Prior to visiting any city, it’s always important to brush up on your cultural knowledge in order to truly prepare yourself and avoid appearing ignorant. Many people think the capital of Brazil is Rio de Janeiro, but it is actually Brasília. However, as it is considered the cultural capital of Brazil, there are certainly a fair few cultural facts about Rio de Janeiro. We've listed four that you should bear in mind before making your trip.

1. RIO DE JANEIRO: BRAZIL'S CULTURAL CAPITAL

Carnival is Rio de Janeiro's cultural highlight / Photo by Daytours4u
 

Rio has been granted this title because of its combination of historic and modern architecture, its numerous museums, an abundance of music and literature, and, of course, carnival celebrations. Rio Carnival began in the 1840s as a masked ball where people would dance polkas and waltzes and by 1917, the samba dance had become an integral part of the celebrations. Today, Rio Carnival is without a doubt the most important celebration of the year for the people of Rio de Janeiro.

2. A RELAXED CITY

Rio de JaneiroRelaxing on the city's beaches is a favourite Carioca pastime / Photo by Daytours4u
 

Rio de Janeiro is an extremely relaxed city, where people tend to dress casually and comfortably. However, this doesn't mean the city’s residents walk around looking scruffy, as they are in fact famously style conscious and like to keep their hair, nails and skin well-maintained at all times. The city is also relaxed in the sense that it has a pace of its own and the people here are known for taking things in their stride and often turning up more than a little late for arrangements (if at all).

3. THE PEOPLE OF RIO DE JANEIRO

CariocasCariocas are extremely friendly people. / Photo by Daytours4u
 

The people in Rio de Janeiro call themselves Cariocas, a term which came from a Tupi Indian word referring to “white houses”, for this is what Portuguese-built houses were called during those times. Eventually, the people began to think of themselves as Cariocas as well. Cariocas are also extremely friendly people and they are very comfortable with physical contact, such as kissing on the cheek (a typical greeting), hugging and back-patting. Their passions tend to include the beach, sports and partying, often combined all at once. A typical day over the weekend would consist of heading to the beach for a spot of sunbathing, eating lunch in a local bar, watching the football with a cold beer followed by a night of drinking and dancing in the city’s various bars and clubs.

4. FOOD & DRINK: FEIJOADA FOLLOWED BY CAIPIRINHAS

Feijoada is a famous Brazilian dish - a tasty stew which consista of black beans and pork  that is served with rice, kale and manioc. / Photo by Daytours4u
 

One famous local dish in Rio de Janeiro is feijoada, a tasty stew which consists of black beans and pork that is served with rice, kale, and manioc. It is said that a good caipirinha, Brazil’s national drink, aids digestion- what more of an excuse do you need?! Here are some other typical drinks of Rio de Janeiro. Another favourite dish is churrasco, great hunks of barbecued beef, pork, and other meat, which comes with manioc and onions. Naturally, as it’s close to the sea, Rio also offers a supreme selection of fine sea food, including fresh lobster, shrimp, shellfish, and numerous other fish dishes. Bom apetite!

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Visit our website for more tours and activities in Rio de Janeiro.

By: Camilla Day, English Content Manager