Rio de Janeiro Travel Guide
Carnival, New Year and When to Visit Rio
Carnival 2027 dates, Sambadrome tickets and street blocos, New Year on Copacabana, and a month-by-month look at weather, crowds and prices in Rio.
Rio is a year-round destination, but the city has two great annual peaks that shape everything from hotel prices to the mood on the streets: New Year on Copacabana and Carnival. This guide explains both and helps you choose the best time for your trip.
Carnival 2027: the dates. Carnival is tied to the Christian calendar and ends on Ash Wednesday, which in 2027 falls on 10 February. The main event, the parades of the twelve samba schools of the Grupo Especial at the Sambadrome, takes place over three nights: Sunday 7, Monday 8 and Tuesday 9 February 2027, with four schools parading each night from evening until dawn. The order of the parades was drawn in April 2026, and the reigning champion, Unidos do Viradouro, parades on the Tuesday. The Champions Parade, when the top schools return to the avenue, follows on the Saturday after Ash Wednesday. The second division, the Serie Ouro, parades on the nights before the main event.
Sambadrome tickets. The Sambadrome, on the Marques de Sapucai in the centre, is a purpose-built parade avenue designed by Oscar Niemeyer and lined with grandstands, boxes and private suites. Tickets for 2027 are sold by Liesa, the league of samba schools, through Ticketmaster in a series of sales rounds that began in August 2026; several rounds sold out quickly. In the September 2026 round, grandstand seats in the main sectors cost 250 reais per night at full price, with half-price tickets for eligible groups, and frisas, the front-row boxes for up to six people, cost from around 1,800 to more than 10,000 reais per night depending on location. Sales are limited per Brazilian tax number, which can complicate purchases for foreigners, so many visitors buy through tour operators that package a ticket with transport and a guide. Sectors in the middle of the avenue have the best views. Bring a cushion, water and patience: each school parades for over an hour, and the night runs until sunrise.
Street Carnival. Much of the joy of Carnival happens outside the Sambadrome, at the blocos, free street parties led by bands and sound trucks that move through every neighbourhood from January until after Ash Wednesday. Some draw a few hundred people, the biggest draw hundreds of thousands. The city publishes the official schedule, and registration for 2027 blocos opened in August 2026. Wear light clothes, a costume if you like, comfortable shoes, and carry only a little cash and a cheap phone, as pickpockets work the crowds.
Samba school rehearsals. From around September to the weeks before Carnival, the samba schools hold rehearsals at their courts in the North Zone and technical rehearsals at the Sambadrome. They are a great way to feel the build-up and see the drummers, and are best visited with a guide or organised transport.
New Year on Copacabana. The Reveillon on Copacabana is one of the largest New Year parties in the world, drawing millions of people to the beach. Most wear white for peace and luck, many jump seven waves at midnight and make offerings of flowers to Iemanja, the sea goddess of Afro-Brazilian religion, and the night is lit by a long fireworks display launched from barges offshore, with free concerts on several stages along the sand. Hotels on Avenida Atlantica sell out months ahead with minimum stays and high prices, and roads close, so plan to walk or take the metro, which runs special services. Keep valuables to a minimum, agree a meeting point with your group, and expect crowds for hours after midnight. Line-ups for the 2026-27 celebration are announced by the city in the weeks before.
Other festivals and events. Rio has a busy calendar beyond its two great peaks. Easter and the long weekends of Brazilian public holidays fill the hotels with domestic visitors. Rock in Rio, the giant music festival held in the west of the city in some years, brings huge crowds and higher prices, and big football matches and concerts at the Maracana and on Copacabana can affect availability. The festas juninas in June and July bring bonfires, country dances and food to squares and schools. Check the calendar for your dates before you book, because a major event can double hotel prices overnight.
Summer: December to March. The high season is hot and humid, with long beach days, afternoon storms, the biggest parties and the highest prices. The sea is at its warmest, and the city is at its liveliest, but the mountains are more often in cloud.
Autumn: April and May. One of the best times to visit. The heat eases, rain decreases, the skies clear for mountain views, and prices drop after Carnival and Easter. The sea is still warm enough to swim.
Winter: June to August. Mild and dry, with clear days that are ideal for hiking and the mountain viewpoints, cooler evenings and chillier water. It is also the season of the festas juninas, the June festivals of the Northeast, with food and forro. A good choice for active travellers and budget hunters, though cold fronts can bring a few grey, windy days.
Spring: September to November. Warming up, with more rain later in the season, fewer visitors than summer and moderate prices. The samba schools rehearse, and the city starts preparing for the summer.
Our advice. For the classic Rio experience, come for Carnival or New Year once, book early and embrace the crowds. For sightseeing, hiking and value, aim for April, May or the winter months. Whenever you come, keep a flexible day for the mountains, and remember that a clear morning is the most valuable thing in Rio.