Know before you go

• Free street parties (blocos) run across the city for weeks.
• Book rooms months ahead: prices and minimum stays are high.

Airport to Sambadrome Marquês de Sapucaí

Galeão (GIG) is 40 to 60 minutes from Copacabana; Santos Dumont (SDU) is downtown.

Metro to Praça Onze or Central.

Public transport directions to Sambadrome Marquês de Sapucaí

Where to stay by budget

Three hotels we would book

• Budget: Selina Copacabana
• Mid-range: Hotel Atlântico Copacabana
• Splurge: Copacabana Palace

Links search the nights from 4 February to 11 February. Event weekends sell out early and prices rise as the date gets closer: book a cancellable room as soon as you know you are going.

Day plans for the free hours

Built around the usual festival stay schedule for 5 to 10 February 2027. Session times change: check the official timetable and move the blocks around.

Family-friendly picks

• AquaRio.

Evening and day-trip tours

After dark

• Lapa.

5 tours worth booking for Rio Carnival

Event weeks sell out. Book tours with free cancellation as soon as the session times are published.

Where to eat

• Confeitaria Colombo Belle Époque café
• Churrascarias in Copacabana All-you-can-eat barbecue
• Feira de São Cristóvão Northeastern food fair

Reserve dinner for the nights around the event: restaurants near the venue fill up days ahead.

Rainy-day backups

• Museum of Tomorrow.

Getting around on event days

• Metro links the beaches and downtown; Uber is easy. Keep phones out of sight on the street.

Day trips from Rio de Janeiro

• Petrópolis: 1.5 hours
• Búzios: 3 hours

Questions people ask

When is Rio Carnival 2027?

The next edition is 5 to 10 February 2027, following the usual pattern. The organiser has not confirmed it yet.

How do I get from the airport to Sambadrome Marquês de Sapucaí?

Galeão (GIG) is 40 to 60 minutes from Copacabana; Santos Dumont (SDU) is downtown. Metro to Praça Onze or Central.

Where should I stay for Rio Carnival?

For most visitors the best base is Copacabana: Beachfront with many hotels.

What can we do between sessions at Rio Carnival?

Good short outings in Rio de Janeiro include Favela tour with local guides, Tijuca forest hike. See the day plans on this page for a full schedule.

What is there for kids and families near Rio Carnival?

Family-friendly picks: Christ the Redeemer and Sugarloaf, Tijuca forest hike, Ilha Grande day trip. AquaRio.

How far is Sambadrome Marquês de Sapucaí from Rio de Janeiro centre?

About 2 km in a straight line. Metro to Praça Onze or Central.

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