A Travelers Guide To Rio de Janeiro
A Travelers Guide To Rio de Janeiro
For those that aren’t afraid to leap for an adventure, Brazil may be the place to start. Rio de Janeiro offers excitement at any pace. If you want to dive right in and take the city on full force, you can plan your trip for the biggest party on the planet. Carnival. Also called “The biggest show in on Earth”(Portuguese: O maior show da Terra). Its significance is the celebration prior to fasting season of Lent. There are Parades, parties, open-air performances and begins Friday before Ash Wednesday (51 days to Easter) and ends Ash Wednesday noon (46 days before Easter). The festivities begin 2019 date Afternoon, March 1 –midday, March 6
The Carnival in Rio de Janeiro (Portuguese: Carnaval do Rio de Janeiro) is a festival held every year before Lent and considered the biggest carnival in the world with two million people per day on the streets. The first festivals of Rio date back to 1723. It is celebrated in honour of the gods and to respect the great waters.
The typical Rio carnival parade is filled with revelers, floats, and adornments from numerous samba schools which are located in Rio (more than 200 approximately, divided into five leagues/divisions). A samba school is composed of a collaboration of local neighbors that want to attend the carnival together, with some kind of regional, geographical and common background.
There is a special order that every school has to follow with their parade entries. Each school begins with the “comissão de frente” (“Front Commission” in English), that is the group of people from the school that appear first. Made of ten to fifteen people, the “comissão de frente” introduces the school and sets the mood and style of their presentation. These people have choreographed dances in fancy costumes that usually tell a short story. Following the “comissão de frente” is the first float of the samba school, called “abre-alas” (“Opening Wing” in English). These are followed by the Mestre-sala and Porta-Bandeira (“Master of Ceremonies and Flag Bearer” in English), with one to four pairs, one active and three reserve, to lead the dancers, which include the old guard veterans and the “ala das baianas”, with the bacteria at the rear and sometimes a brass section and guitars.
Where To Stay
Copacabana
Entering the spotlight as a tourist hotspot in the 1940s, it still remains one of the most famous neighbourhoods in Rio. Here is the place to make the most of your holiday reads by basking in the sun on the beach and delving into a book. Take a wander along Copacabana‘s trademark wavy-striped promenade and check out the handcrafts and beach towels for sale. Dabble in stand-up paddle boarding and keep an eye out for fish and turtles before heading to one of the fancy restaurants along the beach to enjoy fresh seafood and admire the view from the outdoor seating.
Santa Teresa
The bohemian-chic of Santa Teresa is readily apparent and the relaxed, carefree pace of life is thick in the air. The gems of this neighbourhood are tucked away and best explored by simply strolling around, dipping into the open art studios of Santa’s locals and admiring handmade jewellery stores. Just be careful not to enter the favelas in this area. A recent wave of internal instability and violence has questioned their security and it is best to avoid them.
Ipanema
The trendy newcomer, Ipanema is the neighbourhood of the moment. Stealing the limelight with its stunning beaches, great surfing and numerous hip bars and restaurants, it is a place where the young, tanned and carefree hang out. In the evening, head to Arpoador to watch one of Rio’s best sunsets before going to Canastra, a relatively new bar that sells only Brazilian wines. Try the rosé, whose refreshing and smooth taste is always popular with the large crowds that head there every day.
Centro
During the day, Centro is the cultural hub of Rio with plenty of museums, artwork, and architecture. Be sure to check out the Museum of Tomorrow and the street mural by Eduardo Kobra, the largest mural in the world of its kind. Pass some time wandering down Avenida Rio Branco for a mini shopping spree. Later in the evening, head over to Lapa to immerse yourself in a samba-fuelled night and party until the sun comes up with an equal mix of Brazilians and tourists.
