If people have only heard of one city in Brazil or South America, it will be Rio de Janeiro. Once the country’s capital, a city of unrivalled beauty and fun.

Rio has been a global icon ever since Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers started "Flying down to Rio" back in the 1920s. It is glamorous, sexy and fun—a major city, yet also a tropical beach resort.

It is home to globally recognisable attractions that include the statue of Christ the Redeemer on Corcovado Mountain; Sugar Loaf Mountain; the beaches of Copacabana and Ipanema; and the Maracanã, a stadium built for the 1950 World Cup and hosted the World Cup Final in 2014, and the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2016 Olympics.

The city is equally famous for its artistic contributions that include Bossa Nova and Samba, as well as the city’s famous Carnival. Today, Rio is rivalled in that respect by the Carnival celebrations in Salvador and Recife, amongst others.

Tickets for most major Carnival activities can be booked in advance through tour operators.

Carnival Dates

Upcoming dates for Carnival (Friday-Wednesday) are:

• 2021: Cancelled due to Covid-19 restrictions
• 2022: 25 February to 2 March
• 2023: 17 to 22 February
• 2024: 9 to 14 February
• 2025: 28 February to 5 March
• 2026: 13 to 21 February
• 2027: 5 to 13 February

But Rio is also home to Rock in Rio, the largest music festival in South America, and the country’s film industry which is behind such global successes as "City of God", "Central Station", and "Tropa de Elite".

The city is also the inspiration and backdrop to hit films such as "Rio", "Fast & Furious 5: Rio Heist", and "Twilight Series: Breaking Dawn".