes each year because it's tied to the church calendar — it runs in the days leading up to Lent, which falls in February or early March. The main festivities last about a week.

What is the difference between the blocos and the Sambódromo?

The blocos are free street parties — bands and moving crowds that fill neighbourhoods across the city, and where most visitors spend their time. The Sambódromo is the ticketed parade avenue where the top samba schools stage their famous competitive parades over the main Carnival nights.

Do you need tickets for Carnival in Rio?

Not for the street blocos — they're free and open to all. You do need tickets for the Sambódromo samba-school parades, which range from grandstand seats to private boxes and sell well ahead of time.

Where should I stay for Carnival in Rio?

In the walkable South Zone — Ipanema, Leblon or Copacabana — so you can get home on foot when streets close and transport is stretched. Book early: like New Year, Carnival fills the city and sells out first.

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