Brazilian Carnaval 101: Intro and Four Places to Experience It!
Updated: Jun 15
As a travel agent passionate about planning travel built around cultural experiences, let me introduce you to the world of Carnaval in Brasil.
Originating from a blend of European, African, and indigenous traditions, Carnaval (in Portuguese, Carnival in Spanish or Mardi Gras in French) is an exhuberant celebration marking the days before Lent, characterized by sensational parades, lively music, an explosion of colors, non-stop movement and no shortage of crazy costumes... and probably a few hangovers, if I'm being honest. But nowhere are the festivities more evident than in Brazil, where each region puts its own unique spin on the festivities.
Useless Trivia: The word Carnaval originates, roughly from Italian as, "the meat goes"
However, Carnaval in Brazil isn't a one size fits all celebration as there are variations across the country. In some parts, it is barely "a thing". The main destinations offer distinct traditions and flavors of Carnaval, ensuring an unforgettable experience for travelers seeking to immerse themselves in Brazil's cultural.
Continue reading to discover a few of the key elements that make up Carnaval in Brazil along with some of the sights, and sounds to help you discover which destination might be best for you in 2025!
Carnaval 101:
So what exactly is Carnaval in Brasil and what are some of the essentials to know?
The first is that the numbers during Carnaval in Brasil are staggering:
500 blocos in Rio, meanwhile, Belo Horizonte now approaches this number.
In Rio, there are roughly 5 million visitors, and 2 million people on the streets daily while in the famed Sambodromo grandstand, roughly 90,000 attend nightly.
In Salvador over a million people line the nightime route and there are approximately 1.5 million tourists, of which roughly 200k are foreign.
In the northeast, Recife’s Saturday morning opening parade, starting at dawn, made the Guinness listings as the largest Carnaval Parade at 2.5 million in 2013.
2023 in Rio, Carnaval generated approximatley $800 million USD economically. The number nationwide was $1.6 billion.
Estimates are that 400 million liters of beer are consumed nationwide in 5 days.
The country as a whole is on the move, headed to beaches, farms, national parks, party destinations or just across town to visit friends.
Nationwide, hotel occupancy is over 60%. This soars to 100% in popular cities and beach destinations nationwide; booking in advance is essential and there are no deals.
Hotel rates are 3-4 times the normal nightly rate, airfare is at least double. On the ground, most blocos and parades are free, or can be done for free if on a budget.
Music is the bedrock of Carnaval and will be heard at nearly all hours of the day and night, everywhere.
Music styles include Samba, reggae/funk, Brasilian pop, Forró (northeastern "country", of sorts), Frevo, and remixed electronic DJ sets. But, what you may hear most is called Axé, a newer addition of the 80's and 90's from Salvador, whose iconic singers and heavy Afro-Brasilian influenced drumbeats are unmistakable.
Other points to know are that celebrations stretch for nearly two weeks, but during all of February, the sounds and colors are unavoidable as the crescendo builds towards the 5 night festival unlike any other.
But, what about the Carnaval celebrations themselves and what do they include?
First, you’ll hear Brazilians refer to “Blocos” often. “There is a bloco today” “we went to a bloco last night”, or your taxi driver “there is a huge bloco, the streets are closed” (this happens A LOT!).
The simplest description, blocos are a party that gathers, usually in the street but also in plazas, beaches, parking lots or parks. They are an on-the-spot party centered around a musical group, neighborhood, theme, specific artist, brotherhood, or civic organization. Some are stationary and on a stage while others parade through the streets. Meanwhile, there are also some that are family or kids oriented, too.
Building from here, perhaps the most iconic physical feature of Carnaval is what is known as the Trio Elétrico (literally, electric trio). Their history began in post WWII Salvador where, in short, two guys, Dodô e Osmar played music from speakers on a wagon pulled around the city by a pickup truck. Before long, people were following this around in impromptu parties. When a 3rd musician joined them, the “electric trio” and an iconic tradition was born!
Today, they are significantly larger than just a pickup truck and a wagon. They are gigantic semi-trucks pulling a towering mobile concert stage, covered by elaborate 2-story walls of speakers, video screens and light displays. The tops of the structures come complete with singers and musical groups, backup dancers, elaborate light shows, DJ’s/sound techs, bands, fog machines, confetti canons, and perhaps even moving arms.
Ivete Sangalo, an icon of Salvador's Carnaval and the Axé genre of music. Video: R Cowden 2020
In Salvador, these trucks are part of the mystique, but are found elsewhere. The main musicians also have a support trio with a bar and portable restroom (Pro Tip: wear old shoes you may want to toss out after Carnaval, or plan for them to be in need of a thorough wash…). These Trios, wherever you find them in Brasil, slowly wend their way through the streets. Sometimes as part of an hours long parade or in some cities and neighborhoods, as a standalone crawl.
Now that the basics are covered, next are four destinations to experience all of what is Carnaval, and which destination may be a better fit for you.
Street Carnavals
These destinations and their celebrations have roots in the traditional festivities, particularly in the 17th century colonial cities. Olinda (just north of Recife), Ouro Preto (Minas Gerais), and Pelourinho (Salvador's colonial quarter) are the most notable, all set amidst the 17th century cobblestone streets, baroque churches and gilded altarpieces, palm shaded plazas and vivid colonial façades.
Olinda-Recife
Street Scenes in Olinda's historic colonial center, 2020. R Cowden
Olinda in Pernambuco is known for giant bonecos (puppets), some of which are decades old. Another key feature is the unique music style played here called Frevo. Originally derived from a military band, it is brassy and frenetic.
Pre-Carnaval Bloco in Olinda, January 2024. Video: R Cowden
For the gay traveller, head for Rua 13 Maio (photo below), the length of which, and the park on the eastern end, has thousands of Brazilian travellers and locals from around the Northeast, and hardly a foreigner to be seen.
Elsewhere in Olinda, find a boneco and frevo bloco and follow along late into the night! Keep up with the pace of the music, if you can!
Olinda is a vivid colonial city but today it is more or less a suburb of Recife, which is one of Brasil's largest cities and metro areas. The architecture on the historic island that forms the center of Recife reflects Dutch influences as it was occupied for a few decades in the 17th century.
Carnaval here is centered on this neighborhood with all the streets closed, baroque church plazas filled to the brim and concert stages throughout. But the main draw is the Galo da Madrugada parade that begins at 5am on Saturday morning of Carnaval. This massive parade is a non-stop procession of trio elétricos and a whose who of national musical performers, many of which will perform in the coming days in Salvador or beyond.
Video highlighting the sights and sounds of the Galo da Madrugada in Recife. I don't own the rights to this, it was shared with me from a local. Please get in touch if this belongs to you.
Belo Horizonte
As recently as 2013, this Carnaval didn't really exist. As a friend in BH was fond of saying, if you played in traffic you would still be there a week later and completely unharmed; Brasil's 4th largest metro area of 6 million, was a ghost town.
Not anymore!
Carnaval Blocos in Belo Horizonte, 2024 R Cowden
Above: a drum corp (bateria) bloco
Below: electronic/EDM DJ bloco
Something for every taste in music
The numbers and festivities here are drawing the attention of many across Brasil these days and is perhaps the best, organically grown, with a number of blocos that rivals Rio de Janeiro. Often regarded as Brasil's best large city, the core of the city is largely closed and at any one time, you are not far from another bloco. Bored or don't like the one you are hanging around? Venture a few blocks in various directions and you'll find others.
2024 was my first time here during Carnaval, I have been coming to this underrated city since I was 18 years old in 1995 and I didn't want to leave! The vibe is super relaxed and friendly, the party will outlast you. The gay friendly vibe here is also quite apparent, there are several blocos that if not LGBT themselves, certainly attract this dynamic.
Another selling point? The hotel I selected near the center of the city within walking distance was a fraction of the nightly cost compared to those in Rio or Salvador. For how much longer the value for money continues here, remains to be seen.
Need a change of pace? Head to the old state capital, Ouro Preto. This small colonial city is perhaps the best preserved colonial city in all of South America. This mountain town is lined with baroque architecture and, allegedly, a church for every day of the year stemming from its peak during a gold and silver rush in the 17th century. During Carnaval however, the cobblestone streets are the hub of the federal university's student community and their various academic organization blocos.
Salvador
Carnaval in Salvador is the one that most Brasilians will tell you is their favorite or the one they want to do, if they haven't. For good reason! Salvador and the surrounding state of Bahia are both closely connected to its Afro-Brasilian roots. This continues right through the celebrations of Carnaval, too.
In the spectacular colonial heart of the city, Pelourinho, the festivites mostly involve Afro-Brasilian blocos, many of which are adorned with the colors, beads and garments that reflect west African traditions and for many, their devotion to Orixás. Candomblé, perhaps better known to its closely related "cousins" Santamaria, Umbanda or Voodoo has mixed with catholicism to form a distinct religion. Add to this mix musical instruments, percussion beats, chiming bells and lyrics, it all come together here in Pelourinho and offers, by far, the most unique interpretation of Carnaval in Brasil and the city's inheritance from Africa.
Pelourinho photos of the various groups in Salvador's Carnaval. Sons and Daughters of Gandhy (blue garments), Olodum (orange). Photos courtesy of a local guide and friend specializing in Candomblé, Afro-Brasilian Heritage and Salvador
Elsewhere in Salvador, there are two other massive street parades, one in the Campo Grande neighborhood and another along the beachfront avenue from the Barra neighborhood to Ondina. Both feature some of the icons of Salvador, local brotherhoods or nationally known performers atop the Trio Elétricos on both routes.
For those that want to join a bloco on the nightly route, you have to purchase entry that comes with a shirt or basic costume to enter the bloco. If the idea of a crowded 6 hour street parade doesn't appeal, you can also purchase entry to what are called camarotes (cama roh cheese) and watch the spectacle from a private (but large) party, many of which are all-inclusive. On a budget? Find a spot and watch it go by on the street where you are never more than 2 seconds away from a vendor selling beers or other canned beverages.
The many experiences of Salvador's Carnaval, 2020. R Cowden
The Unforgettable sights of Carnaval in Salvador. R Cowden 2020
Filhos de Gandhy, Salvador 2020. R Cowden
Street Carnaval & Ticketed Parade
Rio de Janeiro
In Rio, by far the most famous aspect of the Carnaval is the Escolas de Samba parades in the Sambodromo. I can recall the images being shown on PBS as a kid (I think). But the pageantry, dazzling "floats", shimmering costumes and distinctive sounds are only s small part of the festivities.
Each season, the various neighborhoods, represented by Escolas de Samba, Samba Schools, prepare a presentation that will parade down the Sambodromo in a competition against the other escolas. A theme and allegory is selected and the design begins almost as soon as the prior year has ended. These escolas have been at times, protests, awareness, civic pride, honorific and always, colorful and in constant motion.
Getting tickets and watching from the stands at least one evening of the festivities is on many a bucket list, and for good reason, as you can see in the photos. This particular offering however, wraps up AFTER Carnaval officially ends, as the winning schools parade down the route again a few days after Ash Wednesday. By which time, the city has calmed down as everyone suffers a collective hangover and tourists attempt to visit some of the main sites of the city.
Here are a few sights of a night in the Sambodromo, with a bonus photo of a younger version of yours truly, in 2013!
Watch and listen to the 2024 Escola de Samba winner (Viradouro) in their performance of a West Africa legend in the Sapucaí (aka, Sambodromo), click here. Want to take your Carnaval to another level? How about being IN the parade! Yes, you can do this too!
Outside the Sambodromo however, the festivities all take place on the streets, parks and beaches of Rio. With over 500 blocos to choose from, there is something for everyone. Additionally, for some gay travellers, there are circuit style parties almost nightly.
This year, several friends and myself went to one of the furthest suburbs of Rio to follow an electronic house bloco working its way down the beach. We followed that up with a stop at Flamengo Beach back in the city at a very small bloco in a park along a beach, hosted by a drag queen!
WTF is Dogz Parade, an electronic house music bloco, on the closing day of Carnaval in Rio, 2024. R Cowden
A little beach time during Carnaval in Rio and enjoying the final day of fesitivities with friends. 2024
Are you ready to experience Carnaval in Brazil? Schedule a call and get started. Planning, and booking, for this time period anywhere in the country needs to be done at least 6 months in advance to ensure the best option and location for you and your travel party. With 29 years of travel to this spectacular country, I have ideas to make your journey to this amazing destination an unforgettable one.
Ash Wednesday chill and sunset in Salvador from Porto da Barra beach, 2020 R Cowden
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