What Is Rio Carnival Like? My Honest Experience

I’d already spent a few months living in Rio de Janeiro when I returned for Carnival. I loved the beaches, the dance scene, and the city’s everyday energy, and I was curious what happened when everyone came out to celebrate together.

I knew about the Sambadrome, the samba schools, the enormous floats and costumes… But most of my Carnival happened in the streets, following music through crowded neighborhoods and finding parties we hadn’t planned to attend.

Carnival was fun, but if I’m honest, I could only handle a few days of partying. I’d come for the energy, the music, and the colors, and there was plenty of all of it… even when I was ready for a break.

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What It Felt Like Inside a Bloco

My first bloco started at 7 a.m. I didn’t.

The messages started coming in around seven in the morning. People were already heading out for one of Carnival’s street parties. My reaction was pretty much: F that. Luckily my friends weren’t eager to get there that early either, so I got dressed up and headed out late morning.

On the way to the metro, I started seeing more and more people in bright colors, glitter, costumes, and sometimes barely anything at all. On the train, people talked excitedly, ready to start the day. At one point during Carnival, I saw a man dressed as the pope next to an almost-naked man.

I headed toward the Lapa arches to meet my friend Kayo and some people from a Rio Carnival WhatsApp group. Kayo was my former dance instructor and a local friend from my earlier stay. My partner had also come to Rio to celebrate with me.

We gathered our group and started walking uphill toward Santa Teresa, along stone roads with graffiti lining the streets. Masses of people were heading in the same direction, and the higher we went, the denser the crowds became.

In the narrow hillside streets, a sound truck carried people dressed as nuns in pink beneath huge purple umbrellas. People squeezed past one another in hats, glitter, and whatever costume they’d decided to wear that day. Vendors mixed caipirinhas beside the crowds, and people perched along walls, railings, and steps.

Some residents even sprayed water down from their homes, which in the heat, felt amazing. Everyone was trying to inch toward the stream to get a hit of relief.

Within about an hour, we’d lost most of the people we’d started with. I stayed closer to Kayo and my partner, trying to follow the music and stay together while getting hotter.

The WhatsApp meetups were a bit of a crapshoot, if I’m honest. We met some people more than once, but you never knew whether you’d actually vibe together. Having a local friend there to show us the ropes made a big difference. In that crowd, I was glad to have people I knew.

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Some of My Favorite Moments Were Unplanned

One of my favorite memories was a day I spent wandering Centro with Kayo and one of his friends. There wasn’t one particular event we had to reach; we kind of just wandered.

The streets were blocked off to traffic with people partying in clusters. We explored until we found a big gathering near the steps in Lapa with a giant tent and a DJ playing. With caipirinhas in hand, we danced. A lot.

It was such an immersive experience… Around us, groups were doing organized dances together, while others drank, hung out, and joined in. Everyone was in a light, happy mood, and just being part of it made me smile.

I loved the randomness of it. Missing a specific bloco didn’t mean we’d missed the party. We could keep walking and find people to celebrate with.

Around the Lapa arches on another outing, we met one of Kayo’s friends who was selling caipirinhas and gave us good deals. We shared watermelon and pineapple caipis, and one that was green… I have no idea what it was, but it was delicious. We stayed around trying different flavors, with local musicians playing and food and drink vendors all around us.

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The Night My Partner’s Phone Was Stolen

Carnival was not all sunshine and rainbows for us though. One night after celebrating in Centro, my partner’s phone was stolen. And yes, we became another statistic.

We’d headed toward the metro to go home, but the station was closed off by police, so we walked farther and ordered an Uber. As the car approached, my partner started walking while checking its location on his phone. I’d warned him so many times about having it out… and just as I told him to be careful again, someone ran past and grabbed it.

He chased, and I stupidly tried to help. Then one man turned into three, working together. One threw dirt in my face; another tried to kick my partner. I tripped over my untied shoelaces and fell badly. They got away, leaving us injured and shaken, still needing to get home and now worried about losing our remaining phone too.

The next day, the tourist police station was packed. While waiting to file our report, I heard other people describing stolen phones, wallets, and even assaults. The event didn’t change how I felt about Carnival itself. I knew robbery was a risk in Rio, but knowing that and dealing with it were very different experiences.

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What the Sambadrome Felt Like From the Stands

The next night, we still went to the Sambadrome, even though we were still on edge. I hadn’t realized HOW big the venue would be. My partner and I spent a while wandering around the surrounding blocks, just trying to figure out where to enter for our section.

Once we got in, the spectacle of it all shifted my mood. What struck me was how bright it was. Sometimes when you watch the parades on TV, you wouldn’t even guess it’s nighttime. Between the stadium lights and the lights on the floats and performers, I could understand why.

Some of the giant floats had performers in huge, bright costumes that blended into the scenery. As they moved together, the whole float looked like a living being. Then there were the samba dancers… the speed their feet moved was mesmerizing.

The music, lights, volume, and energy were something unreal. People danced in the stands, and locals sang the samba songs together around us. I felt more like a spectator here than at the blocos, where I’d been dancing in the streets with everyone else.

We left before the event finished because we were tired, but the Sambadrome experience was one to remember. I was glad we’d seen it, but I also wanted to go to bed. Personally, one night was plenty.

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After a Few Days, I Needed a Break

The day after Sambadrome, I was worn out mentally and physically. We’d spent days going to blocos, drinking, and dancing in the heat for hours. I swear the people who go out every day and every night must have livers of steel.

The robbery had added to the exhaustion, and both of us ended up getting sick. Between that and our injuries, we spent several days recovering, even though there was still plenty happening around the city.

When we didn’t feel like partying, we stayed around Ipanema, walking through the streets and along the beachfront. The whole city wasn’t packed all the time. Pockets of it were, especially when a giant bloco was there, but we could hang out in a different neighborhood when we didn’t want to be in the action.

Having somewhere comfortable to come back to, sleep, and recover mattered a lot. When you’re choosing accommodation for Carnival, I’d think about where you’ll want to spend your downtime too.

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Is Rio Carnival Worth It?

I’m glad I went, and I feel satisfied having experienced it once in my life. That said, a few different blocos and one Sambadrome night were plenty for me.

It was a rough trip in some ways. Getting robbed, hurt, and then getting sick took up time we’d hoped to spend enjoying ourselves. But those things haven’t replaced the memories of what I loved — wandering with friends, getting caipirinhas, and dancing with strangers made me feel alive.

I’d returned to Rio because I wanted to experience everyone celebrating together. In those moments, dancing with friends and strangers, I got what I’d come for.

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