Carnival

Where to go for Carnival

Carnival Monday and Tuesday are days off in much of Brazil, turning the end of summer into a long break. Some travellers head for street parades and music, while others use the time to escape to quieter beaches or cooler hills.

Budget-friendly

• Olinda · Pernambuco

  This hilltop colonial town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, celebrates Carnival on foot, with frevo bands and giant puppets winding through steep streets. Baroque churches, tapioca stalls at the Alto da Sé and views over neighbouring Recife make it worth the trip.

  Typically around 9 February: high 32°C (89°F), low 25°C (77°F), rain on 39% of days.

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• Petrópolis · Rio de Janeiro

  In the mountains above Rio, the former summer retreat of the Brazilian imperial family offers cooler air in the hottest part of the year. The Imperial Museum, the cathedral and hiking in the Serra dos Órgãos make a calm alternative to Carnival.

  Typically around 9 February: high 29°C (84°F), low 20°C (68°F), rain on 74% of days.

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Mid-range

• Salvador · Bahia

  Carnival here moves through the streets behind trucks carrying live bands, alongside Afro-Brazilian percussion groups. Away from the parade routes, the Pelourinho historic centre, Atlantic beaches and Bahian dishes such as moqueca and acarajé fill the rest of the trip.

  Typically around 9 February: high 32°C (89°F), low 25°C (77°F), rain on 43% of days.

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• Florianópolis · Santa Catarina

  For a break from the parades, this island capital has many beaches, from calm bays in the north to surf beaches in the east and south. The Lagoa da Conceição lagoon and locally farmed oysters add to a summer weekend.

  Typically around 9 February: high 29°C (84°F), low 22°C (71°F), rain on 47% of days.

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Splurge

• Rio de Janeiro

  The samba school parades in the Sambadrome are the centrepiece of Rio's Carnival, while neighbourhood street parties known as blocos take place across the city. Between events there are beaches, Sugarloaf Mountain and the Christ the Redeemer statue.

  Typically around 9 February: high 28°C (82°F), low 24°C (74°F), rain on 69% of days.

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Trip ideas chosen by Public Holidays World, not sponsored. “Typically” lines are past averages, not forecasts; when the date is within about 9 days, a forecast is shown too.