The Carnival in Brazil

Information about the Carnival in the brazilian cities. Make your choice and enjoy.

There are carnivals and then there are massive festive extravaganzas. The Carnival in Brazil is the mother of all pre-Lent celebrations, an occasion when 2 million people come together to heartily celebrate before surrendering all earthly pleasures on Ash Wednesday. Nothing compares to the flamboyance, excitement, revelry and sheer enjoyment of the great Brazil Carnival 2014. Officially it begins on Saturday March 28th 2014 and will end on Tuesday March 5th but the celebrations always start weeks earlier with Samba parade rehearsals, blocos, street bashes and irresistible cariocas (locals). It is one nonstop ride that happens all over the country, a once in a lifetime experience you won’t want to miss

Carnival in Brazil 2014

The Rio Carnival

Popularly known as Greatest Show on Earth, the Rio Carnival is the most celebrated event of the Brazil Carnival. It is the event to catch with sensational parades, hip-twitching music, enticing dancers, over-the-top costumes and parties galore. At the centre of the Rio Carnival is the grand Samba Parade when twelve of the most talented Samba Schools vie for honor of Champion of the Samba Parade. Each school chooses a theme and creates an eighty-minute performance surrounding it. Everything is produced from scratch – the infectious music, the incomparable Samba choreography and the dazzling (bordering on unbelievable) costumes. The parades take place in the great Sambodromo, a concrete structure constructed specifically for the Carnival. Consisting of an avenue with stands on either side, it is divided into sectors and within each sector are different types of tickets. From the VIP tickets which to the grandstand free seating options, the Rio Carnival 2014 is accessible to all.

The Rio Carnival offers some of the most dazzling bashes ever known. The most luxurious is the Magic Ball which attracts a number of local and international celebrities. The Scala Night club in Rio hosts six thematic balls throughout the festival which are also hugely popular. Plus there are invigorating and inimitable street parties, parades in the street, free of cost to anyone who wants to have a good time with the locals or cariocas. The Rio Carnival has even more to offer. Take a tour around the city and see the different communities. Stop by the beautiful beaches and experience local culture. Attend the children’s Samba parade where a multitude of local children flock to the Sambodromo and strut their stuff in front of the exuberant fans. Finally find out why Rio is known as the most gay-tolerant city in the world. Join the all the alternative lifestyle folks - gays, lesbians, cross dressers, transvestites and others as they celebrate with unparalleled gusto. No doubt, they probably add the most pizzazz to this incomparable extravaganza!

The Carnival in Recife-Olinda

The Recife and Olinda festivals during the Brazil Carnival are extremely popular. The Olinda Carnival happens in the quaint streets of the town. It is open to anyone from five year-olds to eighty-year olds, who want to dance, parade, perform and sing. In Recife, stages are set up all over the city on which bands and dancers perform.

Brazil Carnival in Salvador, Bahia

In the Bahian Carnival, 200 samba troupes parade through the city over seven days of nonstop partying, celebration and madness. The great attractions are the Blocos with Trio Eletricos – massive stages that move down the streets of the city. Celebrated bands and musicians perform their hit numbers and hordes of reveling fans follow dancing and joining the mania.

Sao Paulo Carnival

Touted as the more affordable alternative to the Rio Carnival, the Brazil Carnival in Sao Paulo is an exhilarating frenzy of Samba music and dance. The parade takes place in the Sao Paulo Sambodromo which can accommodate 30,000 and is televised all over Brazil. Top Samba schools compete against each other and after the parade; the streets are filled with hysterical partygoers hungry for celebration.

The Florianopolis Carnival

The Carnival in Brazil extends to the pristine beaches of Florianopolis where you can experience a more laid back version of the celebration. Held mostly on the beaches and streets, this carnival is more relaxed and affordable that the other options. So if you’re the type who likes to sing and dance in your bathing suit on the beach, then head over to Florianopolis for the Brazil Carnival.

The Other Brazil Carnivals

Although Rio, Salvador and Recife-Olinda attract the largest crowds and greatest performances, the Brazil Carnivals in other parts of the country are also enchanting. The Porto Seguro carnival starts with a beauty pageant and over the course of the week, Blocos with Trio Eletricos drive through the streets with famous bands performing on it. The Fortaleza Carnival is one filled with culture and art, amazing acrobatics and mind blowing stunts. The Buzios Carnival is exciting and entertaining as it is the most gay friendly one of its kind and the Porto de Galinhas is a beach carnival similar to the Recife version.

Tour Packages

To enjoy the Carnival at Brazil to the fullest, it is best to book your tickets for everything including the parades and balls well in advance. The dates for the 2014 carnival are available. There are varied packages available for you to choose from which include airfare, hotel accommodation, and your choice of Sambodromo tickets or party entries. Alternatively, accommodation in hostels can also be booked here.

The Carnival is Everywhere

The Rio Carnival is everywhere, in every street and every neighborhood. Wherever you are you will find parades, dancers, musicians and hordes of partygoers all joining in the incessant merrymaking. Copacabana with its stunning crescent shape beach reaches a frenzied state with Samba Rehearsals, balls and not stop beach parties. Ipanema adds pizzazz to the stupendous Brazil Carnival with its world famous Banda de Ipanema. The Rio City Center downtown is a hub of activity and the Rio Scala and its phenomenal Balls shifting here. Leblon, the more up-market area of Rio has a combination of excellent beaches and spinning night life. Flamengo is another hotspot where you can catch the scintillating street party “Estica do Flamengo”. Botafogo is the home of the hilarious Barbas block party which has a water truck to hose down hysterical followers. Nights in Lapa are the essence of Brazil Carnival life with alcohol stalls, delicious barbecue and other mouthwatering treats. Santa -Teresa and Jardim-Botanico also have excellent block parties to add to the Carnival insanity.

The Gorgeous Beaches of Rio

The Copacabana beach will be the first image that pops to mind when you think of Rio. Its beautiful pristine sands are always packed with sun-bathers in string bikinis. The beach in Leblon is more relaxed with children and families. Another family beach is Leme in Rio de Janeiro which gets transformed every evening into a soccer field. The beaches at Barra, Recreio and Prainha are all particularly picturesque as they are surrounded by mountains and national parks. They also have excellent waves and attract surfers all year round. Angra-dois-reis is beautiful sea side town with gorgeous waterfalls and beautiful tropical jungles. Arpoador beach is known for its captivating sunset views and excellent surfing waves.

Experience Brazil with your Friends

Excellent deals, bargains and a host of superb packages await you if you choose to attend the Brazil Carnival in a group. Plus when you choose us, the experts in group travel for the Brazil Carnival, you will get the best tour package available perfectly tailor-made to suit the needs of your group. Our 24/7 customer service agents are available to provide whatever you need to make this holiday your most memorable one.