Rio · onenicetrip

The reason we’re here

7–9 February 2027

Rio Carnival

Sambadrome (Marquês de Sapucaí) and the streets of Rio

Rio’s Carnival mixes ticketed parades with free street parties. The big samba schools parade at the Sambadrome on the nights of 7, 8 and 9 February 2027, and the parades run into the early hours. Street groups called blocos fill the rest of the city.

Every year in the days before Ash Wednesday, which falls 46 days before Easter. The date changes each year by a set rule: check it before you travel. Source ↗

The plan(sleep optional)

Six days: the old centre, the two famous peaks, and one night at the Sambadrome.

Where we sleep

5 nights

Base in Ipanema

Ipanema, Rio de Janeiro

Day 1 · Thu 4 Feb
Arrive and find the arches
We land, drop the bags, and take a first walk through Lapa and the tiled steps. Nobody is allowed to be tired yet.
- Arcos da Lapa1 h
  A double row of white arches in Lapa, part of an old aqueduct from the 1700s that brought water to the city. The Santa Teresa tram later ran across the top.
  What to see
  - The arches from street level
  - The streets of Lapa around them
  - The slope up to Santa Teresa
  Time
  An easy hour on foot.
  Tip
  Lapa is lively at night but not a place to stroll with your phone in your hand. Come in daylight and keep valuables out of sight.
  To eat
  A pastel, the crisp fried pastry, with caldo de cana, fresh sugar-cane juice.
- Selarón Steps1 h
  A long staircase covered in tiles from around the world, made over many years by the Chilean artist Jorge Selarón. It runs between Lapa and Santa Teresa.
  What to see
  - Tiles in yellow, green and blue
  - Pieces sent from other countries
  - The view down to the Lapa arches
  Time
  About an hour with the photos.
  Tip
  Go early, before the crowds, and don’t stop on the steps with a phone or camera dangling from your hand.
  To eat
  Pão de queijo, cheese bread that is soft inside, with a coffee.
Day 2 · Fri 5 Feb
Christ, then ferns
Up Corcovado early, before the clouds close the lid, then down to the botanical garden at the foot of the hill.
- Christ the Redeemer3 h
  A 30-metre statue with open arms on top of Corcovado, which rises 710 metres above the city. It was inaugurated in 1931.
  What to see
  - The statue from its feet
  - The view over the bay and Sugarloaf
  - The Tijuca forest on the way up
  Time
  Three hours with the journey.
  Tip
  Buy the ticket in advance from the official train or van operator, and go first thing. Clouds often sit on the summit and hide the view, so check the sky before you leave.
  To eat
  Feijoada, black beans stewed with pork, the dish Rio eats on Saturdays.
- Rio Botanical Garden2 h
  Founded in 1808 by the Portuguese prince regent, with an avenue of tall imperial palms as its best-known sight. It sits at the foot of Corcovado.
  What to see
  - The avenue of imperial palms
  - The giant water lilies
  - Small monkeys in the trees
  Time
  Two relaxed hours.
  Tip
  Visiting hours differ by weekday and on holidays, so check the garden’s own website. Pack mosquito repellent: February is mosquito season in the shade.
  To eat
  Fresh juice of caju, the cashew fruit, or maracujá, passion fruit.
Day 3 · Sat 6 Feb
Tomorrow, then a sugar loaf
The Museum of Tomorrow in the morning, then the cable cars up Sugarloaf for the sunset and the city lights.
- Museum of Tomorrow2 h
  A science museum on the old harbour, designed by Santiago Calatrava and opened in 2015. Its theme is how people have changed the planet and what comes next.
  What to see
  - The white building over the water
  - The exhibition on the Anthropocene
  - The harbour promenade outside
  Time
  About two hours.
  Tip
  Opening days have changed over the years, so check the museum’s website and book online. Going on a Saturday morning keeps you clear of Monday closures.
  To eat
  Tapioca, a thin cassava pancake folded round cheese or coconut.
- Sugarloaf Mountain3 h
  A granite peak of 396 metres at the mouth of Guanabara Bay. Two cable cars take you up, with a stop on Morro da Urca on the way.
  What to see
  - The two cable-car rides
  - The bay and the Rio skyline from the top
  - The lights coming on at dusk
  Time
  About three hours, queues included.
  Tip
  Go up in the late afternoon and stay for dusk. Book online to skip the longest queue, and look at the weather first, since cloud on the summit ruins the view.
  To eat
  Mate gelado com limão, iced mate tea with lemon, sold on every Rio beach.
Day 4 · Sun 7 Feb
The night of the schools
A quiet morning on the Arpoador rock to save our legs. In the evening we go to the Sambadrome for the first of the three big parade nights, and the schools keep going into the small hours.
- Arpoador Rock2 h
  A rock that divides Ipanema from Copacabana, popular with surfers. People gather here at sunset, and the crowd traditionally applauds when the sun goes down.
  What to see
  - Surfers on the waves below
  - Ipanema and the Two Brothers hills
  - The view back towards Copacabana
  Time
  A slow morning.
  Tip
  The rock is slippery when wet and the February sun is fierce, so bring water and sunscreen. Keep your energy for tonight, because the parade ends at dawn.
  To eat
  Água de coco, drunk straight from a green coconut at a beach kiosk.
- SambadromeWhole night
  A parade avenue of about 700 metres, designed by Oscar Niemeyer and opened in 1984. On the nights of 7, 8 and 9 February the big samba schools pass through it one after another.
  What to see
  - The floats and the costumed groups
  - The drum section, the bateria
  - The whole stand singing the school’s song
  Time
  The parades run into the early hours.
  Tip
  Buy your seat only from the league’s official sales channels, and treat resale offers with suspicion. The Praça Onze metro station is next to the avenue.
  To eat
  A proper dinner before, rice, beans and farofa. The night is long.
Day 5 · Mon 8 Feb
Recovery, then samba
A late start in the shade of Parque Lage, then an evening of samba on the old stone steps of Pedra do Sal.
- Parque Lage2 h
  A park at the foot of Corcovado, around a 1920s mansion that is now an art school. The arched courtyard with a pool is the classic picture.
  What to see
  - The mansion courtyard and its pool
  - Trails into the Tijuca forest
  - Christ on the hill above the trees
  Time
  A gentle two hours.
  Tip
  It’s the right place for the morning after a parade night: shade, flat paths, and nobody will ask you to dance. Wear repellent.
  To eat
  Açaí na tigela, a frozen açaí bowl with banana and granola, is a Rio habit.
- Pedra do Sal2 h
  Stone steps in the old port district, often called the cradle of samba. A free open-air samba circle is held here on Monday evenings.
  What to see
  - The carved stone steps
  - The musicians in the circle
  - The street full of dancers
  Time
  An evening.
  Tip
  The circle is a Monday fixture, but during Carnival the programme can change, so check the organisers’ page that day. Keep your phone in a front pocket in the crowd.
  To eat
  Bolinho de bacalhau, a fried salt-cod croquette, the classic bar snack.
Day 6 · Tue 9 Feb
One last beach
A final walk along Copacabana before the flight. The parades of the last night go on without us.
- Copacabana BeachMorning
  A crescent of sand about four kilometres long, with the wave-patterned pavement designed by Roberto Burle Marx along the promenade.
  What to see
  - The wave pattern in the pavement
  - Beach volleyball and footvolley games
  - The Leme end of the bay
  Time
  A last morning walk.
  Tip
  Walk the sand early, before the heat and before the crowds from the Carnival weekend wake up. Check out of the base first and keep your bag with you.
  To eat
  One last água de coco and a pão de queijo before the airport.