RIO CARNIVAL 2017
If you’re looking for a festival of frivolity to banish your New Year blues, there are few options more appealing than heading to Brazil’s beautiful Rio de Janeiro for the annual Rio Carnival. Over two million people will line the streets of the city for this, the largest carnival in the world.
Running for 24 hours a day from February 24th until February 28th, the carnival is a breathtaking tradition in this South American city. The newly crowned King Momo, aka the King of the Carnival, will be granted the keys of the city and open the carnival at 7pm on the 24th, and four days of street parties defined by singing, dancing and colourful costumes with follow.
Thanks to recently hosting FIFA’s World Cup and the Olympic games, Rio has a fine infrastructure of hotels. The best place to stay if attending the carnival is the south of the city, also known as Zona Sul, Here, you will find plenty of prestigious hotels that are just a 15-20 minute journey to the heart of the carnival celebrations in the Sambadrome.
To fully embrace the culture of the carnival, you can visit a Samba School. First introduced in the 1920s, these are not actually educational institutes that require enrollment in a full curriculum. Instead, you can just pop in and watch and learn, as the experts will teach you the essential moves of this rhythmic routine. All these schools boast their own individual samba song to match their movements, and each of them will parade through Rio throughout the carnival to complete for a championship.
You’ll need to purchase tickets in advance to spectate or participate in the carnival, available online. Prices vary depending on where you’d like to sit, and your best options would be to position yourself in the centre or towards the end of a runway. Much like tickets to a theatre or rock concert, the more you are prepared to pay, the better the view you are likely to enjoy. Be aware, however; elevated seats offer the very best views are priced accordingly, but they may leave you feeling a little isolated from the native crowds that create the most atmosphere.
It’s not all about the dance, however. The Rio Carnival also offers bands that play traditional Brazilian music, a wide variety of food stands and no shortage to liquid refreshment. If you’re looking for something a little more formal than a street party, there are also a number of balls taking place throughout the carnival weekend, though again, you’ll have to book separate tickets to attend these.
If you are interesting in taking in this full experience of the Rio Carnival, you should investigate the possibility of an All-Inclusive Weekend Ticket. This will furnish you with expert, insider information, and take all the guesswork out of the joyous occasion. The Rio Carnival is something that everybody should experience at least once, and taking advice will ensure that you enjoy this momentous occasion as much as you should.
