The best places to celebrate Carnival in Brazil in 2026
- Rachel
- Jun 26, 2024
- 8 min read
Updated: Jan 27
Tickets for Carnival 2026 in Rio de Janeiro are almost sold out. Check here to find out how to get tickets and don't forget you book your Carnival accommodation as early as possible.
When most people think of Carnaval in Brazil, Rio de Janeiro often comes to mind first with its world-famous parades and Samba schools. However, Carnaval is celebrated with unique local music and traditions in many cities across the country.
From the electrifying street parties in Salvador to the rich cultural traditions in Olinda and Recife, here's a guide to experiencing Carnival in some lesser known spots.
Where to Celebrate Carnival in Brazil
Brazil’s Carnival is celebrated all across the country. Each city offers its own traditions, music genres, and special events - so choosing where to celebrate Carnival depends completely on the type of experience you would like to have.
This guide highlights some of the most popular destinations, including Rio de Janeiro, Salvador, Recife, Olinda, Belo Horizonte, Ouro Preto, Paraty, Florianópolis, São Paulo, and Manaus, giving you a snapshot of what to expect and where to experience the Brazil's biggest and best celebration.
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1. Carnival in Rio de Janeiro
Unique Features and Cultural Celebrations
Rio de Janeiro is home to the most famous Carnival in Brazil, renowned for its extravagant samba parades at the Sambadrome and vibrant street parties, or blocos, throughout the city. The Sambadrome parades feature the city's top samba schools competing with elaborate floats, costumes, music, and choreography. Find out if there are any remaining tickets for the Sambadrome in 2026.
Beyond the Sambadrome, Rio’s blocos fill the streets of neighbourhoods like Ipanema, Copacabana, and Lapa, offering free, energetic celebrations. Each bloco has its own theme and music style, creating a wide variety of experiences across the city.
Food and Drink
Carioca street food is easy to find during Carnival, including pastel (deep-fried pastry with various fillings), empadas (savory pies), and coconuts. Caipirinhas and cold beers are widely available to help you stay refreshed in the summer heat.
Music and Dance
Samba is at the heart of Rio’s Carnival. In the Sambadrome, samba schools perform highly choreographed routines, while blocos feature more informal samba, funk, marchinhas (traditional Carnival tunes), and other popular Brazilian music genres.
Find cheap accommodation & bus tickets for your stay in Rio de Janeiro
2. Carnival in Salvador, Bahia
Unique Features and Cultural Celebrations at Salvador Carnival
Salvador’s Carnival is deeply rooted in Afro-Brazilian culture, particularly evident in the neighborhood of Pelourinho, known for its historical architecture and cultural performances. The celebrations here blend samba-reggae, axé, and traditional African rhythms, providing a culturally rich and musically diverse experience.
Salvador's Carnival is famous for its trio elétrico, massive trucks equipped with sound systems and stages for bands to perform on as they move through the city streets. This style of celebration originated in Salvador and offers a unique experience as the crowd follows the trucks, dancing and singing along.
Food and Drink
Enjoy local Bahian cuisine such as acarajé (deep-fried black-eyed pea fritters filled with shrimp) and moqueca (a seafood stew). Refresh yourself with a cold beer or a caipirinha.
Music and Dance
Axé music, a genre that blends Afro-Caribbean and Brazilian sounds, dominates the streets of Salvador during Carnival. Samba-reggae, with its infectious beat and rhythm, also plays a significant role, inviting everyone to dance.
Find cheap accommodation & bus tickets for your stay in Salvador
3. Recife and Olinda, Pernambuco
Unique Features and Cultural Celebrations in Recife & Olinda
Recife and Olinda, neighboring cities in the state of Pernambuco, offer a Carnival experience rich in tradition and folklore. Recife’s Carnival is considered one of the oldest in Brazil, with roots going back to the colonial era. Olinda’s Carnival is known for its frevo music and giant puppets, called bonecos gigantes, which parade through the historic city’s steep, cobblestone streets. The puppets depict celebrities and historical figures. The Galo da Madrugada, one of the largest Carnival blocos (street parties) in the world, kicks off the festivities early on Saturday morning with an enormous parade. The Carnival here is more traditional, focusing on cultural heritage.
Food and Drink
Try regional specialties such as tapiocas (a tapioca crepe filled with sweet or savoury fillings) and caldinhos (little soups).
Music and Dance
Frevo, a frenetic and acrobatic dance accompanied by brass band music, is the highlight of Olinda’s Carnival. In Recife, maracatu, an Afro-Brazilian music and dance tradition, features prominently in the celebrations.
Find cheap accommodation in Recife
Find cheap accommodation in Olinda
4. Carnival in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais
Unique Features and Cultural Celebrations
In recent years, Belo Horizonte has emerged as one of Brazil's most popular Carnival destinations. The city, affectionately known as Beagá, is renowned for its bohemian culture and laid-back vibe, but its Carnival is taken very seriously. Belo Horizonte's Carnival features a record number of street bands, or blocos, which start as early as 5:00 AM and continue until the early evening.
The Carnival here has a unique political history, reborn in 2009 as part of a left-wing protest movement against the former mayor. This spirit of resistance and grassroots organization remains a defining feature of the celebrations.
Food and Drink
Belo Horizonte's boteco culture is a highlight during Carnival. These casual bars serve bar snacks like coxinhas (large, tear-shaped croquettes) and ice-cold beer. A local drink to try is Xeque Mate, a mix of rum, mate, guarana, and lime, popularised at the city's blocos, but now available across Brazil.
Music and Dance
Blocos in Belo Horizonte play a wide variety of music, from traditional samba to rock and funk. The city is known for its well-organized yet spontaneous events, providing a freedom that appeals to many Carnival-goers.
Find cheap accommodation & bus tickets for your stay in Belo Horizonte
5. Carnival in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais
Unique Features and Cultural Celebrations
Ouro Preto, a historic city known for its well-preserved colonial architecture and universities, offers a more intimate and youthful Carnival experience. The city's steep, narrow streets are filled with students and locals celebrating in various blocos. Ouro Preto’s Carnival is heavily influenced by its student population, creating a lively and energetic atmosphere. The city's historical backdrop adds a unique charm to the celebrations, making it a popular destination for those seeking a different Carnival vibe.
Food and Drink
Minas Gerais is famous for its comfort food, such as pão de queijo (cheese bread) and feijão tropeiro (a hearty bean and pork dish). During Carnival, you’ll find these and other local delicacies at street stalls and restaurants.
Music and Dance
Samba and marchinhas (traditional Carnival songs) dominate the streets of Ouro Preto. The city's blocos often feature live bands and DJs, ensuring a non-stop party atmosphere.
Find cheap accommodation & bus tickets for your stay in Ouro Preto
6. Carnival in Paraty, Rio de Janeiro
Unique Features and Cultural Celebrations
Paraty, nestled on the southern coast of Rio de Janeiro state, boasts a Carnival experience steeped in history and charm. Its cobblestone streets and colonial architecture provide a picturesque backdrop for festivities that blend tradition with local flair. Unlike the grand spectacles of Rio and Salvador, Paraty's Carnival maintains a more intimate and community-focused vibe.
One of the most distinctive events is the Bloco de Lama (Mud Festival), held on Jabaquara Beach. Here, participants gather to cover themselves in therapeutic mud sourced from the beach's shore, an ancient ritual believed to cleanse and invigorate. Amidst the muddy revelry, live bands set the mood with vibrant music, creating an unforgettable atmosphere of camaraderie.
Learn more about attending Bloco de Lama in my full guide. Food and Drink
While exploring Paraty during Carnival, indulge in local delicacies such as fresh seafood at beachside stalls and quaint restaurants. Sample dishes like pastel de camarão (shrimp pastries) paired with a chilled beer to complete the coastal dining experience.
Music and Dance
Music at Paraty's Carnival ranges from traditional samba beats to contemporary rhythms that echo through the cobblestone streets. The Bloco de Lama festivities feature a truck blasting loud music, that leads the parade of dancing muddy festival-goers.
Find cheap accommodation & bus tickets for your stay in Paraty
7. Carnival in Florianopolis, Santa Catarina
Unique Features and Cultural Celebrations
Florianópolis, known for its stunning beaches and vibrant nightlife, offers a beachside Carnival experience. Floripa's Carnaval is also know for being one of the best carnival spots for the LGBTQ+ community.
The city’s celebrations combine traditional samba parades with beach parties, making it a unique destination for those who want to enjoy Carnival by the sea. The samba school parades in Florianopolis are held at the Nego Quirido Sambadrome, featuring elaborate floats and costumes. In addition to the official parades, beach parties and street blocos are scattered throughout the island, offering a laid-back yet festive atmosphere.
Food and Drink
Enjoy fresh seafood dishes like camarão no bafo (steamed shrimp) and casquinha de siri (stuffed crab shells) at the beachside stalls and restaurants. Pair your meal with a caipirinha or a refreshing beer.
Music and Dance
Samba is the main attraction at the Sambadrome, but the beach parties feature a mix of electronic music, reggae, and other genres.
Find cheap accommodation & bus tickets for your stay in Florianopolis
8. Carnival in São Paulo
Unique Features and Cultural Celebrations
Sao Paulo's Carnival has grown significantly in recent years, offering a diverse array of street parties (blocos) and parades. The city's Carnival is known for its inclusivity and variety, catering to all tastes with both traditional samba parades and alternative music blocs. The Anhembi Sambadrome hosts São Paulo’s official samba school parades, where schools compete with elaborate floats and costumes. In addition to samba, Sao Paulo's Carnival includes blocos dedicated to rock, funk, and other musical genres.
Food and Drink
São Paulo's culinary scene is diverse, and Sao Paulo itself is a melting pot of cultures. During Carnival, you can enjoy a wide range of street food, including pastéis (deep-fried pastries with various fillings) and espetinhos (skewers of grilled meat).
Music and Dance
Samba remains at the heart of Sao Paulo's Carnival, but you'll also find blocos playing everything from rock to electronic music, offering something for every taste.
Find cheap accommodation & bus tickets for your stay in Sao Paulo
9. Carnival in Manaus, Amazonas
Unique Features and Cultural Celebrations
Manaus offers a unique Carnival experience with a strong emphasis on Amazonian culture. The city's celebrations include traditional samba parades and street parties, as well as events that highlight indigenous and regional traditions. In Manaus, Carnival is celebrated with a mix of samba and regional influences. The Bumbódromo, a stadium used for the famous Parintins Folklore Festival, hosts the samba school parades. The city also features events that showcase the rich cultural heritage of the Amazon region.
Food and Drink
Amazonian cuisine is a highlight of Carnival in Manaus. Try dishes like tacacá (a soup made from jambu leaves and tucupi sauce) and pirarucu (a large freshwater fish) at local food stalls and markets.
Music and Dance
Samba is central to Manaus' Carnival, but you’ll also encounter regional music styles like boi-bumbá and carimbó. These genres reflect the city's unique cultural blend and add a distinctive flavor to the festivities.
Find cheap accommodation & bus tickets for your stay in Manaus.
Final tips for attending Carnaval in 2026
Plan Ahead: Book your accommodations and transportation well in advance, as Carnival is a peak travel period in Brazil. Expect inflated prices, and know that things really do book out months in advance - especially in Rio de Janeiro.
Stay Safe: See my full guide to staying safe at Carnival. Always be aware of your surroundings, and be mindful of your belongings, especially in crowded areas. Always use a money belt under your clothes and carry minimal cash. If you have an old phone available, take this out with you instead of your regular phone.
Embrace the Culture: Learn a few basic Portuguese phrases and familiarize yourself with local customs to enhance your experience.
Pace Yourself: Carnival celebrations can be intense and last several days. Make sure to stay hydrated, take breaks, and enjoy the festivities at your own pace.
Carnival in Brazil is a celebration like no other, offering a unique blend of music, dance, and cultural traditions. Whether you're drawn to the historic streets of Olinda, the beachfront parties of Florianopolis, or the burgeoning scene in Belo Horizonte, there's a one-in-a-lifetime Carnival experience for everyone.
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