Best Carnival Spots You Should Not Miss in Brazil

Brazil is known for throwing parties. When you think of parties, the first thing that should come to your mind should be Brazil. So, what are you waiting for carnival is here and nothing can beat the carnival experience in Brazil. Here are the best carnival spots in Brazil.

Brazil is a country synonymous with Carnival. In fact, it is Brazil that brought ahead and improvised upon the concept of partying and making merry. So, without wasting much of your time, we will head straight to the best carnivals in Brazil.

1. Rio De Janeiro

No other city in Brazil can beat Rio De Janeiro when it comes to the Carnival celebrations. The Carnival of Rio de Janeiro is one of the most famous carnivals in the world. While the actual event lasts for five days, the Rio residents begin making preparations well in advance. The beaches, friendly people and the very atmosphere of the city is quite conducive to the spirit of the Carnival celebrations.

Now that most of the carnival parties are held at the beach, you can move straight to the sea and have a blast with the swimming or any other activity at the beach. You can even check out the Sambódromos as well and watch a few of those Samba school parades as well.

2. Sao Paulo

Sao Paulo is one of the busiest cities in Brazil, and you would never find it sleeping and being quite slower. But, come Carnival and the entire region stops abruptly. While everyone wants to be busy at the job the year around, the carnival period is often marked by people wanting to relax and fall into a party mode.

There are a few specifically designed street blocks for carnival if you want to be the one with the people around, or you can even choose to watch the beautiful samba parades just the way you would do in Rio. There are over 450 street blocks, and you can choose the one that best suits your preferences and convenience.

3. Salvador

Salvador is known for the carnival on the streets. The merry making runs through several days and spreads through from the late February to early March every year. The streets vibrate with the noise of music and revelry. In fact, it is estimated that the city hosts over two million revellers.

One of the best things you would love about carnival in Salvador is it has a theme every year for the carnival, and the entire city is decorated as per the theme you choose. In fact, Salvador is known to be a city meant for fun and frolic, and carnival just enhances this tendency further ahead. If you get bored having fun, you can also move around the city and check out the rich legacy of the city.

4. Olinda

The carnival in Olinda takes place for 11 days, and it is held in late February and early March every year. The parties here are quite unique in their own right. They are built around balls, samba performances and music characterised by Afro-Brazilian theme.

One of the best attractions that should pull you to Olinda is the parade of 400 virgins. In fact, this parade is actually the one with 400 men dressed in drag! Of course, what should make it even more interesting is there are awards for the most beautiful, most risqué and most huge prude. The city is known the wigs and dolls, and the carnival makes a good use to showcase the talent they possess in the realm.

5. Recife

Recife along with Olinda is a city in Pernambuco. In fact, people prefer to visit Olinda first, and them move on to Recife. The cities are separated by a one hour distance between them. The city is known for the rhythms of the local population – Frevo and Maracatu. In fact, Maracatu is a slower and heavy Afro Brazilian drum beat.

The rehearsals are held months in advance, and if you happen to be in the city during those rehearsals, you will definitely be impressed with the seriousness shown in the rehearsals in a true fashion as in the case of the live performances.

6. Belem

Carnival here is awesome, and it is so just because of the Nossa Senhora de Nazaré or Our lady of Nazareth. The statue is believed to have performed miracles in the past. The statue and the city have been revered by the entire Brazil since 1793 and has been one of the most preferred locations for those of you who are religious by nature.

The place is also host to the largest festival on the River Amazon called Círio de Nazaré. Carnival here takes a rather sober look, but of course – you will not miss the fun and frolic associated with the concept of a carnival. Well, the city is in Brazil and making merry has been in the blood of the Brazilians.

7. São Luís

Brazil had been a Portuguese colony, and the effect is shown clearly in the way the culture has shaped up here. Sao Luis is known for Bumba Meu Boi. It is a festival of wild and folkloric connotations. The festival seems to have its roots in African and Portuguese influence along with some indigenous traits thrown in.

The festival apart, you will indeed find the carnival celebration in the city an interesting one as well. The capoeira is yet another interesting option you can check out here. The capoeira is an Afro Brazilian martial art form, if you are not aware.

The Concluding Thoughts

Well, the Carnival is one of the most prominent and most anticipated festivals in Brazil. In fact, Brazil is a land of beautiful and friendly people, and that makes it one of the best destinations for the carnival celebrations. We assume the select cities in Brazil that we have featured here should help you make the best out of your carnival revelry.

Do note that there are several options you have in Brazil if you are looking for the best carnival celebrations, and the cities we have featured here are just representative of nature.