Rio de Janeiro is a city which comprises of an array of natural attractions. There are many pristine beaches, monuments and famous landmarks visited by the tourists each year.
Travelling to Rio during the Rio Carnival can give you an ultimate holiday experience. Being the biggest street party in the world, hundreds of thousands of people gather in Rio each year to celebrate this famous festival. One major highlight of the carnival is the Sambadrome parade. Various samba schools compete against each other to win the judges as well as the audience with their intricate costumes, colourful fabulous floats and rhythmic dance routines to the samba drums.
Following are a few basics about the Rio carnival and what to expect during the carnival which would keep you in the correct mindset to embrace the country and the atmosphere during this special period.
Photo Credit: Journey Latin America
Be prepared for lots of music
As music is a big part of Brazilian festivals in general, it is not different to Rio festival. So be prepared to listen to lots of music way before the festival. Since there are many bands playing live for the festival, the sight of the bands practicing and performing will be a very common sight among the city. Since many dance schools are competing against each other all the music bands also get competitive to provide the best music. This makes them come up with very creative ideas and tunes which enrich the carnival. The constant sounds of the music will slowly prepare you for the big event.
Who does Samba best?
As well as music, dancing also a main element of the carnival. There are many samba schools as well as samba dancers in Rio. It is said almost all Brazilians know how to dance the samba. So all the samba schools in the city will parade in the carnival. In fact the main parade is actually a competition between all the school that teach samba. All the samba schools and their students perform beautifully choreographed dance moves on the streets which is truly a sight to be hold.
Carnival of many days
Unlike many other carnivals around the world Rio carnival is not limited to one day. This very special carnival goes on throughout the whole Lenten season. This Christian season of preparation before easter normally runs for almost 40 days. Hence one can enjoy a different event each day during the carnival season. It is highly recommended to plan way ahead. Proper planning will save you a lot of money and disappointment. So it is advisable to plan ahead and plan for a longer stay to enjoy every aspect of this special event.
Vibrant and Colourful Costumes
Rio carnival has existed over hundred years. But colourful costumes change each year. According to the tradition the costume designs never get repeated. Each year every samba school has to have a new theme. These colourful costumes consist of beads in various colours, shapes and sizes together with feathers.
About the Author: Joanna Robinson is a content writer who loves to share her knowledge among internet users. These days she is writing about travelling, fashion and about hand tufted rugs.