What is that one crazy wish that you have had since childhood and still yearn to fulfil it someday? For me, it was a teenage fancy to be a part of the world's largest carnival and witness the madness of this festival in person! As you might have guessed already, this travel tale is all about the intriguing continent of South America. In this post, I will share my experience of visiting Brazil and interesting insights regarding the Rio Carnival!
Destination: Brazil (Rio de Janeiro)
There are a number of beautiful locations spread across the continent in different countries such as Brazil, Peru, Argentina, Chile etc. that one can visit when travelling to South America. However, generally with limited time, you would need to choose the ones which you want to visit the most.
This post will tell you how to make the most of your time in the city of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. As most of you know, Brazil is the largest country in South America and also the longest country in the world, spanning 4,395 km from north to south. It is also the only country in the world that has the Equator and the Tropic of Capricorn running through it.
Scratch the map:
Located on the Atlantic Ocean, Rio is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world owing to its beautiful beaches, stunning architecture and lively atmosphere.
Nearest airport: Rio International airport is approximately 15 km away from the city centre i.e. a 20-minute ride by taxi.
Our Tour Highlights:
- Rio Carnival: Attending the biggest carnival of this world is undoubtedly a mind-blowing experience!! The city of Rio is literally awake for 24 hours during this 3-4 day long carnival and almost every street is full of youngsters singing, dancing in fancy costumes and partying all day and night. The atmosphere is crazy and all you hear is Samba music playing everywhere. I must admit that Brazilians truly know how to celebrate life and have fun! So go with the flow and be ready to shake a leg and enjoy the festivities around! One of the major events of this festival is the carnival parades by different samba schools in the Sambadrome. Elaborate and decorative floats are created based on a chosen theme and these are displayed during the parades at the Sambadrome. Sometimes the floats can be as large as to support almost 100 dancers at the same time. These parades are ticketed events where one can watch awesome performances by some of the best Samba schools in Rio. The extravagant setup, creative costumes and spectacular dance by the schools create such an energetic environment that you are bound to dance along with the samba beats!! The events at the Sambadrome usually start around 8-9 PM and the party continues all night till dawn sets in the next day!
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| Floats for the parade |
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| People eagerly waiting for the parade to begin |
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| Dancers in action!! |
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| The party has just begun!! |
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| Samba madness!! |
- Christ the Redeemer: Any trip to Rio is incomplete without clicking a photograph at Mount Corcovado in front of the iconic statue of Jesus Christ overlooking the city. This massive architectural wonder (98 feet high) located in Tijuca National Park has become a universal symbol of peace and protection. Visitors can take an elevator or escalator to the top; however be prepared to still climb some steep steps to reach the viewing platform. But the effort is totally worth the overwhelming feeling you will have standing at the feet of this grand sculpture. Ofcourse, it goes without saying that this place has one of the best views of the city and Guanabara Bay below.
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| Christ the Redeemer |
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| That mandatory pose! |
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| Amazing city views from Tijuca National Park |
- Sugarloaf Mountain: This is another famous landmark in Rio (located in the neighbourhood of Urca and easily accessible from the city by taxi or bus) which offers some of the most breathtaking views of the entire city and specially Copacabana and Ipanema beaches. You can access the top of this dome shaped mountain (around 1300 ft tall) via two cable car rides (3-4 minutes each), first to Morro da Urca and then the second one to Pão de Açúcar. Its worth spending 1.5- 2 hours at this place simply savouring the beautiful sights all around.
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| View from the cable car |
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| Sugarloaf Mountain |
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| At the top of the mountain |
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| Players dressing room |
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| For the soccer lovers! |
- Escadaria Selarón: This great artwork of 125 meters of brightly coloured steps by Chilean artist Jorge Selaron is a tribute to Rio, the city where he settled after travelling to almost 50 countries. The stairs have been decorated using tiles of mainly yellow, green and blue colour to symbolize the Brazilian flag. This world-famous staircase includes tiles from almost 60 countries which were sent from all around the world when the painter sometimes ran out of funds to design the steps.
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| On the steps of Escadaria |
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| Colourful mosaic |
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Brazilian street art
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Additional Tour Options:
- Iguazu Falls: This natural wonder on the border of Brazil and Argentina is something which we missed due to lack of time. However, consider visiting this spectacle if you have an extra day since it requires you to take a one hour bus journey on the way to Paraguay (so its kind of a detour).
- Favela tour: Favelas refer to the shanty towns or slums in outskirts of Rio and are generally known to be the centre of drug peddling activities. Favela tours are walking tours with a guide in such communities like Rocinha where the tourists are taken around the slum to give them insights about the not-so-posh side of the city. It is certainly a different kind of experience but its something that I would not mind skipping as well.
Personal Recommendations:
- Shopping: There are a lot of items to bring home from your Brazilian vacation such as souvenirs, Brazilian coffee, flip-flops (Havaianas), Cangas (Brazilian beach towel) and beachwear. Also, don't forget to buy a bottle of Cachaça (a sugarcane-based spirit is available in Brazil) to savour the local taste even after your vacation ends!
- Samba classes: If you are in the mood of doing something unique or are fond of dancing, then definitely take a samba class (1-1.5 hour) where you can learn some basic Samba steps and then apply them during a carnival party!! Above everything, its all about having sheer fun during your trip!
- Must try food and drinks: A trip to Brazil has to include trying out the famous Brazilian dish called Feijoada- a delicious rich stew primarily made of different cuts of meat and black beans. Also needless to say, one of the best things to do at the Copacabana or Ipanema beach is to watch the amazing sunset while sipping a caipirinha- Brazil’s national cocktail (mixture of sugar, lime and cachaça).
Useful Tips:
- Learn some basic Portuguese: It is always advantageous to know the local language of the place where you are travelling. It will be definitely helpful to know some basic Portuguese when you are in Brazil since not many local people speak English (even in cities).
- Be careful: Always be very cautious regarding any valuables (e.g mobile, wallet, cards etc.) that you carry during sightseeing or moving in the city. This is more important during the carnival since the roads, public transport etc are very crowded during this time. Although we did not have any bad experience in Rio and people around were quite helpful, it is better to be safe than sorry!
- Number of days: We spent 4 nights in Rio which including attending the Rio carnival as well. It is definitely worth spending at least 3 nights in this marvellous city which has a little bit of everything- be it the lively urban culture, beautiful golden beaches or lovely scenic views.
- Best time to visit: The answer to this question really depends on the activities you wish to do!! If you want to enjoy the vibrant samba beats and hit the sunny beaches of Rio, then February is your travel month. However, keep in mind that the temperatures are really high during this time and its important to keep yourself well hydrated! Fall in Brazil (April-May) is comparatively better in terms of the weather since the temperatures start coming down slightly and the tourist spots are not so crowded as well.
- Accommodation: Try to choose any accommodation close to the beachside rather than the city centre. In my opinion, neighbourhoods near Copacabana or Ipanema beach are the best places to stay in Rio. The hotels near the beachfront are expensive, mainly during peak season. You can try Airbnb as well since many people rent out their apartments in these areas especially during the Carnival season. We stayed in an Airbnb apartment at a walking distance of 5 minutes to the Ipanema beach and the location was superb (very close to metro station as well).
- Transport: The underground metro in Rio is a convenient and affordable mode of transport to access different locations in the city. You can either buy a metro pass (Riocard- can be refilled) or else single tickets for one way travels. Please note that if you take the metro to Sambadrome for watching the parade, then its a long walk from the metro station to the Sambadrome entrance. After the show, you can get a taxi at the exit gates to take you to your accommodation even in the wee hours.
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| Beautiful Rio |
Goodbye notes: As we look forward to corona-free better times, start planning a trip to this unique continent which has a lot in store for every kind of traveller. If you are looking for unique and unforgettable experiences, then attending the Rio Carnival is a must!! Also, stay tuned for interesting information about Peru in the next blog... See you soon 😊.
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(And Rio isn't just about Carnaval!)