Enjoy the Carnival of Rio!

Many people think of the Rio Carnival as the greatest show on earth, and Rio as the Carnival capital of the world. It is a euphoric 4 day celebration, starting on Sunday and finishing on Shrove Wednesday, where people sing, dance and party all over the place, and finish in the Samba Parade. The carnival is the result of months of preparation.

One of the best features of the Carnival is the chance to to experience the real culture of Brazil face to face. For Brazilians, Carnival is one of the main expressions of their culture.

The most important popular festival, it mixes emotions, creativity, colors, sounds and many breathtaking costumes. People dance with joy and freedom as the contagious carioca spirit affects all who come from all over the world to experience it. A big parade of various Samba schools.

Each representing a different neighborhood or social club from different areas of Rio. It's not a simple parade, but a competition between the schools attempting to gain points from their presentation composed of song, story, rhythm, dance and costumes.

Each go along the Sambodrome and contains thousands of sambistas (people who participate on the parade), all divided into sections of dancers, musicians and floats. It all starts the year preceding Carnaval, as each samba school mobilizes thousands of supporters who will create the various parts of the school's display.

A theme is chosen, music written, costumes created, richly decorated floats built, while are choreographed by the 'carnavalesco', the school director. By December, rehearsals have begun and, in time for Christmas, the sambas are recorded and released to record shops

- Arquibancadas (bleachers) - are the most reasonably priced seats. The elevated position gives you a better view of the schools in their entirety. Standard bleachers do not have numbered seats except for the VIP bleachers of Sector 9 which are the most expensive. The bleachers do not feature individual seats.

- Frisas - Between the tables and the runway, there is a row of frisas, open boxes with numbered chairs which seat 6 to 8 people. They are as close to the runway as it gets, too close according to some. Frisas have chairs, and a small table.