February 8–13
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Considered the ultimate event of the carnival season, Rio Carnival now attracts more than 500,000 foreign visitors per year.
The main event is the samba parade, in which six of Rio’s more than 70 samba schools perform in an elaborate parade at the Sambódromo, with spectator seating for 90,000 people designed by Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer.
If you don’t make it to the actual Sambódromo, there are parties and events all over the city, and the atmosphere is electric.
