This year, Rio de Janeiro Carnival will take place between February 28th and March 4th, with the Champion’s parade at the Sambadrome being held on Saturday March 8th. Make sure you’re fully prepared for the festivities with our guide to Rio de Janeiro Carnival 2014, which includes the highlights, costs and the best places to party during this period.

[caption id="attachment_7897" align="alignnone" width="640"]Performing in the parades at Rio Carnival Performing in the parades at Rio Carnival / source[/caption]

Accommodation during Rio de Janeiro Carnival

Accommodation during carnival time tends to fill up pretty fast, so be sure to book now if you haven't done so already. Bear in mind that hostels and hotels go up a great deal in price, and a number of them also require a minimum stay of 7 nights. Hostel prices for Rio de Janeiro Carnival 2014 begin at US$17 per night, whereas the cheapest hotel currently available find will set you back around US$50.

Travelling to Rio de Janeiro Carnival

As it stands, the cheapest return flights to Rio de Janeiro for carnival time are as follows:

Destination             Price UK (LCY)                      £735

USA (JFK)                    US$942

Australia (MEL)        AUD$1,199

South Africa (JNB)   R9,966

New Zealand (AKL)  NZ$2,500

To find the cheapest flights from any other destination, use Skyscanner's website.

Samba School rehearsals

The Samba Schools spend all year preparing for the Samba Parade during Rio de Janeiro Carnival, when they are very much in the spotlight. There are 12 samba schools in the Special Group for the 2014 Samba Parade and they each hold rehearsals in the lead-up to the carnival, which you can watch in order to get yourself in the mood and learn a bit more about the dance. [caption id="attachment_7900" align="alignnone" width="640"]Salgueiro dancers addressing the crowd during a samba school rehearsal Salgueiro dancers addressing the crowd during a samba school rehearsal / source[/caption]

The Sambadrome

The famous Sambadrome is divided into sectors and ticket prices vary according to the seating and view of the parading avenue. Sectors in the middle or slightly towards the end of the runway are considered the best, as they enable you to see more of the parade, therefore paying a little bit more actually makes a rather big difference. Each samba school takes approximately eighty minutes to parade through the Sambadrome, performing their school’s anthem and impressing the crowds with music, dancing and floats. You can purchase tickets for the Sambadrome from the official Rio de Janeiro Carnival website.

[caption id="attachment_7901" align="alignnone" width="640"]The Sambadrome during Rio de Janeiro Carnival The Sambadrome during Rio de Janeiro Carnival / source[/caption]

Carnival Balls

Rio de Janeiro offers a selection of unmissable carnival balls with live samba music, where people dress up in exquisite costumes and dance the night away. Tickets to these balls will cost you between USD$70 and USD$300, with the exception being the famous luxury hotel Copacabana Palace's Magic Ball, the most glamorous event in all of Rio. Luxury costume or black tie is required, and a number of international and local VIPs can usually be found among the guests. Tickets to the Copacabana Palace's Magic Ball include a buffet dinner and free open bar, along with access to each of the different ballrooms.

Visit our website for more information on Rio de Janeiro Carnival 2014 or to book tours and activities in Rio.

By: Camilla Day – English Content Manager