Carnival in Rio de Janeiro Deals
Sambadrome
Carnival in Rio de Janeiro is one of the best times to visit Brazil. People from all over the world descend on the city to celebrate and take part in the processions and festivities that take place every year for the occasion.
Carnival is a great time to travel to Rio, but make sure to book well in advance if you go. Hotels and other accommodations get booked up months ahead, so be sure to plan accordingly to avoid disappointment. Sometimes there are last-minute deals available if demand is low, but most years prices rise significantly the closer you get to Carnival.
If you book ahead, many hotels have 5-day package deals beginning on the Saturday before Carnival and ending on the Wednesday. They offer tickets to the Carnival festivities at the Sambadrome for around US$300 to 400 per night. There are also cruise deals for Carnival in Rio. Cruise companies tend to charge slightly more than hotels for tickets to the parades at the Sambadrome, but offer a good experience all the same.
If you go to the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro for Carnival, you can watch the 12 famous samba schools compete. The best seats for Carnival are in sector 9, so if you can get tickets for that area, you will have the best view of the parades. The parades take place on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday nights at 9:00pm, with the last of these being the time when the final judging happens. On the following Saturday there is a winners’ parade.
On the Saturday before Carnival in Rio de Janeiro, the second samba schools compete. If you arrive early, don’t miss their parades and others throughout the city in the week before the main events.
If you don’t go to the Sambadrome during Carnival in Rio de Janeiro, you can take part in the processions throughout the city. Special music is composed just for the occasion, and the starting points are announced each day on television. Anyone can join, and it is free of charge to take part.