Bonnetts Abroad

2026 South America Cruise

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Rio de Janeiro
Sunrise: 05:40:00 Sunset:18:33:00 Daytime Temperature: 37 deg C Nighttime Temperature: 25 deg C

19:00:00

Arrive

Rio de Janeiro is famed for its Copacabana and Ipanema beaches, framed by Sugarloaf Mountain, accessed by cable car, and Mount Corcovado. The iconic statue of Christ the Redeemer looks over the city from a height of 2,310 feet, and is deemed one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. The city is also renowned for its Carnival, and is one of the most famous events in the world, consisting of huge flamboyant parades, dancing and elaborate costume

Things To Do

Royal Portuguese Reading Room

Museum of Tomorrow

Botanic Gardens

Santa Maria Tram

Tijuca Forest Tour

Rocinha Favela

Lapa Street Art

Olympic Boulevard

Coffee Farm Tour

Rio Yup Star Ferris Wheel

Celebrate Carnival

There is no bigger party in the world than Brazil's Carnival and the best place to celebrate Carnival is, of course, in Rio de Janeiro! To celebrate this amazing event!

Carnival in Brazil runs for 6 days, usually on a Tuesday and ending on a Sunday. The dates change every year but Carnival starts at the end of February and runs to early March.

When you visit Rio for Carnival there are a few ways to enjoy the festivities. The first is to hit the streets and party at the block (or “bloco parties”.) These are essentially street parades that you can join in on. At these events be sure to dress up as crazy as you can!

The second is at the Sambadrome. Now, this isn't exactly a crazy party but it's still fun, and seeing the professional samba dancers, the amazing costumes, and the massive floats is a bucket list experience. I recommend spending one night at the Sambadrome but the rest on the streets at one of the hundreds of bloco parties.

You can also join a ton of Carnival tours that visit various parts of the celebration. These are perfect for those who are a little worried about wandering the streets of Rio!

If you want to see the show at the Sambadrome you would want to purchase your tickets in advance to ensure they don't sell out. Basic grandstand seats start at $30 USD but you can also upgrade to front box tickets for a better view. There is also a package that includes round–trip transportation that begins at $90 USD. As you can imagine, this is a very popular experience that you don't want to miss out on, so it's best to book your tickets as far out as you can.

One of the most popular tours that can be done at any time of the year is the Carnival Backstage Tour which will really give you a feel for what this carnival is all about. You will learn how the floats and dramatic costumes are made, and you can even try some of the costumes on and take photos if you want!

You are sure to be informed on some of the cultural histories of this event before being made cocktails and heading to a samba dance class. So even if you miss being there for the actual celebration this is your next best option. This tour is only $22 USD and a must–do if you can't be in Rio for the party itself!

Regardless of how hard you plan to party, Carnival will be an eye–opening experience and is sure to blow you away!

Port Map

Overnight in Port

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