Rio de Janeiro Carnival In Brazil

Trips to carnival in Brazil and samba parade in Rio de Janeiro are exciting events that offer foreign travelers a good opportunity to experience at first hand the exotic dance and music specific to this Latin country. During carnival parade can be seen the native talent of Brazilian samba dancers and the rich historical and cultural heritage that Brazilian living in Rio de Janeiro share with the entire world.

Carnival in Rio de Janeiro has roots in the ancient African and Portuguese traditions. The fusion of different cultures led to the birth of Brazilian carnival, first time held in the 20^th century. Being the most famous dance in Brazil, samba was incorporated in the carnival along the time. A million of tourists join every year to millions of citizens of Rio de Janeiro for a 4-day long celebration. Carnival in Rio begins on Saturday and ends on Fat Tuesday, the day before the beginning of the Christian period of lent, the Ash Wednesday. During this period people watch the parade of different samba schools performing dances, each school following a certain theme. The parade starts usually at seven in the morning and last up to six in the evening, depending on the number of schools that perform each day.

The highlight of the Rio carnival is the "Sambodromo" where Brazilian samba dancers start their competition. The Sambodromo is a 2,300-feet (700 meters) long strip flanked both by standing spectators and luxury boxes. The main attractions are the exotic sounds and sights of samba dancers. Just the best 14 samba schools are selected to start the parade at Sambodromo and every school has an elaborately decorated allegoric chariot, usually accompanied by girls dancing on rhythmic music. The chariots are also accompanied by marching samba bands comprising up to 300 musicians!

Along with the main parade, other street carnivals are held all over the city from which Banda de Ipanemais is one of the most traditional street carnivals in Rio de Janeiro. It was established in 1964 and is now part of city's cultural heritage. Rio de Janeiro offers also a wide variety of balls. The Masquerade Ball is one of the most popular, but the most glamourous ball takes place at Copacabana Palace Hotel.